infection?

[cjtabares]

I have a mead that has white dot looking things floating around. I was just wondering if this sounds like an infection? Its not just floating on top its mixed in. The only other thing I think it could be is undissolved yeast nutrients or yeast.

[wayneb]

Any chance you can post a picture or two? It is really difficult to diagnose the source of something in your mead without being able to see it.

That said, I'd recommend that you try "the sniff test," before getting overly worried. Take your stopper out of the carboy and smell the mead. If it doesn't smell in any way "off," and if those dots do not grow (or extend in a tendril like fashion down into the bulk of the mead) then I think you have nothing to worry about. I've seen lots of "stuff" floating in mead musts over the years, and in 90% of those cases the source is either undissolved solids (such as nutrients or fruit or spice bits), or the yeast themselves. Infections usually form colonies of cells that look like more than little dots, and they often smell funny.

[cjtabares]

Originally Posted by wayneb

Any chance you can post a picture or two? It is really difficult to diagnose the source of something in your mead without being able to see it.

That said, I'd recommend that you try "the sniff test," before getting overly worried. Take your stopper out of the carboy and smell the mead. If it doesn't smell in any way "off," and if those dots do not grow (or extend in a tendril like fashion down into the bulk of the mead) then I think you have nothing to worry about. I've seen lots of "stuff" floating in mead musts over the years, and in 90% of those cases the source is either undissolved solids (such as nutrients or fruit or spice bits), or the yeast themselves. Infections usually form colonies of cells that look like more than little dots, and they often smell funny.

I will take a pic as soon as I get home. It is in a primary bucket and I checked on it this morning on my way out. Didn't smell bad, smelt mostly of fermentation and a little like the meadowfoam honey I used.