Intheswamp
Well-Known Member
Sorry about that, but the original title "White floating(?) specks(?)...ok? ...infection?..." only got one view in 24 hours so I figured I needed to do something to get some attention.
I'm concerned about my second batch of mead possibly having a problem. I'm seeing "white specks" apparently floating in the mead that "appear" to collect in a ring on the inside of the vessels. I pitched the yeast for the traditional mead back on November 24th, 2012. Here's some basic info about it:
*Target Volume: 3.25 gallons (ended up a little over this)
*9.75 lb. Local Medium Colored Wildflower Honey (not sure of final weight...added honey to bring OG to 1.108.
*Added enough water to make 3.25 gallons must (probably 2.5 gallons of bottled water).
*KIV-1116 w/Go-Ferm Protect
*Fermentation temperatures ranged 65F to 69F, aging now at roughly same temps.
*Added nutrients and energizer after lag and again at the 1/3 sugar break.
Had a good fermentation (I think).
Aerated for the first three dags (until the 1/3 sugar break). After than I would gently swirl the air-locked bucket once or twice a day.
On December 15th I racked to 3-gal carboy (29 days).
At racking time pH was 4.0+ (simple test strips) and gravity was 1.009.
No sulfphite or sorbate has been added, yet.
Below are some images and a video detailing what I'm seeing. Anybody want to take a guess at what I have here? One thought that crossed my mind is "flowers of wine", but I haven't seen a thick layer build up...BUT, I haven't given it time to build up as I swirl it once or twice a day.
Thanks for any help or ideas that you can give me!
Ed
Here is the 3-gal carboy's neck area. This is what built up around the surface in twelve hours. A gentle swirl will dislodge/disperse this into a thin cloud...
This is a link to a close-up youtube video of CO2 bubbles rising towards the neck after the carboy was swirled a bit. You can see some of the larger "white specks". At about the 52 second mark it gets another good swirl that re-invigorates things. It's odd but some of the "bubbles" appear to be going downward and sideways which makes me wonder if those are bubbles or "something else".
The "overage" that was put into a 1-liter PET drink bottle.
After picking up the drink bottle you can see some of the white matter that has been disturbed beginning to drop down...
Lastly, this picture shows the cloud created immediately after swirling the drink bottle...
I'm concerned about my second batch of mead possibly having a problem. I'm seeing "white specks" apparently floating in the mead that "appear" to collect in a ring on the inside of the vessels. I pitched the yeast for the traditional mead back on November 24th, 2012. Here's some basic info about it:
*Target Volume: 3.25 gallons (ended up a little over this)
*9.75 lb. Local Medium Colored Wildflower Honey (not sure of final weight...added honey to bring OG to 1.108.
*Added enough water to make 3.25 gallons must (probably 2.5 gallons of bottled water).
*KIV-1116 w/Go-Ferm Protect
*Fermentation temperatures ranged 65F to 69F, aging now at roughly same temps.
*Added nutrients and energizer after lag and again at the 1/3 sugar break.
Had a good fermentation (I think).
Aerated for the first three dags (until the 1/3 sugar break). After than I would gently swirl the air-locked bucket once or twice a day.
On December 15th I racked to 3-gal carboy (29 days).
At racking time pH was 4.0+ (simple test strips) and gravity was 1.009.
No sulfphite or sorbate has been added, yet.
Below are some images and a video detailing what I'm seeing. Anybody want to take a guess at what I have here? One thought that crossed my mind is "flowers of wine", but I haven't seen a thick layer build up...BUT, I haven't given it time to build up as I swirl it once or twice a day.
Thanks for any help or ideas that you can give me!
Ed
Here is the 3-gal carboy's neck area. This is what built up around the surface in twelve hours. A gentle swirl will dislodge/disperse this into a thin cloud...
This is a link to a close-up youtube video of CO2 bubbles rising towards the neck after the carboy was swirled a bit. You can see some of the larger "white specks". At about the 52 second mark it gets another good swirl that re-invigorates things. It's odd but some of the "bubbles" appear to be going downward and sideways which makes me wonder if those are bubbles or "something else".
The "overage" that was put into a 1-liter PET drink bottle.
After picking up the drink bottle you can see some of the white matter that has been disturbed beginning to drop down...
Lastly, this picture shows the cloud created immediately after swirling the drink bottle...
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