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wierd film in bottle?

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Rygar

NewBee
Registered Member
Oct 8, 2003
18
0
0
users.adelphia.net
well, i have two 1 gallon batches under my belt now. the first one, a cyser. I got impatient and didnt' let it clear before bottling it. it's still a little cloudy. the second, a vanilla mead.

On both batches i was very careful about cleaning and sanitizing the equip. and bottles. but, I've noticed in most of the bottles a little bit of a film floating on the top of the mead in the bottle. I have no idea what that is.

If it's a contamination, can it be skimmed off the top, or even sucked off with a 'turkey baster' type siphon? Maybe let it sit and pray it's just 'floaters'.

I really don't want to pitch it. The vanilla mead tasted really good, and I forsee it turning out extremely well with some aging.

Any ideas?
 

Jmattioli

Senior Member
Lifetime GotMead Patron
I've had the same in a couple batches( 2 out of 15). It can usually be lost at racking unless you rack it right to the bottom which skims the top. The baster will work also if it bothers you. Doesn't sound like anything serious.I have had no off flavors. It could be anything but doubtful that it is an infection if your alcohol content is up and your santitation practices were good.
 

Dan McFeeley

Lifetime Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Oct 10, 2003
1,899
7
38
68
Illinois
Another possibility -- are you using a siphon hose and sucking on the end to get the siphon started? That could easily be the source.

Some people have used a swig of vodka to swish out the mouth, with the idea that this is a quick sanitizer. It doesn't work. It takes a fairly long exposure to alcohol to truly sanitize something and as it is, there are lactic acid bacili residing in the salivary glands. As soon as you swallow, the bacteria are back again.
 
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