I brewed 5 gallons of spiced mead using a local wild honey I’ve never used before.
As usual, I boiled my must. Unlike usual, I never really got any scum. Over the course of the first day it frothed in the carboy enough to foul the airlock twice.
Two weeks later I racked. A few days after that I noticed dense, white spots on the surface. Several grew to about the size of a quarter.
They are pure white, no tendrils. I wasn’t sure if they were an infection or just consolidated foam, so I racked off (give my equipment an extra-thorough sterilization, just in case), leaving the top three inches or so in the original carboy for observation.
After a week, the new carboy has one small spot like the others, smaller than a dime. It does not seem to be growing. The spots in the original carboy have not grown to cover the surface. None of the spots are larger that a quarter. I can’t detect any foul smell.
Is this an infection, or merely unusual foam as a result of the new honey?
If it is an infection, what do I do about it?
I’ve never had an infected batch before, so this is new territory for me. Thanks.
As usual, I boiled my must. Unlike usual, I never really got any scum. Over the course of the first day it frothed in the carboy enough to foul the airlock twice.
Two weeks later I racked. A few days after that I noticed dense, white spots on the surface. Several grew to about the size of a quarter.
They are pure white, no tendrils. I wasn’t sure if they were an infection or just consolidated foam, so I racked off (give my equipment an extra-thorough sterilization, just in case), leaving the top three inches or so in the original carboy for observation.
After a week, the new carboy has one small spot like the others, smaller than a dime. It does not seem to be growing. The spots in the original carboy have not grown to cover the surface. None of the spots are larger that a quarter. I can’t detect any foul smell.
Is this an infection, or merely unusual foam as a result of the new honey?
If it is an infection, what do I do about it?
I’ve never had an infected batch before, so this is new territory for me. Thanks.
