I started my fourth batch of wine a few days ago and as usual, I initially
put only 5 of the 6 galons of must in my 6 galon primary in order to allow
headspace for foaming. Before I could add the extra 1 Galon of must to the
fermenter a few days later, I found three 1/4 inch spots of mold floating in
the sealed 1gal bottle I was storing it in. I think I know where I picked
up the mold (the bottle was sanitized, but the drying rack was not) and
won't make that mistake again, however I am wondering if the 1 galon of must
can be salveged, or if I need to look into buying a 5 galon carboy for
secondary.

After finding the mold, I racked the must into a new sanitized 1 galon
bottle and added 1 crushed camden tablet. I am storing this bottle in my
fridge until I figure out if it is worth trying to save.

Any thoughts?

Chris Hertling
North Kansas City, MO

You can sterilize your equipment all you want but the must is not usually
sterilized unless you boil it for 20 min's, which is seldom recommended.
Normally it is not a problem as you are going to start fermentation and the
CO2 and alcohol will prevent mold infections. But if you put back a part of
the must you must protect it specially. Freezing will definitely protect
it. Refrigeration might protect it for a few days to a week. Putting it on
a shelf will not protect it.

Is it usable? Probably but I have never done it. You may need to boil it
or something at this point to kill the mold before you add it. It would be
good to remove the spots but if it is in a gallon jug that may be difficult.

Ray

"Chris Hertling" > wrote in message
nk.net...
>I started my fourth batch of wine a few days ago and as usual, I initially
>put only 5 of the 6 galons of must in my 6 galon primary in order to allow
>headspace for foaming. Before I could add the extra 1 Galon of must to the
>fermenter a few days later, I found three 1/4 inch spots of mold floating
>in the sealed 1gal bottle I was storing it in. I think I know where I
>picked up the mold (the bottle was sanitized, but the drying rack was not)
>and won't make that mistake again, however I am wondering if the 1 galon of
>must can be salveged, or if I need to look into buying a 5 galon carboy for
>secondary.
>
> After finding the mold, I racked the must into a new sanitized 1 galon
> bottle and added 1 crushed camden tablet. I am storing this bottle in my
> fridge until I figure out if it is worth trying to save.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Chris Hertling
> North Kansas City, MO
>

Can you source another gallon of juice?
If so, take half a pint of fermenting wine from the 5 gallon jar, having first warmed up the 1 gallon moldy must, and add it. Do two separate fermentations. If they both turn out ok, you're in front. Who knows, the mold may have been present in the complete original batch anyway.

Wayne

"Chris Hertling" > wrote in message nk.net...
:I started my fourth batch of wine a few days ago and as usual, I initially
: put only 5 of the 6 galons of must in my 6 galon primary in order to allow
: headspace for foaming. Before I could add the extra 1 Galon of must to the
: fermenter a few days later, I found three 1/4 inch spots of mold floating in
: the sealed 1gal bottle I was storing it in. I think I know where I picked
: up the mold (the bottle was sanitized, but the drying rack was not) and
: won't make that mistake again, however I am wondering if the 1 galon of must
: can be salveged, or if I need to look into buying a 5 galon carboy for
: secondary.
:
: After finding the mold, I racked the must into a new sanitized 1 galon
: bottle and added 1 crushed camden tablet. I am storing this bottle in my
: fridge until I figure out if it is worth trying to save.
:
: Any thoughts?
:
: Chris Hertling
: North Kansas City, MO
:
:



I have experience in making wine from rice, so I will use some of those expertise in answer your question.

In rice wine making, the rice is cooked, cooled down to 30 degrees Celsius, and then treated with a combination of mold spore and
wine yeast. In 12 to 24 hours in warm and moist air, mold will cover the whole surface of rice. The rice will be covered by a layer
of milky white velvet. The starch inside each kernel of cooked rice will become pure syrup. Then the rice must be stirred into water
and kept submersed so that the mold will not be able to get air, while yeast will convert the sugar from the rice into alcohol and
carbon dioxide. And the alcohol and carbon dioxide will kill the mold.

Mold needs air. So for your problem, you keep disturbing the must by stirring with a long stick, shaking or rocking the carboy so
that nothing can stay floating on the surface. That will smother the mold. Once you get the fermentation going, the alcohol and
carbon dioxide will either kill the mold or prevent the mold from growing.

I hope this helps.



Best Regards,
Wannabe
=======

"WannabeSomeone" > wrote in message
.. .
>
> "Chris Hertling" > wrote in message
nk.net...
> :I started my fourth batch of wine a few days ago and as usual, I
initially
> : put only 5 of the 6 galons of must in my 6 galon primary in order to
allow
> : headspace for foaming. Before I could add the extra 1 Galon of must to
the
> : fermenter a few days later, I found three 1/4 inch spots of mold
floating in
> : the sealed 1gal bottle I was storing it in. I think I know where I
picked
> : up the mold (the bottle was sanitized, but the drying rack was not) and
> : won't make that mistake again, however I am wondering if the 1 galon of
must
> : can be salveged, or if I need to look into buying a 5 galon carboy for
> : secondary.
> :
> : After finding the mold, I racked the must into a new sanitized 1 galon
> : bottle and added 1 crushed camden tablet. I am storing this bottle in
my
> : fridge until I figure out if it is worth trying to save.
> :
> : Any thoughts?
> :
> : Chris Hertling
> : North Kansas City, MO
> :
> :
>
>
>
> I have experience in making wine from rice, so I will use some of those
expertise in answer your question.
>
> In rice wine making, the rice is cooked, cooled down to 30 degrees
Celsius, and then treated with a combination of mold spore and
> wine yeast. In 12 to 24 hours in warm and moist air, mold will cover the
whole surface of rice. The rice will be covered by a layer
> of milky white velvet. The starch inside each kernel of cooked rice will
become pure syrup. Then the rice must be stirred into water
> and kept submersed so that the mold will not be able to get air, while
yeast will convert the sugar from the rice into alcohol and
> carbon dioxide. And the alcohol and carbon dioxide will kill the mold.
>
> Mold needs air. So for your problem, you keep disturbing the must by
stirring with a long stick, shaking or rocking the carboy so
> that nothing can stay floating on the surface. That will smother the mold.
Once you get the fermentation going, the alcohol and
> carbon dioxide will either kill the mold or prevent the mold from growing.
>
> I hope this helps.
>
>
>
> Best Regards,
> Wannabe
> ======

Although molds grow on spilled wine, no molds grow directly on or in wine.

The only microorganisms that grow in or on wine are lactic bacteria, acetic
bacteria and a variety of yeasts. See "Winemaking: From Grape Growing to
Marketplace" by Richard Vine, page 83 or "Wine Analysis and Production" by
Bruce Zoecklein, page 281.

Perhaps you are having problems with film yeast.

Lum
Del Mar, California, USA

"Lum" > wrote in message news :
: "WannabeSomeone" > wrote in message
: .. .
: >
: > "Chris Hertling" > wrote in message
: nk.net...
: > :I started my fourth batch of wine a few days ago and as usual, I
: initially
: > : put only 5 of the 6 galons of must in my 6 galon primary in order to
: allow
: > : headspace for foaming. Before I could add the extra 1 Galon of must to
: the
: > : fermenter a few days later, I found three 1/4 inch spots of mold
: floating in
: > : the sealed 1gal bottle I was storing it in. I think I know where I
: picked
: > : up the mold (the bottle was sanitized, but the drying rack was not) and
: > : won't make that mistake again, however I am wondering if the 1 galon of
: must
: > : can be salveged, or if I need to look into buying a 5 galon carboy for
: > : secondary.
: > :
: > : After finding the mold, I racked the must into a new sanitized 1 galon
: > : bottle and added 1 crushed camden tablet. I am storing this bottle in
: my
: > : fridge until I figure out if it is worth trying to save.
: > :
: > : Any thoughts?
: > :
: > : Chris Hertling
: > : North Kansas City, MO
: > :
: > :
: >
: >
: >
: > I have experience in making wine from rice, so I will use some of those
: expertise in answer your question.
: >
: > In rice wine making, the rice is cooked, cooled down to 30 degrees
: Celsius, and then treated with a combination of mold spore and
: > wine yeast. In 12 to 24 hours in warm and moist air, mold will cover the
: whole surface of rice. The rice will be covered by a layer
: > of milky white velvet. The starch inside each kernel of cooked rice will
: become pure syrup. Then the rice must be stirred into water
: > and kept submersed so that the mold will not be able to get air, while
: yeast will convert the sugar from the rice into alcohol and
: > carbon dioxide. And the alcohol and carbon dioxide will kill the mold.
: >
: > Mold needs air. So for your problem, you keep disturbing the must by
: stirring with a long stick, shaking or rocking the carboy so
: > that nothing can stay floating on the surface. That will smother the mold.
: Once you get the fermentation going, the alcohol and
: > carbon dioxide will either kill the mold or prevent the mold from growing.
: >
: > I hope this helps.
: >
: >
: >
: > Best Regards,
: > Wannabe
: > ======
:
: Although molds grow on spilled wine, no molds grow directly on or in wine.
:
: The only microorganisms that grow in or on wine are lactic bacteria, acetic
: bacteria and a variety of yeasts. See "Winemaking: From Grape Growing to
: Marketplace" by Richard Vine, page 83 or "Wine Analysis and Production" by
: Bruce Zoecklein, page 281.
:
: Perhaps you are having problems with film yeast.
:
: Lum
: Del Mar, California, USA
:
:
:



The original poster is talking about mold in the must, not in the wine. The must is sweet juice. No alcohol in it yet.

Best Regards,
Wannabe
=======

"WannabeSomeone" > wrote in message
.. .
>
> "Lum" > wrote in message
news
> :
> : "WannabeSomeone" > wrote in
message
> : .. .
> : >
> : > "Chris Hertling" > wrote in message
> : nk.net...
> : > :I started my fourth batch of wine a few days ago and as usual, I
> : initially
> : > : put only 5 of the 6 galons of must in my 6 galon primary in order to
> : allow
> : > : headspace for foaming. Before I could add the extra 1 Galon of must
to
> : the
> : > : fermenter a few days later, I found three 1/4 inch spots of mold
> : floating in
> : > : the sealed 1gal bottle I was storing it in. I think I know where I
> : picked
> : > : up the mold (the bottle was sanitized, but the drying rack was not)
and
> : > : won't make that mistake again, however I am wondering if the 1 galon
of
> : must
> : > : can be salveged, or if I need to look into buying a 5 galon carboy
for
> : > : secondary.
> : > :
> : > : After finding the mold, I racked the must into a new sanitized 1
galon
> : > : bottle and added 1 crushed camden tablet. I am storing this bottle
in
> : my
> : > : fridge until I figure out if it is worth trying to save.
> : > :
> : > : Any thoughts?
> : > :
> : > : Chris Hertling
> : > : North Kansas City, MO
> : > :
> : > :
> : >
> : >
> : >
> : > I have experience in making wine from rice, so I will use some of
those
> : expertise in answer your question.
> : >
> : > In rice wine making, the rice is cooked, cooled down to 30 degrees
> : Celsius, and then treated with a combination of mold spore and
> : > wine yeast. In 12 to 24 hours in warm and moist air, mold will cover
the
> : whole surface of rice. The rice will be covered by a layer
> : > of milky white velvet. The starch inside each kernel of cooked rice
will
> : become pure syrup. Then the rice must be stirred into water
> : > and kept submersed so that the mold will not be able to get air, while
> : yeast will convert the sugar from the rice into alcohol and
> : > carbon dioxide. And the alcohol and carbon dioxide will kill the mold.
> : >
> : > Mold needs air. So for your problem, you keep disturbing the must by
> : stirring with a long stick, shaking or rocking the carboy so
> : > that nothing can stay floating on the surface. That will smother the
mold.
> : Once you get the fermentation going, the alcohol and
> : > carbon dioxide will either kill the mold or prevent the mold from
growing.
> : >
> : > I hope this helps.
> : >
> : >
> : >
> : > Best Regards,
> : > Wannabe
> : > ======
> :
> : Although molds grow on spilled wine, no molds grow directly on or in
wine.
> :
> : The only microorganisms that grow in or on wine are lactic bacteria,
acetic
> : bacteria and a variety of yeasts. See "Winemaking: From Grape Growing
to
> : Marketplace" by Richard Vine, page 83 or "Wine Analysis and Production"
by
> : Bruce Zoecklein, page 281.
> :
> : Perhaps you are having problems with film yeast.
> :
> : Lum
> : Del Mar, California, USA
> :
> :
> :
>
>
>
> The original poster is talking about mold in the must, not in the wine.
The must is sweet juice. No alcohol in it yet.
>
> Best Regards,
> Wannabe
> =======

I guess I had better read more carefully. Please excuse my mistake.
Lum
Del Mar, California, USA