Is this mold?

[William Wallace]

Hello everyone,

Hoping to get some help with this one. I've been scouring threads but cannot quite find anything like this.

I started a traditional batch of mead about a week ago. 3lbs of Great Lakes honey, spring water, D47 yeast and some yeast nutrients. About half of the honey was crystallized but the bottles were sealed.

Fermentation was normal, if not a bit more quiet than normal but still actively fermenting. About 6 days in I noticed these white patches forming on the glass in the headspace.

Everything was sanitized with a no-rinse sanitizer and was not exposed to air except to add nutrients on day 2 and 5. I've swirled the mead about once a day to degas for the first week. I'm hoping it's not mold but I'm not sure what else it could be. Any help would be great.

 

[MashBag]

Yes it most probably is.
Reason: All alc beverages should have minimal airspace. Always top up or transfer to a smaller vessel. Or use a vaccuum sealer. Or drink the overs

Good news. This is not wasted.

Carefully rack it CAREFULLY to another bottle and top up with white wine (with proper headspace). Taste it* and sulphite.
Reason: Mold surface infection. So work around and avoid it.

*the mead should taste as you expect, if not you have another issue.

 

[MashBag]

I know you said previously that William Wallace is on your birth certificate, but are you just joshing

No offence but everytime I see your posts I do wonder

 

[Jim Brewster]

I sometimes end up with specks like that from where the dry yeast granules stick on the glass

 

[YeastFace]

They may take our yeast, but they will never take our Meadom.

 

[William Wallace]

I know you said previously that William Wallace is on your birth certificate, but are you just joshing

No offence but everytime I see your posts I do wonder

It certainly is my name, but I was born before Braveheart was a movie, I don't think my parents were aware of the significance. I eat it up tho FREEDOM!

 

[William Wallace]

Yes it most probably is.
Reason: All alc beverages should have minimal airspace. Always top up or transfer to a smaller vessel. Or use a vaccuum sealer. Or drink the overs

Good news. This is not wasted.

Carefully rack it CAREFULLY to another bottle and top up with white wine (with proper headspace). Taste it* and sulphite.
Reason: Mold surface infection. So work around and avoid it.

*the mead should taste as you expect, if not you have another issue.

This was in primary and the headspace was left to add fruit after the first 10 days. They havnt gotten any bigger or moved but will certainly rack into another sanitized vessel

 

[William Wallace]

They may take our yeast, but they will never take our Meadom.

I need this on a sign

 

[MashBag]