I'm pretty sure I'm contaminated..can I save it?

ryanshanaman · Sep 18, 2014

First time I've seen anything like this, I'm always very sanitary..
I used 2 large bottles of acai juice, all natural no preservatives to make a gallon, and used about 3 lbs of honey
Starting grav was 1.120 about 2 weeks ago, and the other day it was down to 1.030, but today I go to look at it and see this disgusting mess. Looks like yellow oil spots floating
Can I save it?
http://imgur.com/RNqg2jq

Chevette Girl · Sep 18, 2014

That certainly does look like oil! I would suggest you rack out from under whatever it is, and if it smells and tastes OK, you're probably fine.

Maybe it's oil from beeswax in your honey? Was it grocery store honey or from an apiary or farmer's market?

ryanshanaman · Sep 18, 2014

ryanshanaman said:
First time I've seen anything like this, I'm always very sanitary..
I used 2 large bottles of acai juice, all natural no preservatives to make a gallon, and used about 3 lbs of honey
Starting grav was 1.120 about 2 weeks ago, and the other day it was down to 1.030, but today I go to look at it and see this disgusting mess. Looks like yellow oil spots floating
Can I save it?
http://imgur.com/RNqg2jq

I used "nature nates raw and unfiltered honey" from costco, not their regular Kirkland clover bulk honey, but their more "raw" version

And it doesn't smell..bad I guess. Definitly not bad enough to notice. Didn't have the balls to taste it, this must have happened in the past 2 or 3 days so it's fairly new whatever it is

Chevette Girl · Sep 18, 2014

It's weird, alright... even when I've used raisins that had been coated in vegetable oil, I never got collections like that after fermentation. I'd taste the oil (being fully prepared to spit it out) just to see what it might be... or refrigerate it and see if it congeals into beeswax or something...

...although my first suspicion would be that someone dipped a buttered knife into my honey jar for their toast...

ryanshanaman · Sep 18, 2014

Chevette Girl said:
It's weird, alright... even when I've used raisins that had been coated in vegetable oil, I never got collections like that after fermentation. I'd taste the oil (being fully prepared to spit it out) just to see what it might be... or refrigerate it and see if it congeals into beeswax or something...

...although my first suspicion would be that someone dipped a buttered knife into my honey jar for their toast...

Hm, I always see your posts and they're usually spot on. Surprises me you don't know what's going on here haha. I guess I'll give it a few days, let some responses gather here, then depending on that maybe I'll just cold crash and see if it congeals like you said / try racking and tasting it.

Chevette Girl · Sep 18, 2014

LOL, the wisdom comes from having made all the mistakes myself already

ryanshanaman · Sep 18, 2014

Chevette Girl said:
It's weird, alright... even when I've used raisins that had been coated in vegetable oil, I never got collections like that after fermentation. I'd taste the oil (being fully prepared to spit it out) just to see what it might be... or refrigerate it and see if it congeals into beeswax or something...

...although my first suspicion would be that someone dipped a buttered knife into my honey jar for their toast...

And also, if it's infected I'm sure it will start to show a lot more in the next few days

Chevette Girl · Sep 18, 2014

ryanshanaman said:
And also, if it's infected I'm sure it will start to show a lot more in the next few days

Contaminated, probably. There's definitely something in there you didn't expect. Infected? Not as likely. That's more likely to be seen as spots, clumps or a skin, not oil blobs.

Medsen Fey · Sep 19, 2014

It is really hard for spoilage organisms to develop during active fermentation under an airlock. The yeast bind up all the oxygen and most spoilage organisms need oxygen. If it still smells OK, I'd swirl it around and let it finish. What yeast are you using?

Seneca · Sep 26, 2014

Hello guys and gals,

I have similar issiue so I decided not to open a new thread. This is my first experience with mead (and anything fermented as well). I prepared my must 5 days ago. SG was 1100. I pitched 5 gr. of Lalvin D47. Added 25 gr of nutrient (instructions was telling it's for 23-25 lt). Sanitized everything with bleach and then rinsed with boiled water (not the marble bench). I did not boil must. Temperature is 24-25 C (75-77 F) here. And I shaked the must to aerate for 7-8 mins. After I capped the carboy, I did not disturbed the must.
After a few hours, air stop started to bubble wildly which resumed for 2 days. Then it slowed down to a point of 6-7 bubles per minute. It was 12-13 yesterday. And since yesterday white globes floting on the surface. Is this normal? Please enlighten me ( Good new preferred

)

Here is the pic:

Thank you for your help

mannye · Sep 26, 2014

Eek. That looks fishy. But I think if you rack it into another carboy onto some Camden tabs you will be ok.

Remember if it smells good and tastes good, it's good! Just get a hose in there and rack off the bottom and do it tonight!

Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now.

Seneca · Sep 26, 2014

Errrr.. What then? Should I take SG reading and add yeast, nutrient etc. again?

Medsen Fey · Sep 26, 2014

I think it is fine. Take a gravity reading and see where it is.

mannye · Sep 26, 2014

Yeah I'm assuming that your ferment is over. It's very very hard for anything to affect an active ferment. Not that it can't happen, but it's difficult.

Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now.

Seneca · Sep 26, 2014

Hydrometer reading is like 1040. And as I mentioned before air lock still bubbles like every 10 sec. Should I take any action? Btw, it smells good (at least smells like wine).

Thank you

Medsen Fey · Sep 26, 2014

What kind of nutrient did you use?
Do you have a way to check pH?

As long at it still bubbles, things are moving. The bad news is that D47 produces a lot of fusel alcohols at this temp and your batch is likely to be harsh (if not paint thinner) and may need a lot of aging.

Seneca · Sep 27, 2014

Acidity is between 4 and 5 (closer to 4 as I can guess from the color). I'm from Turkey and there's no known brands of yeast and nutrients here. I bought D47 from ebay and nutrient from a local supplier. Ingredients not show on the package. But it definitely smells like ammonium. that's all I can say about nutrient.

ehhhmmm. When saying "a lot of" what do you mean? And do I have to take any action as mannye suggested? Or leave it alone some more until it reaches a certain SG?

Thanks,

Medsen Fey · Sep 27, 2014

Did the nutrient look like white crystals? or tan colored powder?
If it is white crystals, you might consider adding some boiled bread yeast (25-50 g) which will supply yeast hulls and other micronutrients. It is normal for the yeast to slow down and it may continue to bubble slowly for another week or two.

By long aging I mean 2 or 3 years.

Seneca · Sep 30, 2014

Sorry for delay but I was suspicious about the ph reading since I used a 1-14 scale universal ph meter paper. Now I got a digital one and it reads exactly 4.0 at the moment. I also checked SG again and it's 1040 sharp. Also measured the alcohol content with a vinometer and too the reading %11 (I don't know how precise those gadgets though). The nutrient was ten colored and granular type. By the way, it bubbles four times a minute.
It smells like vine and tastes like vine. Those floating white bubbles are still there but they do not grow more. After giving them a little sample, my friends tried to convince me to put a pump on the carboy and put it in the middle of living room so they can drink it. I think (and hope) it's fine, cause I used a really nice honeydew honey for the must. It'd be shame to ruin it.

Medsen Fey · Sep 30, 2014

It is concerning if the gravity is not dropping. If you started at 1.100, D47 should take it dry. I would try adding some yeast hulls or some boiled bread yeast (25g). Swirl the fermenter gently to resuspend the yeast and give it more time.

I'm pretty sure I'm contaminated..can I save it?

Worker Bee

All around BAD EXAMPLE

Worker Bee

All around BAD EXAMPLE

Worker Bee

All around BAD EXAMPLE

Worker Bee

All around BAD EXAMPLE

Fuselier since 2007

NewBee

Administrator

NewBee

Fuselier since 2007

Administrator

NewBee

Fuselier since 2007

NewBee

Fuselier since 2007

NewBee

Fuselier since 2007