Petra
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2018
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Hi there,
I’ve got a question regarding infections that I was unable to resolve reading through previous threads through the search function. Unfortunately, my partner washed out the mostly empty carboy before I grabbed my phone to take a picture, so this is limited to written description only.
Question: What are the possible infections/implications of finding a subsurface growth in a standing carboy of mead?
I am certain that it is still consumable, I am really just curious as to the possible identity of the growth. It doesn’t fit with the look of Acetobacter or Brettanomyces sitting on the surface in a pellicle, and certainly isn’t krausen or yeast cake. The growth exists a few millimeters under the surface of the mead, is translucent and wispy, extends down about half a centimeter and away from the glass about one centimeter, but it does not reach the surface at any point.
The mead in question was on its 3rd rack, and was sitting to age in the carboy until I made a decision between bottling or devoting a keg to it. Primary fermentation ended in August at 11% ABV, and CO2 was blown down during racking to prevent oxidation. It was sitting in cool and dark room before discovery of the growth during move to keg today. The mead has a slight clean sour note that was expected, as the raw wildflower honey we used had left the same clean sour note to several successful beers in past. We have moved it over to it’s keg, pulling from below the surface and stopping before risking pulling up any of the growth, and have set it to crash while we’re off for thanksgiving.
Any input would be welcome in solving this little mystery!
I’ve got a question regarding infections that I was unable to resolve reading through previous threads through the search function. Unfortunately, my partner washed out the mostly empty carboy before I grabbed my phone to take a picture, so this is limited to written description only.
Question: What are the possible infections/implications of finding a subsurface growth in a standing carboy of mead?
I am certain that it is still consumable, I am really just curious as to the possible identity of the growth. It doesn’t fit with the look of Acetobacter or Brettanomyces sitting on the surface in a pellicle, and certainly isn’t krausen or yeast cake. The growth exists a few millimeters under the surface of the mead, is translucent and wispy, extends down about half a centimeter and away from the glass about one centimeter, but it does not reach the surface at any point.
The mead in question was on its 3rd rack, and was sitting to age in the carboy until I made a decision between bottling or devoting a keg to it. Primary fermentation ended in August at 11% ABV, and CO2 was blown down during racking to prevent oxidation. It was sitting in cool and dark room before discovery of the growth during move to keg today. The mead has a slight clean sour note that was expected, as the raw wildflower honey we used had left the same clean sour note to several successful beers in past. We have moved it over to it’s keg, pulling from below the surface and stopping before risking pulling up any of the growth, and have set it to crash while we’re off for thanksgiving.
Any input would be welcome in solving this little mystery!
