Mold On Cider?

[MR .T]

This is my first time making hard cider (apple wine). I used apple juice bought from a grocery store added 5lbs of sugar and one pack of wine yeast. I had no activity after 3 days but it looked like mold was forming on the top. I syphoned off the mould and stired up the mixture and its fermenting quite well now. My question is is it still safe? I dont see any mould still growing. Im sure others have seen this kind of thing before. Im not afraid to start over as it has only cost me $15. But I want to keep it if its ok.

 

[RICLARK]

If you have Mold in it, You might have used an AJ that haad persevatives in it that killed the yeast and is now Rotting, However if you can Describe what it looks like to us we could get a better Idea because it could be an Infection.

 

[zoebisch01]

In most cases, unless you have a significant ramp up in alcohol it is very hard to get rid of a mold once it gets a foothold. Not saying you have mold, but it could be. Let it run the course of fermentation using the apple wine guidlines and then let it clear and see. Chances are it may be fine, you see some really wierd things when fermenting! Something is fermenting your sugar, the question is what?

There are a few possibilities here. However, If it is indeed chugging along fermenting my guess is that your yeast are working. Most unwanted bugs that can ferment usually tend to do so less vigorously in part because they are no where near the amount of what you get when you pitch a pack of yeast as it has the proper cell count for a 5 gallon batch.

So is it under airlock, and if so is it actively bubbling away? I'd leave it go then and see. I have not heard of anyone getting sick from an 'infected' batch of beer/etc once fermentation is complete as the alcohol levels and pH drop are usually sufficient to deter most things (other than those with an affinity to those conditions...like acetobacter, which makes acetic acid or vinegar) which are not to the best of my knowledge harmful.

Actually, I made a batch of 'fermented' whole green tomatoes this year of my own design. Late on, the thing grew a layer of pink and white mold (looked like good-n-plenty ). So, I took out the tomatoes, rinsed them, strained the brine solution and then repacked and into the fridge. I have been eating them since, quite tasty . My point being is there are a plethora of molds out there that are in no way harmful to us. The list of which goes on and on and on....

 

[MR .T]

It had a white colour with a green dot in the middle there were 3 but if you were to put it all together it would be the size of a quarter. Im using a 5gal carboy and the airlock bubbles every second or so. Im sure the yeast is working it has 1/4'' of foam on the top. I thought it may be fine because Im hoping it gets above 10% and what can live in 10% alcohol.

Maybe ill get a friend to drink it first and see what happens J/K

 

[zoebisch01]

It had a white colour with a green dot in the middle there were 3 but if you were to put it all together it would be the size of a quarter. Im using a 5gal carboy and the airlock bubbles every second or so. Im sure the yeast is working it has 1/4'' of foam on the top. I thought it may be fine because Im hoping it gets above 10% and what can live in 10% alcohol.

Maybe ill get a friend to drink it first and see what happens J/K

Definitely sounds like a common mold. I say ride it out and see, what do you have to lose? No molds are going to live in the alcohol once it gets up there, and if any type of toxin was somehow produced it would be very minimal (and unlikely at that).

If and when you do taste it, just to be safe, only ever try a very small amount and wait at least a day to make sure you don't get an adverse reaction. Unlike food illnesses like Salmonella or Botulism where a very small amount can get you violently ill (or kill you), molds are usually not nearly as dangerous. (Although many people would have you thinks so. Think about 'aged' beef for a minute where they literally scrape or cut off layers of mold from the side of beef and then compare it to the small specs in your fermentor that you got out).

The real issue here is if mold was present what other bugs could have gotten in there. Like I said, time will tell.

 

[MR .T]

thanks bro You basically backed up my thoughts on the mold. When you say try a small amount do you mean an ounce, cup, quart? I doubt quart but you know what I'm getting at.

 

[zoebisch01]

Smell it first, if it smells good (you may get sulphury smells that is normal) and not sour or just plain bad then look at a small sample in a glass and it should look appealing (no floaties etc, and if it has gone enough time in the secondary it should be clear, light yellow). Then proceed by putting a tiny sample (like a tsp) in your mouth and then spit it out and make sure it doesn't taste wierd. If that goes well then try a sip, just a sip and then let wait 24 hrs. If you don't get sick (you know anything irregular ) then you can proceed with a small sample, like 1/4 cup or so. If that is well, then I'd say you are probably good to go.

Yeah it's an extremely cautious approach, but that is just the way I do it for everything. Aside from really deadly toxins, this is a very common method of allowing your body to tell you how 'bad' a food is. This can actually be used (and stems from) survival methods in general.

Really what I would be concerned about in this case is what happens over time. If you see what looks like jelly grow in the carboy and/or smell a sour smell you are most likely on your way to vinegar. Again, time will tell. And hey if that's the case, vinegar is still useful!