Is this wine wasted?

[firemachine69]

Just popped the cover this morning, and I'm getting what looks like mold spores on the top of my brew. My wife is almost convinced it finished brewing two days ago, but that was only four days into the first stage. Fermentation occurred within 24 hours. I just checked, and today is day seven of my brew. So I'd usually be transferring tonight.

 

[bernardsmith]

Hi firemachine69 - and welcome. Not really enough information to comment. What fruit is this? What was the starting gravity? What is the gravity today? If you think that there is mold growing on top, does that mean there was piece of fruit in the bucket? If there was pieces did you punch down those pieces or stir them to keep all the surfaces saturated with liquid during fermentation or did you allow the top surface to dry out? Have you tried to skim off the "mold"? Does it look like mold when you examine it up close? Could it be nutrient that you added? The seeds of the fruit? Other pieces of fruit held in suspension because of the carbon dioxide dissolved in the wine?

 

[firemachine69]

Hi firemachine69 - and welcome. Not really enough information to comment. What fruit is this? What was the starting gravity? What is the gravity today? If you think that there is mold growing on top, does that mean there was piece of fruit in the bucket? If there was pieces did you punch down those pieces or stir them to keep all the surfaces saturated with liquid during fermentation or did you allow the top surface to dry out? Have you tried to skim off the "mold"? Does it look like mold when you examine it up close? Could it be nutrient that you added? The seeds of the fruit? Other pieces of fruit held in suspension because of the carbon dioxide dissolved in the wine?

Hi there. This is a kit wine, Shiraz. (With a strawberry fpack at the end to be added). I don't recall exact starting gravity, but it was within range. I meant to check gravity this morning, but completely forgot (kits will make you do that ). It didn't smell bad, it did smell like it was properly brewing. I'll check gravity tonight, but I'm almost certain it's exactly where it needs to be.

I'll admit, when the wife first told me she thought it was done (at day four), I should have checked the gravity.

 

[jgmillr1]

Hard to tell exactly what it is, but since the wine has just finished fermenting then I suspect it is just clumps of yeast floating on the surface. I get this all the time. I believe mold takes longer to develop (2 weeks?) and the clumps in the image appear to be a yeasty tan color rather than whitish mold. In any case, you'll want to rack it into a carboy, top off any head space and add sulfites as usual.