White Mould

[Victor.l]

OMG what is that
Wheat beer in the fermenter… we’ll meant to be wheat now it looks like drain cleaner but tastes ok

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Erm oh dear that doesn't look AT ALL good - I may be totally wrong, but to me that looks like mould.

If so, my limited understanding is that the spores are likely to be all the way through it, and they may produce some nasty toxins - personally I wouldn't recommend drinking it; and mould spores can be quite hard to kill (some of them can withstand boiling)

 

[Stevieboy]

That, Sir, is a bin job. How long has it been in the FV ?

 

[Victor.l]

Nooooo I’ll try to cold crash for few days see if that would change anything

 

[Victor.l]

That, Sir, is a bin job. How long has it been in the FV ?

Only 10 days

 

[pilgrimhudd]

The blobs on the bottom right defo look like mould, if it tastes ok some might say bottle it anyway, obviously to leave the top untouched. I'm squeamish about mould so that would be down the drain if it were me.

 

[Jim Brewster]

It looks to be mold with the way it has filaments and blooms. I'm not a fussy drinker but I reckon I'd chuck that

 

[An Ankoù]

I don't think it looks like mould rather a pellicle forming- probably acetobacter. Does it smell slightly vinegary?
It's important that you stop all access to oxygen. If you can bottle it now then do so. If you have any, add the tiniest pinch of vitamin C (ascobic acid) to each bottle. If you haven't don't worry. Rack or draw the beer off from under the pellicle- it'll tend to stick to the sides of the barrel as beer level falls. As soon as you seal the bottle, the bacterium will stop growing and multiplying. You may get a faint vinegary whiff when you reopen the bottle, but it won't spoil the beer and the smell will be pushed out by the effervescence. Don't even bother trying to cold crash it. It's important to stop the acetification.

Here are some pictures from google:


https://www.google.com/search?q=ace...KyYUKHZHcBAEQ9QF6BAgMEAE#imgrc=mjztQWnzTElTxM
Even if it does turn out to be mould, it wont harm you:
https://www.ratebeer.com/forums/white-mold-in-secondary-safe-to-drink_138483.htm

 

[Victor.l]

I don't think it looks like mould rather a pellicle forming- probably acetobacter. Does it smell slightly vinegary?
It's important that you stop all access to oxygen. If you can bottle it now then do so. If you have any, add the tiniest pinch of vitamin C (ascobic acid) to each bottle. If you haven't don't worry. Rack or draw the beer off from under the pellicle- it'll tend to stick to the sides of the barrel as beer level falls. As soon as you seal the bottle, the bacterium will stop growing and multiplying. You may get a faint vinegary whiff when you reopen the bottle, but it won't spoil the beer and the smell will be pushed out by the effervescence. Don't even bother trying to cold crash it. It's important to stop the acetification.

Here are some pictures from google:


https://www.google.com/search?q=ace...KyYUKHZHcBAEQ9QF6BAgMEAE#imgrc=mjztQWnzTElTxM
Even if it does turn out to be mould, it wont harm you:
https://www.ratebeer.com/forums/white-mold-in-secondary-safe-to-drink_138483.htm

Thank you very much Sir I’ll put it in the keg right away and pray every evening for its survival

 

[Stevieboy]

Seriously - good luck with it - let us know what happens. Nothing worse than losing a brew. On the plus side you can always harvest the mushrooms in a week or so......

 

[An Ankoù]

Thank you very much Sir I’ll put it in the keg right away and pray every evening for its survival

Acetobacter is just one of many airborne infections that are all around us all the time. Remember to give your keg and lines a particularly good clean when you've finished the beer. And your fermenter, too, even though it's a pretty easy bacterium to get rid of.

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

I definitely agree with An Ankoú. The only time I've ever had it, I removed it and drank the beer green. The tip about ascorbic acid and bottling/kegging is great and I'll bearvit in mind if it ever happens again.

 

[Lynx Brewery]

I had a similar shock back in June. (See the “Infection” thread posted on April 19)

This one turned out sort of OK

I’d spent a few hours washing & sanitising bottles when I discovered it, so went ahead and bottled it. It’s got an odd sort of sour taste, but definitely drinkable.

 

[foxbat]

It's a pellicle. People seem to get away with bottling from below them and the beer ends up OK.

The fermenter will need replacing or bleaching afterwards depending on what your appetite for risk is like.

 

[HSD]

Had one like this a while back, the beer wasn’t definitely “off” in flavour, just a very odd flavour! Very slightly sour and almost fruity/Perry after taste, not to style or my taste so ended up binning for the space, certainly made me up my game though everything gets doubly zapped and no peeking

 

[An Ankoù]

On the other hand, those who like to make funky, farmhouse beers encourage this sort of thing. I wonder what the surface of a fermenting lambic looks like!

 

[Cwrw666]

Sometimes the beer under the pellicle will be ok, sometimes it won't. If you get any of the white stuff into your bottles it definitely won't.
You'll need to blitz your FV with bleach or something or it'll just keep happening.

 

[Spanners]

Better safe than sorry,,,chuck it I'd say!

 

[Victor.l]

I had a similar shock back in June. (See the “Infection” thread posted on April 19)

This one turned out sort of OK

I’d spent a few hours washing & sanitising bottles when I discovered it, so went ahead and bottled it. It’s got an odd sort of sour taste, but definitely drinkable.

View attachment 51962

Read your post and was really impressed with hops drawning

I had a similar shock back in June. (See the “Infection” thread posted on April 19)

This one turned out sort of OK

I’d spent a few hours washing & sanitising bottles when I discovered it, so went ahead and bottled it. It’s got an odd sort of sour taste, but definitely drinkable.

View attachment 51962

I had a similar shock back in June. (See the “Infection” thread posted on April 19)

This one turned out sort of OK

I’d spent a few hours washing & sanitising bottles when I discovered it, so went ahead and bottled it. It’s got an odd sort of sour taste, but definitely drinkable.

View attachment 51962

Read your post and was really impressed with drawn hops technique, u emptied all recycling bin !!

 

[Victor.l]

My one was in early stage this one looks more mature, Friday will be test day and missus my guinea pig - she never saw what’s happening underneath the lid