Secondary and oak

Nate PT said:

..., but my last batch tasted terrible so I just wanted to make a new thread with all of my questions, I hope that's ok.

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Nate, I'm sorry to hear your first batch isn't tasting good. Can you describe to us what is wrong with it (say in comparison to a white wine you like)? It is only 4 months old right? so that mead really hasn't developed yet, and probably needs another year of aging just to start. It was made with basswood honey wasn't it? that can sometimes cause a harsh flavor.

Nate PT said:

I forgot to take a reading initially and don't wish to take readings now as it is only a one gallon batch and I don't want to waste precious mead.

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You don't have to waste mead to measure the gravity. If you use good sanitation, you can take a sample out, take the reading, and pour it back it with barely a drop lost (and no harm to the mead).

Nate PT said:

Should I just wait until the airlock slows to 1-2 bubbles per minute before I rack to secondary or should I wait longer?

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Ideally, I'd wait until it is finished, and the gravity stops dropping, then rack.

Nate PT said:

I think I know how much to use, but am just unsure if I should add oak right away in secondary or rack again later onto the oak? Should I just add the oak by putting some chips in a muslin bag and sinking it to the bottom with marbles or something?

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I usually prefer cubes and spirals to chips, but whichever form you use, you can just toss them in without a bag if you like (you can use a bag if you want to). The chips will float, and eventually many will get water-logged and sink to the bottom. When you rack, leave them behind.

The amount to use is a very personal taste. Some folks (like me) like it very light and in the background. Others like to sip the juice from a wood chipper. If you know what you prefer, it helps target the amount. About 4-5 grams in a gallon will give the light impact that I like. You can add them at any point in the secondary, tertiary or thereafter, but the earlier it is added, the more time it has to integrate. If what you add isn't enough, you can add more later.

Nate PT said:

Is it better to bulk age without reducing headspace or bottle earlier? I'm talking about after oaking and adding Potassium Sorbate if bottling.

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I don't think I understand the question. You don't want to bulk age with headspace. The air in the headspace needs to be eliminated (by topping up or other methods) to protect the mead from spoilage organisms and from oxidation. I bulk age everything, but I'm often too lazy to bottle.

I'll second that it's more than fine to return samples after taking a reading. I have done this with 39 seperate batches of mead so far, right from my first batch when my sanitation was terrible, and haven't had a single problem.

I like to use iodophor because you can mix it up then leave it in a pot in the cupboard for at least a week I think, then just dunk your equipment in it quickly, and use. Don't worry about drying, rinsing, none of that. By far the easiest thing on the planet, and this stuff is cheap cheap, a bottle of concentrate that costs 10-15 bucks will last you a year if you're only making mead once every month or two.

Question 1. Do you need sorbate at all?
If you started with 2 pounds of honey, the batch should be bone dry, and the fact that you used only 2 pounds may be why it seem to have little flavor. What were the starting and final gravity numbers? If it is dry, and you plan to keep it that way, sorbate is not needed.

If you plan to sweeten it, then you need both sorbate and sulfite together, and it is a good idea to use them at least several weeks to months before bottling. This way if they fail, you'll see it while it is still under airlock.

After primary fermentation is over, you should keep it topped up at all times. So yes, when racked on oak, it should be topped up.

When you oak,

When you rack off the oak, you can add the sorbate and sulfite. I'd let them work work for 24 hours, then you can add honey to sweeten to taste. Adding honey will create a bit of haze that will take some weeks (or months) to clear. Once clear, you can rack, confirm the gravity hasn't dropped, and bottle.

Sorbate and sulfite will dissolve into the liquid. The sorbate will stick around, and the sulfite will break down and release SO2, which will eventually leave the mead as a gas.