Is this an infection and do I have any options?

[simplecj]

One day after pitching this batch of AppleBerry Wine, it went nuts and erupted all over. I had to remove the airlock multiple times because it was getting plugged with pulp. I used One-Step sanitizer on the airlock and tried to be careful with it.

The following day it had settled down and I noticed this stuff around the top of the carboy. I thought maybe I could save it by racking to a new carboy and it looked fine, but now the stuff is back. Is this an infection and is there anything I can do to save this batch if it is infected??

 

[rdwj]

leave it alone - doesn't look odd. Moving it can only hurt it at this point

 

[PseudoChef]

It's fine.

 

[simplecj]

It's fine.

Any ideas on what this yellow growth could be other than a bacterial infection which is what I think it probably is??

 

[Bobby_M]

I don't suspect bacteria or anything else. Yeast is sh!tting all over your carboy right now. Well not exactly, but fermentation is disgusting in general.

 

[PseudoChef]

Any ideas on what this yellow growth could be other than a bacterial infection which is what I think it probably is??

Yellow growth = yeast.

 

[simplecj]

Yellow growth = yeast.

Ok, that makes sense, but this is the first time I've seen it growing on the top of the carboy like that. Crazy yeast!!
I used Cooper's Ale Yeast in this and it kicked up very vigorously for the first 24 hours...

Thank you all for putting me at ease. I'm a little paranoid about contamination... who wants to loose $xx worth of brew and hours of labor??

 

[dblvsn]

RDWHAHB!! The first time I saw a fermentation happening I was kinda freaked out as well. Its extremely disgusting but tastes so yummy when complete.

 

[simplecj]

RDWHAHB!! The first time I saw a fermentation happening I was kinda freaked out as well. Its extremely disgusting but tastes so yummy when complete.

This isn't the first time I've seen a fermentation. I have two ales and a mead and now a spiced cider going as well as the AppleBerry wine. The ales and the mead never had yeast growing on the sides of the carboy above the wort like this wine does. Of course they didn't have explosive initial fermentations either! Cooper's yeast is crazy!