LAB mold on surface
The answer
From the KNF library
Drake's office hours give two reasons for mold on top of a LAB ferment: too much airspace, and not enough sugar. (Office Hours Ep. 49, 16:27)
Check the sugar first. The Basic Course recipe says the wooden spoon should float when there is enough sugar. (Student's Manual, Basic Course, p. 17) The UH–CTAHR fact sheet says to store LAB at room temperature with an equal amount of brown sugar, by weight. (Student's Manual, Basic Course, p. 15)
Then smell it. The fact sheet says LAB should smell sweet. If it turns rotten, discard it and make a new batch. (Student's Manual, Basic Course, p. 15)
The library does not cover molasses as the storage sugar, a 100 L tank, or how to judge the mold in your photos.
Sources
- 16:27 Office Hours Ep. 49 (Sep 2022) — Wood Chips for Mulch, LAB Ferments, and Fish Amino Acid · “Too much airspace in the jar, and probably not supersaturated enough — no sugar ring at the bottom.”
- p. 17 Student's Manual, Basic Course · “Wooden spoon should float when there is enough sugar”
- p. 15 Student's Manual, Basic Course · “add an equal amount (by weight) of brown sugar to the LAB culture”
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