White Waxy Layer On Cider ?

[Greg2013]

I have two carboys of cider here from the recent fresh pressed apple juice buy and i noticed today a thin layer of a white waxy substance has appeared on top of both. What could this be and what do i do now ?

[LordEoin]

perfectly fine usually. Smell it taste it. If it's ok leave it alone.
It should break up and sink eventually.
But if the main bulk of fermentation is over, top up your carboys with preboiled water to limit the surface area.

[mr hoppy]

You can use CO2 instead of water as well, if you have a CO2 tank and don't want to dilute the cider with water.

Something similar discussed here:

http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,4308.178.html

and here under "Fermentation and storage problems":

http://www.cider.org.uk/part5.htm

[Will_D]

This may be a film yeast. Have the airlocks run dry as these need oxygen to grow?

Try to remove the film by topping up the container and forcing the film to float off. Or suck it off with a tube or use a turkey baster. You can also sulphite the whole batch to about 30 ppm (not many do this), or you can spray the surface of the cider and the neck with 0.5% sulphite solution and refit airlock.

As these yeasts happen after fementation is over you can always pasturise it and finish it off with sugar/fresh Juice etc and force carb or drink it still

[Greg2013]

Pasteurising sounds like the best option, just kinda freaked when i saw it as i was so careful with sanitation etc. It all smells ok and the airlocks are full, everything else looks good except for that white layer on both carboys.

[Ciderhead]

Conditioning cider in glass needs the cider just below the airlock.

[Greg2013]

Conditioning cider in glass needs the cider just below the airlock.

It's the carboy that's 5 litres short that has the layer of white stuff on it, the one that's full to the bottom of the bung actually has hardly any at all. So with that in mind dose with campden or pasteurise and keg ? Or leave them both alone and hope for the best /

[Greg2013]

Feck it i will just transfer to another container and back into clean carboys and leave it be i think :

[Greg2013]

My DJs got 2 tabs each and are clear now. 

Yes but what would that do for my situation with that white waxy shite ?

[Greg2013]

My DJs got 2 tabs each and are clear now. 

Yes but what would that do for my situation with that white waxy shite ?

Sorry Greg, meant they were siphoned into cleam DJs with tabs waiting and they've stayed good since.

In your case does the one with the most white shite with 2 tabs per gallon. Should clear it up. I'd say the other one is probably ok.

Good stuff man cheeers