Mold in fermenter, HELP!

[dino bautista]

Hi gurus, can i still save my beer, 2 weeks fermenting and formed mold on top!



Thanks in advance

 

[ike8228]

I tried to zoom in but it doesn’t look like mold to me? Was your airlock still bubbling? You may be seeing the Kruasen still hanging around. Once it stops fermenting (bubbling) it will fall out. That’s normal. Does it smell (taste if you dare) foul or sour? If it does I wouldn’t risk trying to save it, if it’s bad it’s bad. Is there any black/green/purple colors or any fuzzy patches? That would be mold. A bacteria is another issue.

If you sanitized properly and got the temps right and pitched yeast properly and it started fermenting at least within 48 hrs the alcohol would have combated any bacteria from growing.

 

[jrgtr42]

Definitely an infection / contamination going on there - probably not mold per se, though.
Generally the alcohol in beer will prevent mold from growing, but if your yeast didn't kick off, there might be a chance. Did you have good krausen in there? Good activity from airlock (not that it's always an indicator - or more specifically lack of activity doesn't mean nothing's going on)
what is your sanitiation like? Have you brewed any sours in that fermenter?
Finally, have you tasted it? You may get lucky and have something good, but it's likely a dumper. Also dump the fermenter. It's awful hard getting those bugs out of there.

 

[dino bautista]

Thank you sir it was fermenting and active a week ago, ill rack it in a bit and taste if its still drinkable.

 

[Rob2010SS]

That's definitely a pellicle. If you zoom in on it, you can see the little "bubbles" that form from a pellicle.

So you definitely have an infection. As the others have said, if it tastes good, you could drink it and be fine. Just be very careful with bottling, if you bottle. I'd keep all the bottles in some kind of covered rubbermaid container in case you get bottle bombs. Bottle bombs can be a life and death situation so be careful. Once carbed, keep the bottles in the fridge if possible.

Personal opinion, I don't think I'd bottle it just to avoid the risk.

 

[Sebastian Weetabix]

Nuke ‘em from orbit. Better to be safe!

 

[Calder]

It is a pellicle, some type of wild organism. Probably lactobacillius. If it tastes fine, package and drink. No rush to drink as this type of contamination takes a long while to have an effect on the beer ..... but should consume withing 6 months to be safe.

If it is acetobacter, you will know from tasting (vinegar), and it will not get any better.