so my buddy and i both started batches of cider a couple months ago. both were fresh pressed apples from the same orchard; both were originally transported from the orchard in 5gal buckets that were cleaned in the same process, at the same time. both were hit with campden tablets as soon as we got to our respective homes. his has formed a translucent almost milky skin on the top (is this what’s called a pellicle?), but mine hasn’t. variables : he used cotes de blanc, i used nottingham; he’s fermenting in plastic, i’m in glass; his basement is warmer than mine.
is the skin a property of the cotes de blanc? is this possibly an infection? it doesn’t smell like vinegar yet, so i told him not to dump it out 'till we got some answers.
The possibilities are endless. Campden isn’t a panaecea, things can survive and if given the correct conditions can start to grow again if the yeast doesn’t out compete them fast enough.
I don’t know if cotes de blanc forms a pellicle, I would guess not but it’s possible.
Certainly don’t dump it. some things that form pellicles are lovely. as is cider vinegar for that matter.
I had a little “pellicle-style action” on my last cider. I just went ahead with it and it was fine. When it smells like vinegar, it’s vinegar…til then, it isn’t. Enjoy (in moderation).
The warm temp may have something to do with it. IME, cotes does not create a pellicle. Check the gravity, see if it’s finished, transfer to cold under the pellicle, serve.
Cotes de blanc does not form a pellicle in my experience.
Most likely his plastic fermenter was not sufficiently sanitized. That doesn’t mean it will taste bad though, let it ferment out and see what he ends up with. If it tastes good, drink it quickly.
There are things in that grow in cider that make it taste bad, and things that don’t hurt it, and a few that make it taste better. The only way to know if to try it. I doubt it is the yeast though. It could be that your friends container is not airtight. Sometimes stored cider will develop blooms if oxygen is allowed in. If that is the case it can be transferred to a more airtight container with no headspace. Either way, if it is finished fermenting, transferring and adding sulfite might help.
My perry developed a pellicle. It stills tastes OK, but it’s a bit acetic. Mort’s right that sulfite isn’t magic. I like sour beverages, but if it gets much worse I’ll probably pasteurize the perry and blend with a beer.