Secondary: stuff floating up then sinking down

[oceanbrew]

Listened to the local brew shop guy instead of leaving everything in the primary fermenter for 3wks. Transferred to secondary after one week. Was making a gallon batch, transferred it to 6.5 gallon carboy, only one I had, so I could start an old english ale (no hops).
So I've got about a gallon in a 6.5 gallon carboy. I noticed white dots floating on the surface, and thought it's infected, but they sink to the bottom. Then new ones appear and then sink to the bottom. Is this yeast being lifted from bottom to top by gas?

 

[helibrewer]

Sounds like it. When yeast flucculate they clump up, CO2 will carry those clumps to the surface where they sink again once the gas escapes...I think your beer is fine

 

[theveganbrewer]

Yes, it's not infected. But that's a lot of headspace to have, sounds like you know it's not ideal situation for fermentation. There's nothing about the setup that is going to make it prone to infection though, so don't worry. If it starts bubbling or getting moldy you could still drink it and survive

 

[oceanbrew]

Thanks guys!

 

[oceanbrew]

Update: it's bits of oat that are floating up. Now I am also starting to see the formation of a pellicle which is not quite as bad as one of the photos in the yeast and fermentation portion of this site. I've got 4 more days before I bottle. What should I do? It's definitely a mold starting to form on the side, and there are other spots appearing across the top of my first brew. ;-(

 

[theveganbrewer]

Update: it's bits of oat that are floating up. Now I am also starting to see the formation of a pellicle which is not quite as bad as one of the photos in the yeast and fermentation portion of this site. I've got 4 more days before I bottle. What should I do? It's definitely a mold starting to form on the side, and there are other spots appearing across the top of my first brew. ;-(

Pics?

 

[oceanbrew]

Poor quality photos. Molds are greyish white, small and slowly increasing in number across the top of the brew. These are not bubble formations. Can I siphon the beer between the surface and the sediment on the bottom, or will it taste like mold/bacteria poop?
What if I bottle now without primer and place in the fridge until I drink them? Would I be able to let them sit until mature?