Black Stuff At Hop Line

[RGHops]

Brewed a Resilience IPA clone. Fermented in an Anvil SS fermenter. Went from 1.060 to 1.010 in about 3 days. Dry hopped with 1 oz hops, cold crashed, added gelatin, continued cold crashing and today racked into a keg.

There is a black ring at the top of the hop line in the fermenter. The beer was at the bottom of the hop ring in the picture - the black stuff was above the beer. The beer looks, smells and tastes fine, and there is nothing odd in the trub at the bottom of the fermenter.

Has anyone had this happen before? Could it be mold that formed from the condensation during cold crashing? Or is it just "stuff"?

 

[Br3w4u]

Looks like mold but I don’t think it will hurt your beer as long as you don’t mess with it.

 

[BrewingAroundtheRrealm]

To me that looks like dried hops. Possible an interaction between the hops and the stainless steel. Though I've never had that happen myself.

You're beer will be fine.

 

[Jako]

looks like its dried out and darker on the edges.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

How well was the SS cleaned? This, to me, appears similar to oils, etc from manufacturing.

 

[wepeeler]

It's a reaction from the hop oils and the SS during fermentation. I had it happen to my 2 SS Brewtech buckets when I first used them. SS recommends soaking in TSP prior to first use. https://ssbrewtech.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/202956355-Cleaning-and-First-Time-Use

 

[RPh_Guy]

Definitely not mold.

This black slime is typical with new/uncleaned stainless.

 

[WBB]

It can happen to clean SS fermenters too. I’ve seen it before with my anvils. It’s caked on gunk that I just clean off with hot water, pbw, starsan, and put it away until next use. At which I rinse again and then hit it with star San again. Prob overkill, but what the heck.

 

[RGHops]

The instructions that came with the fermenter said to use dish soap and water, followed by Bar Keepers Friend, which I did. I am going to take wepeeler's advice and clean it with some TSP. Here in NY we can only use the TSP - Free version, but the SS Brewtech site says that will work.

The good thing is that others have had the same issue, and are still here to post about it! Thanks for the advice.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

A good TSP cleaning/wash on new stainless is always a great idea. Ensure a through rinse. I purchase TSP at Walmart or Home Depot (I'm sure others have it too.)

 

[Saunassa]

Would a good pbw soak and then passivating it be a good solution to this?

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Would a good pbw soak and then passivating it be a good solution to this?

Really don't need a soak. Simply clean new SS with TSP and thoroughly rinse. You're then good to go.

 

[IslandLizard]

I'd like to stick that black deposit under a microscope, just out of curiosity.
But I've never seen that black edge in plastic buckets, even after 3-4 weeks.

Here's another one that looks very similar. It was sent to me for analysis, it's not mine:

 

[Jako]

I'd like to stick that black deposit under a microscope, just out of curiosity.
But I've never seen that black edge in plastic buckets, even after 3-4 weeks.

Here's another one that looks very similar. It was sent to me for analysis, it's not mine:

View attachment 616942

do you know when you will get the sample?

 

[IslandLizard]

do you know when you will get the sample?

I asked, but probably won't get it, they just sent that picture through email... It's a friend of one of our brew club members, probably nowhere local to me.

I told them to give the beer a good taste and if found good, rack from the center of the vessel for packaging, leaving the krausen ring well alone.
As with the OP's case, I don't see much danger there, given the pH and alcohol content of the beer, which looks OK to me.

 

[Rob2010SS]

I just discovered this on my last pale ale I fermented in my SS Brew Bucket actually. Same traits - black and sometimes purple color hop ring along the top. My brew bucket is probably on it's 8th or 9th use, been thoroughly cleaned of all manufacturing oils and residue using dish soap followed by oxy clean and then passivated with Star San. I agree, it's most likely a reaction between the hops and the stainless. I've had this happen a few times with the hoppier beers.

 

[IslandLizard]

I just discovered this on my last pale ale I fermented in my SS Brew Bucket actually. Same traits - black and sometimes purple color hop ring along the top. My brew bucket is probably on it's 8th or 9th use, been thoroughly cleaned of all manufacturing oils and residue using dish soap followed by oxy clean and then passivated with Star San. I agree, it's most likely a reaction between the hops and the stainless. I've had this happen a few times with the hoppier beers.

That's really strange, huh?
I've never heard of or seen this before, and now 2 in a row.

Yeah, after 8+ uses you reckon they're thoroughly clean by then.

 

[Stand]

I think it is probably the stainless, but you CAN get a mold that is harmless, but looks like that. It is called aspergillus niger.

 

[RPh_Guy]

I think it is probably the stainless, but you CAN get a mold that is harmless, but looks like that. It is called aspergillus niger.

Harmless? Mold can produce carcinogenic toxins, especially the pigmented species.

The photo does not display a typical growth pattern for mold.

 

[Bubbles2]

I bet it is the Stainless and the Barkeeper's friend... I have found using Oxywash / clean and hotwater leaves me with a pretty clean Pot.
I'd not worry too much about the chemical residue, prob more crap in a restaurant than that, but would not want to always have it...
Mold (Black Mold) should keep growing if indeed it is Mold.

 

[cswant88]

I had the same thing in my first batch in my anvil bucket. Lends credence to the manufacturing oils/new stainless theory. I’ve not experienced it since.

Edit: beer turned out fine.

 

[bracconiere]

Harmless? Mold can produce carcinogenic toxins, especially the pigmented species.

The photo does not display a typical growth pattern for mold.

not to mention alfatoxins, and fusarium........but that's mostly wet grain....

 

[mashpaddled]

Even using plastic fermenters you will see similar dark edges to the dried krausen. I cannot say for certain it is not mold but I have never had a problem or seen any weird growth that looks like anything more than very dry krausen.

 

[Stand]

It is harmless because it can live in the fermenter, but not in the beer.

Unless you plan to eat the yeast caked on the wall, you aren't going to have a problem.

 

[RPh_Guy]

It is harmless because it can live in the fermenter, but not in the beer.

In the beer vs on the beer vs around the beer is just semantics. It can still introduce toxins and allergens if there's any contact with the liquid, e.g. if you move the fermenter and the beer sloshes, if it grows on kräusen/yeast rafts which then fall into the beer, or if condensation rolls down the side of the fermenter.
Use common sense.
Many of us have mold allergies.

 

[Stand]

In the beer vs on the beer vs around the beer is just semantics. It can still introduce toxins and allergens if there's any contact with the liquid, e.g. if you move the fermenter and the beer sloshes, if it grows on kräusen/yeast rafts which then fall into the beer, or if condensation rolls down the side of the fermenter.
Use common sense.
Many of us have mold allergies.

It might seem like semantics, but if it thrives in beer that means there is a lot more of it, and quantity matters, no?

I can't speak to allergies which would widen the threshold for problems. I was answering within the limits of the post. I made certain assumptions certainly, but I don't think I made any particular error given the provided evidence.

What do you think of as common sense here?

My common sense says throw that away, but I wouldn't listen.

 

[RPh_Guy]

What do you think of as common sense here?

If there's mold in the fermenter, dispose of the beer because it's not worth the health risk (toxins/allergens).
If I was a little harsh, I'm sorry. I don't like seeing advice that puts people's health at unnecessary risk. If you disagree and don't mind eating/drinking foods with unknown potentially dangerous mold, good luck!

However, the photo provided is clearly NOT mold in my opinion. Mold growth starts in one or more areas (from single spores) and then radiates outward across the growth medium; it wouldn't form a thin ring as such. Also, it's not fuzzy/filamentous like mold would be.

It's very rare for homebrewers to get mold in the fermenters because it's so easy to prevent.