So a few friends and I brewed the same beer and put it in a barrel to age it. Well it turned sour. I ended up bottling it and it actually has become pretty tasty. One of the guys aged his on cherries and it scored very well in a competition. Well theyve been in the bottle for about 1.5 years (always in a Rubbermaid tote, but carbonation has been stable) and I just noticed that on the surface of the beer in the bottle, there is, what I assume to be, mold. Its not much, just a few spots, but its in every bottle I have. Its entirely likely that its been there for a while and Ive drank it before with seemingly no ill effects. So can I continue to drink these?
Mold on the surface of the beer in bottles
- Thread starter mtnagel
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theDREWery
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It may be a pellicle from the sour bugs. You may want to try asking in lambic & wild brews, pics will help too.
Cavpilot2000
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It could also be from the bottling process. If some spilled on the outside or overflowed during bottling, and wasn't rinsed off, I've had that tiny residue mold.
Yeah, I'll get a pic tonight.
This is on the inside of every remaining bottle on surface of the beer.
It's probably a pellicle. I have never (and will never) make a sour on purpose, but I assume that some bugs can create a pellicle during the souring phase. It's usually left in a carboy or secondary, but if the souring happened inside the bottle, they will likely be a film/growth on the surface. I think a gentle shake might loosen it up and let it sink to the bottom. Don't know.
You might just want to have a tiny pool skimmer for serving this one.
You might just want to have a tiny pool skimmer for serving this one.
Haha. So assume they are still safe to drink?
If it's pellicle it's safe, if it's mold it's probably still safe but the beer will end up tasting like crap.
normonster
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I bet if you cold conditioned them a for a week it would all fall to the bottom.
Sounds kind of cool. I have a Rye Pale in a barrel and it has been in there for like a year now.....I'll probably have to bottle it and leave it in bottles for 2 years before it is drinkable, but hey, I've been busy.
Sounds kind of cool. I have a Rye Pale in a barrel and it has been in there for like a year now.....I'll probably have to bottle it and leave it in bottles for 2 years before it is drinkable, but hey, I've been busy.
Haha. It tasted pretty good maybe a month ago.
Maybe that's why I didn't notice it in previous bottles. It crashed to the bottom and I left behind the stuff at the bottom of the bottle.
normonster
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Oah no...don't waste it...just drink it with the last sip. Took a long time and some miracles of nature to make that mold.
It's not surface mold. Mold requires some oxygen and there isn't likely to be enough to contribute to much growth inside a bottle. This is why you see mold growing ON THE TOP of a liquid. It's probably a standard souring bug.
In any case, it won't hurt you.
In any case, it won't hurt you.
Finally remembered some pictures. It was difficult getting a good pic, so I took one with a flashlight and one without.
Oh and I did have one in the fridge for awhile and it never crashed down to the bottom. It just stayed on the surface of the beer.
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