HELP - bacteria growth in carboy!

[ChuckD]

Last week I was checking my airlocks and found what looks like bacteria growing on my petite Pearl and Verona wines

I immediately pulled the airlocks, took out the oak spirals, and used some cotton balls to clean them out. Then i wiped out the inside of the necks with a Q tip soaked in Vodka, topped up, added k-meta, dribbled in a little more vodka, and installed new airlocks. I tasted them at the time and they tasted great.

I just checked and it was back . This time I used a piece of paper towel to suck it all up then topped up and sprayed inside and outside the neck and stopper with a k-meta disinfectant solution.

What the hell kind of bacteria can grow on a 14% alcohol wine with a pH of 3.3 (Verona) and 3.6 (Pearl)?

The wines were racked at the end of March and k-meta was added at that time. Can the wines be saved? Should I rack again? Should I bottle them?

I was hoping my initial effort was the end of it but now I’m freaking out here… what can I do to fix this?

 

[David Violante]

It sounds like you’re doing all the right things. Do you happen to have access to a microscope? A slide of what it is could help figure out what to do moving forward as well. If you bottled, I would be concerned that you’re spreading out the problem to however many cases. Since it’s on top it needs oxygen. That limits some of what it can be. You can also try gently floating a grain alcohol on the top. It looks like you don’t have a huge amount of headspace which is good.

Also, look back through some threads to see what others have done in the past. You’re on the right path~

 

[David Violante]

Here’s a pretty good thread with a bit of very useful meandering~

Correcting 'flowers' in wine

 

[ChuckD]

Thanks for a little reassurance@David Violante I do have a microscope at work. I’ll bag and refrigerate the paper towel and Q Tips and look tomorrow.

I read the thread you linked and I do remember reading about the alcohol and k-meta treatments in the past. I really hope spraying the k-meta
Works.

I think the source may have been my oak spirals. When I pulled them out they had a few had white spots on them. I was wondering where they would get the O2 but that would be available in the wood. I didn’t soak them in K-meta first. Last time I make that mistake.

 

[David Violante]

If you decide to take pictures, remove the eyepiece from the microscope and take the picture directly with your phone. It takes a little bit of practice but it’s worth it~

 

[ibglowin]

That a classic case of Mycoderma. Its a yeast and not a bacteria so your wine is fine as long as you don't ignore the problem.

You did the right thing in cleaning/dabbing out the top.. Next thing is to hit the wine with a good top up dose of KMETA. I also spray a couple shots of KMETA (sanitizing solution) on top of the wine and let that sit/diffuse in. Then and this is important is to make sure the wine is topped up (minimal headspace), your airlock is filled and inserted TIGHT. Yeast need a food source and AIR to multiply so make sure you take away the main thing it needs.

 

[ChuckD]

That a classic case of Mycoderma. Its a yeast and not a bacteria so your wine is fine as long as you don't ignore the problem.

You did the right thing in cleaning/dabbing out the top.. Next thing is to hit the wine with a good top up dose of KMETA. I also spray a couple shots of KMETA (sanitizing solution) on top of the wine and let that sit/diffuse in. Then and this is important is to make sure the wine is topped up (minimal headspace), your airlock is filled and inserted TIGHT. Yeast need a food source and AIR to multiply so make sure you take away the main thing it needs.

I added k-meta last week… although I realize that I was using the 1/8t by mistake so I’ll add 1/4t as well. With the k-meta spritzing I did on top the wine that probably brings it up to a double dose. I topped up to 1/2” from the stoppers.

How long should I wait to rack and bottle? I was planning on doing that next month.

 

[ibglowin]

I added k-meta last week… although I realize that I was using the 1/8t by mistake so I’ll add 1/4t as well. With the k-meta spritzing I did on top the wine that probably brings it up to a double dose. I topped up to 1/2” from the stoppers.

How long should I wait to rack and bottle? I was planning on doing that next month.

I wouldn't be in any hurry to bottle right now. You want to make sure you have it nicked right now. I would also be inclined to insert a solid stopper if the wine is anywhere near close to being ready to be bottled and fully stabilized. How old is the wine?

 

[ChuckD]

How old is the wine?

Started last September, cold stabilized in March. There is no activity in the carboys but my cellar temp rises slowly through the summer to the mid 60’s and I worry about solid stoppers popping off. Looks like a good time to invest in some vented bungs.

 

[David Violante]

Looks like a good time to invest in some vented bungs.

I love those vented bungs… they really work out so well. The newer ones are a little more tapered and fit a variety of bottles quite a bit better. Great info from Mike~ you’ll be ahead of this before you know it.

 

[BarrelMonkey]

Then and this is important is to make sure the wine is topped up (minimal headspace), your airlock is filled and inserted TIGHT. Yeast need a food source and AIR to multiply so make sure you take away the main thing it needs.

@ibglowin has great advice - I would add that if possible (it's going to be a bit messy), overtop your vessel - ie pour in topping wine (preferably via a funnel or something) so that it overflows a bit. Then take out as much as needed to reinsert the airlock, do the aforementioned sanitation (alcohol and/or K-meta spray) and seal it up.

 

[Venatorscribe]

https://americanvineyardmagazine.com/whats-that-floating-on-my-wine/
this article will be helpful if not enlightening …