small "beholder" on surface film?

[mcdougal]

Ok first off, this is a five gallon traditional;

13 lbs clover honey
4 gallons of water
Lavlin D47
Orange slices (primary fermentation only)


Primary in bucket for 3 weeks
>Racked to carboy
>after 30 days Racked to carboy
>after 30 days Racked to carboy again

Strict sanitation methods used each time with no aeration on third and fourth racking. Mead has formed a thin "skin" on surface and a small eyeball looking sphere has appeared on the surface as well... i cannot find any reference to this anywhere, it literally looks like an eyeball.. smell of mead is fine..

I realize the picture is a bit poor. Any thoughts from your vast wisdom?

Also, solutions if you know what the issue is?

 

[The Meadster]

I'm pretty new to this so I could be completely wrong (and please correct me if I am) but from what I've seen once you hit the 1/3-1/2 sugar break you should not be aerating anymore. For sure not once primary fermentation is done. Normally this is to prevent oxidation, but I'm guessing it's possible that some airborne bacteria got mixed in. What the likelihood of that is (assuming that it is actually possible) I have no idea.

 

[mcdougal]

I'm pretty new to this so I could be completely wrong (and please correct me if I am) but from what I've seen once you hit the 1/3-1/2 sugar break you should not be aerating anymore. For sure not once primary fermentation is done. Normally this is to prevent oxidation, but I'm guessing it's possible that some airborne bacteria got mixed in. What the likelihood of that is (assuming that it is actually possible) I have no idea.

As you can see in my post i had no aeration after the first rack from the fermentation bucket. I understand bacterium is possible, but the wine molds I have looked into don't look anything similar to this. It is a small sphere that is milky white, seriously looks like a tiny eyeball.

 

[akueck]

Chances are that it's just yeast, perhaps mixed with some protein or wax particles from the honey. I get little bits of yeast and whatnot floating on the surface at the end of fermentation all the time. If it doesn't start developing a smell or ropes down into the mead, it's probably fine.

 

[mcdougal]

Chances are that it's just yeast, perhaps mixed with some protein or wax particles from the honey. I get little bits of yeast and whatnot floating on the surface at the end of fermentation all the time. If it doesn't start developing a smell or ropes down into the mead, it's probably fine.

That is what I was hoping to hear. I didnt want to assume anything, but it definately looks like some type of protein or wax ball.. I will continue to monitor it! Definately a first on this one. Thanks mate

 

[bella9091]

Hi i am newbie here , I like this forum , It's very nice and informative , It's also very benefited for us.i am personally impressed to join this forum … really thanks to provide me this kind of friendly atmosphere.

 

[icedmetal]

Eyeballs, no problem. Now, hairy eyeballs...