Is this a sign of an infection

[clay932]

i started this mead about a week ago and at first it had a brown foam from the cinnamon i put in and the bubbling but this has become like a thick paste i dont know if its just a yeast colony or an infection i dont notice any odd smells it just smells kinda like kombucha and bread since i used bread yeast if you could help me out that would be great

EDIT: i did a little research and i think its just a spongy layer of yeast i guess its called trub not sure still would appreciate other opinions

 

[RPh_Guy]

That, my friend, is called krausen.

It's a totally normal sign that things are going as planned (with your JAOM).

Cheers & welcome to HBT!

 

[clay932]

That, my friend, is called krausen.

It's a totally normal sign that things are going as planned (with your JAOM).

Cheers & welcome to HBT!

Thanks for the quick reply I looked up Krausen and looks exactly like what I have

 

[nh_homebrew]

What about this? I hope it is just the white bubbles you see on honey. It is only a day and a half since I made the batch. And it has not started fermenting according to the airlock.

 

[RPh_Guy]

What about this? I hope it is just the white bubbles you see on honey. It is only a day and a half since I made the batch. And it has not started fermenting according to the airlock.

Photo is too blurry to really tell anything.

It's very likely that it is fermenting, those are bubbles from fermentation, and your vessel is leaking. Airlocks are not trustworthy.
Could also still be just leftover bubbles, assuming you aerated enough to whip up some foam.

Bubbles = good
White powdery film = pellicle = OK
Fuzzy = mold = bad (it does not look like mold to me in the photo)

 

[nh_homebrew]

Photo is too blurry to really tell anything.

It's very likely that it is fermenting, those are bubbles from fermentation, and your vessel is leaking. Airlocks are not trustworthy.
Could also still be just leftover bubbles, assuming you aerated enough to whip up some foam.

Bubbles = good
White powdery film = pellicle = OK
Fuzzy = mold = bad (it does not look like mold to me in the photo)

You’re right. (It’s my first time making mead.) I see bubbles coming up now though the airlock has not rose. There is a tight seal cuz when I press on the fermenter the airlock rises.

 

[RPh_Guy]

There is a tight seal cuz when I press on the fermenter the airlock rises.

I can easily inflate a paper bag by blowing into it, that doesn't mean it's air-tight.

 

[piojo]

From what I've experienced/read about food fermentation, it would be a good idea to swirl it and submerge whatever is on the surface. Mold usually grows on the surface, and if you can keep the mold from becoming established, the product soon becomes too carbonated/acidic/alcoholic to support mold. This food fact should also be applicable to beverages.

Now, in your case, that doesn't look like mold yet. But swirling it a few times a day wouldn't hurt, and it could prevent a minor infection from becoming a significant one. The only disadvantage is education: if you don't touch it, you will learn more about how a fermentation looks as it progresses.

 

[RPh_Guy]

it would be a good idea to swirl it and submerge whatever is on the surface. Mold usually grows on the surface, and if you can keep the mold from becoming established, the product soon becomes too carbonated/acidic/alcoholic to support mold. This food fact should also be applicable to beverages.

Not true. Mold can quickly produce filaments that extend throughout a food/beverage (with the possible exception of certain hard foods).

Mold is allergenic and some molds can produce toxins. Therefore it's generally not safe to eat food with mold, and a moldy beverage should be dumped.

FAQ provided by the USDA
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/porta...ng/molds-on-food-are-they-dangerous_/ct_index

 

[piojo]

Not true. Mold can quickly produce filaments that extend throughout a food/beverage (with the possible exception of certain hard foods).

Mold is allergenic and some molds can produce toxins. Therefore it's generally not safe to eat food with mold, and a moldy beverage should be dumped.

I stand (mostly) corrected. Really, the context of what I wrote is for microscopic quantities of mold, and for cases where toxic molds do not typically grow. To give a concrete example, sauerkraut should be mixed under water if it's not completely submerged. There are mold spores on it, but the quantity will be kept within acceptable limits unless you give it a nice growing environment.

If the food/drink has a visible amount of mold (again, this post probably isn't moldy), mixing it in is probably not the most sanitary choice.

And while filaments can happen, they are usually not the first sign of infection.