lalvin 71b-1122

[jeebeel]

I racked a batch into to the secondary fermenter last weekend after 3 weeks in primary.
It is a 3 gallon batch made with 7 lbs. cotton blossom honey & 3 lbs. orange blossom honey. Fermented with 2 packs 71b-1122, gravity down to 1.020 when racked.

I checked the carboy last night. The yeast is still active and appears to be streaming down the sides of the inside of carboy in numerous single, almost parallel lines (looks almost like a web).

Anyone seen this before? Just curious as I have another 3 gallon batch in the secondary fermenting with Cote de Blanc and that batch doesn't look like the 1122 batch.

 

[zweitracht]

I racked a batch into to the secondary fermenter last weekend after 3 weeks in primary.
It is a 3 gallon batch made with 7 lbs. cotton blossom honey & 3 lbs. orange blossom honey. Fermented with 2 packs 71b-1122, gravity down to 1.020 when racked.

I checked the carboy last night. The yeast is still active and appears to be streaming down the sides of the inside of carboy in numerous single, almost parallel lines (looks almost like a web).

Anyone seen this before? Just curious as I have another 3 gallon batch in the secondary fermenting with Cote de Blanc and that batch doesn't look like the 1122 batch.

I've seen this behavior on the shoulders of carboys, and it didn't seem to herald anything negative. I didn't have it going all the way
down the sides though.

What does cotton-blossom honey taste like? Where did you
get it?

 

[jeebeel]

Got the cotton blossom honey at the HEB Central Market store here in Houston. They sell bulk honey from a local producer, who usually has a few different varieties (wildflower, orange blossom, etc.). The label said it was a limited seasonal variety. Mild but distinctive flavor, light color. And the mead tasted good when racked.

Thanks for your reply. The yeast is creeping about halfway down the carboy. Not worried about it, just curious as I have not seen this kind of yeast behavior in many batches of beer.

 

[zweitracht]

Got the cotton blossom honey at the HEB Central Market store here in Houston. They sell bulk honey from a local producer, who usually has a few different varieties (wildflower, orange blossom, etc.). The label said it was a limited seasonal variety. Mild but distinctive flavor, light color. And the mead tasted good when racked.

Thanks for your reply. The yeast is creeping about halfway down the carboy. Not worried about it, just curious as I have not seen this kind of yeast behavior in many batches of beer.

Streaming.. in webs. The fact that it's progressing down the
sides does kind of worry me. I always assumed that the reason I saw this pattern on the top was that stuff was bubbling to the top and getting stuck there.

Why does this sound like something I've seen on an agar
plate before ... (cobweb mold?)? You might want to send
Oskaar a private message on this one. He's got some laboratory background under his belt.

-- Z

 

[ScottS]

I get that sometimes too. No problems yet. It looks to me like a lot of yeast foam was created, and as it settled back down it stuck around the edges of the carboy. Then it settles down into the mead, and runs along the sides. Wierd looking, but not a real problem. Rack and leave it behind.