Mold?

[tenordrummer4life]

Hey everyone!

I was recently brewing a batch of seltzer water (not fermented tea, but close) and I saw a weird growth pop up. It showed up on about day 3 of fermentation in primary. I thought it might be mold, but low and behold, within a couple of days, it turned into just a residue on the sides of my fermenter. However, upon inspection of the bottom, I found a tanish colored layer that seems stringy I was wondering, would it be safe to try to drink this or will I have to throw it away? I'll put the pictures and my recipe down below. Thanks in advance for any helpful information!

Recipe:

5 gallons of filtered water
6 lbs of cane sugar
1/2 lbs of brown sugar
EC - 1118 Champagne Yeast

 

[JohnSand]

That just looks like yeast to me. If it smells okay, I would take a small taste.

 

[tenordrummer4life]

It smelled a little off, so I took a taste. It was alright, but had a rather nasty finish to it.

 

[IslandLizard]

That does not look like mold.
Mold typically develops on things floating on top of the surface, and it needs oxygen and moisture to grow.

[Edits]
What we see in pic #2 is the "krausen" line, left over from a foamy layer floating on top when yeast was happiest and exuberant, growing and fermenting away. Remnants of the krausen/foam tend to cling to the headspace walls. Totally normal, while showing you: "You may have missed it, but I was here!"

What we see on the bottom (pic #1) is probably precipitated yeast (it multiplies 3-5 times while it ferments the sugars) and trub (unfermentable solids). Some may cling to the sides there too, yes, very common.

It smelled a little off, so I took a taste. It was alright, but had a rather nasty finish to it.

Maybe let it be for a week or 2 without opening, and see if it starts to clear.
Flavor/aroma may improve too.

 

[tenordrummer4life]

That does not look like mold.
Mold typically develops on things floating on top of the surface, and it needs oxygen and moisture to grow.

[Edits]
What we see in pic #2 is the "krausen" line, left over from a foamy layer floating on top when yeast was happiest and exuberant, growing and fermenting away. Remnants of the krausen/foam tend to cling to the headspace walls. Totally normal, while showing you: "You may have missed it, but I was here!"

What we see on the bottom (pic #1) is probably precipitated yeast (it multiplies 3-5 times while it ferments the sugars) and trub (unfermentable solids). Some may cling to the sides there too, yes, very common.


Maybe let it be for a week or 2 without opening, and see if it starts to clear.
Flavor/aroma may improve too.

Ok, thank you for your advice! I'll leave it sealed up and check back in later.