Help...... please

[Meadow 907]

Potassium sorbate to halt ferment, back sweetened, didn't have time to bottle. Is this mold? Can I save it?

 

[An Ankoù]

Looks like mould. We need a bit (a lot, in fact) more info as to what it is you want to save and where you found the mould.

 

[Meadow 907]

Looks like mould. We need a bit (a lot, in fact) more info as to what it is you want to save and where you found the mould.

What else do you need to know? I'm a newb at this.

 

[An Ankoù]

Hi.
What are you making? Is it a wine of some sort? Is it in a demijohn? How long has it been mouldy?
You might be able to draw the good wine off from under the mould into a fresh demijohn and then, depending on what it tastes and smells like, bottle it.
But I'm assuming you've got some mould floating on the surface of a gallon of wine in a demijohn. I could well be wrong. Could you tell us and perhaps send a photo. Try not to move or shake up the vessel at this stage.

 

[Meadow 907]

Hi.
What are you making? Is it a wine of some sort? Is it in a demijohn? How long has it been mouldy?
You might be able to draw the good wine off from under the mould into a fresh demijohn and then, depending on what it tastes and smells like, bottle it.
But I'm assuming you've got some mould floating on the surface of a gallon of wine in a demijohn. I could well be wrong. Could you tell us and perhaps send a photo. Try not to move or shake up the vessel at this stage.

It is berry mead, it's in a 6.5 gallon carboy. It is about 6 weeks old, I racked it from one catboy to another, sanitizing everything of course, added potassium sorbate and added 3.5 pounds of honey. 3 days later I noticed the mold. I haven't disturbed it at all. I'm assuming something was not sanitary enough. Should I bottle and pasture? What other pictures would help?

 

[Jacob_Marley]

If and only if you have caught it before it advances much.

Using a racking cane and tubing, siphon-off the mead from underneath the floating mold into a new, sanitized container. Make sure to stop siphoning well before you suck any of the top layer (with the mold) into the new container.
Take a taste of the mead to see if the flavor and drinkability has already been ruined.
Hit the mead with a strong, standard dose of metabisulfite.
Wait a couple weeks to see if the mold resumes.

If it resumes, again siphon off from below the mold into a new container ... but this time make your mead into a "fortified mead" by adding enough hard alcohol (brandy, vodka, everclear, whatever) to bring the ABV% up to about 20% ... then again wait and see if the mold resumes.
The downside of this ... you may add the alcohol and still have to throw the batch out.
Another downside ... the flavor might not be quite what you were looking for.

In any case ... I'd siphon off and hit it with sulfites, as above.

On any of this, you have to act quickly because allowing the advancement of the mold growth is likely to quickly ruin the batch.

edit: also, remember to observe proper headspace (don't allow much headspace) in your containers/carboys etc.

 

[Meadow 907]

If and only if you have caught it before it advances much.

Using a racking cane and tubing, siphon-off the mead from underneath the floating mold into a new, sanitized container. Make sure to stop siphoning well before you suck any of the top layer (with the mold) into the new container.
Take a taste of the mead to see if the flavor and drinkability has already been ruined.
Hit the mead with a strong, standard dose of metabisulfite.
Wait a couple weeks to see if the mold resumes.

If it resumes, again siphon off from below the mold into a new container ... but this time make your mead into a "fortified mead" by adding enough hard alcohol (brandy, vodka, everclear, whatever) to bring the ABV% up to about 20% ... then again wait and see if the mold resumes.
The downside of this ... you may add the alcohol and still have to throw the batch out.
Another downside ... the flavor might not be quite what you were looking for.

In any case ... I'd siphon off and hit it with sulfites, as above.

On any of this, you have to act quickly because allowing the advancement of the mold growth is likely to quickly ruin the batch.

THANK YOU!

 

[SimPilot]

What's your abv? Usually above ~10% nothing should grow...

 

[An Ankoù]

If and only if you have caught it before it advances much.

Using a racking cane and tubing, siphon-off the mead from underneath the floating mold into a new, sanitized container. Make sure to stop siphoning well before you suck any of the top layer (with the mold) into the new container.
Take a taste of the mead to see if the flavor and drinkability has already been ruined.
Hit the mead with a strong, standard dose of metabisulfite.
Wait a couple weeks to see if the mold resumes.

If it resumes, again siphon off from below the mold into a new container ... but this time make your mead into a "fortified mead" by adding enough hard alcohol (brandy, vodka, everclear, whatever) to bring the ABV% up to about 20% ... then again wait and see if the mold resumes.
The downside of this ... you may add the alcohol and still have to throw the batch out.
Another downside ... the flavor might not be quite what you were looking for.

In any case ... I'd siphon off and hit it with sulfites, as above.

On any of this, you have to act quickly because allowing the advancement of the mold growth is likely to quickly ruin the batch.

edit: also, remember to observe proper headspace (don't allow much headspace) in your containers/carboys etc.

Spot on. Nothing to add to this advice.