I waited to the end of the fermentation cycle. I was surprised that it was so 'funky'.
I was talking to a brew master before I bought the kit, and he said that a thick, and solid, layer of 'stuff' on the top of a fermentation tank isn't exactly bad, but what I described wasn't 'ideal' he said. (Um, okay) He said that I should have taken a sample from the middle of the tank, and looked at it, and smelt it, to see if it was 'usable'. I lauhged, and he said that some of his 'mistakes' in brewing have made the best brews. He said that is possible that I had a great brew at the time, and freaked out at the 'look'. But his partner said that I likely did the world a favor. He said that most of the brews they have had the growths on have been the result of inadequately sterilized equipment, and would have tasted like a steeped sweat sock, and likely made me rather sick. The first guy agreed, but still wished I had spent more time looking at it to see if it was totally spoiled, and not 'usable'🤢.
They did agree that their first few batches were more miss than hit, and after getting into it more, they stared putting out better brews. One, they said, actually was a huge hit with their friends. Everyone wanted some. Word spread like wildfire, and they tried a second batch, and, according to their friends, missed it... Lightening doesn't always strike twice.
I'll get fresher yeast and possibly grains, and see what I come up with. I have to remember the teachings of my organic chemistry prof when I do it again. He was a stitch. A great man, but he was 'tight'.😀😀😀