Mold on top of fruit in fermenter

[phoenixs4r]

Hello,

Brewed a cream ale awhiles back, added blueberries and raspberries to the fermenter, forgot about it for two weeks, go to cold crash and there seems to be mold growing on top if the fruit.

I've attached a picture if it helps.

Trash it or bottle it? Its for our wedding, and I'd rather not have bottle bombs.

 

[gmcapone]

I had this happen to a strawberry wheat I made. I ended up dumping it, I kind of wish I had let it age somewhere though. It was really just sour....could have aged into something nice. I doubt it would be good in time for the wedding though unless it's a year away.

 

[phoenixs4r]

I may throw it in a bucket and forget about it for awhile. Just wanted a second opinion whether or not we can rack from under or not risk it.

 

[pdxal]

It may not be mold, but you certainly have an infection. What was your process for adding the fruit, did you sanitize it?
You never know what it might turn into, if you have the time.

 

[phoenixs4r]

It may not be mold, but you certainly have an infection. What was your process for adding the fruit, did you sanitize it?
You never know what it might turn into, if you have the time.

I think she froze it and added it in. We've done this before with good results, as well as a peach beer sitting next to it is fine. I think when the fruit thawed, it didn't get fully saturated in beer and the dry part above the liquid line molded? I dunno. Lol.

Can I throw this in a bucket in my temperature not controlled garage (California) and wait a year? We had thought about brewing a sour for our anniversary

 

[pdxal]

Why not give it a shot? Though you might taste it now to see if it is worth saving.
If the part above the liquid molded, it means you have mold in your fermentor waiting for fruit to colonize...

 

[chri5]

I'd rack from under the fruit, let it sit for a while and see what you get.

 

[thecad]

I have the same thing in a carboy of mine, gonna try to rack out from under and let it sit

 

[zachattack]

I agree it's worth seeing what happens, you might have a fruit lambic-like beer in the end! But for long term aging I'd recommend a carboy over a plastic bucket.

 

[phoenixs4r]

We're going to take a sample and taste it tomorrow. If it hasn't started to sour too bad we may keg and keep it as cold as possible for the wedding in May. If not it won't take much convincing of the future Mrs to let it sit for awhile as she is a huge fan of sour beer.

 

[masskrug]

I'd rack from under the fruit, let it sit for a while and see what you get.

Yeah. +1

 

[phoenixs4r]

We took a sample from beneath the growth yesterday and it tasted on par for what we were going for, so we racked from underneath and put it in a keg. Purged the air and are going to let it sit in the kegerator at a couple degrees below freezing hoping to stop any further progression if whatever it was till our wedding in early May. I'd actually like it to sit for a year and see what it turns into but that would leave us short of beer for our wedding. Fingers crossed

 

[dodsonish]

How did this turn out? Just found some growth in one of mine this morning.