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Smells good, tastes good, looks scary

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Whatshisface

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 3, 2012
52
1
0
Michigan
Hi all,
I have a Newbee question. I have made a blueberry Melomel. It tastes great, smells wonderful but now that I am about to bottle it, it decided to develop a white scum on top. This scum is leaving a ring around the carboy. I have been reading through a lot of the previous questions on this thread and I don’t seem to see anyone with the same exact problem. It seems that there are other people having similar issues but their meads have off smells or hazing etc. I’m not having those issues. Should I bottle this?
 

fatbloke

good egg/snappy dresser.....
GotMead Patron
Is it stabilised ? If so, rack/bottle from below the surface as anything shouldn't get pulled into the racking cane until you're close to the bottom (id be racking it onto sulphites anyway if it were mine, then bottling from there).

If its possible that its started to referment, then I'd let it be longer. As you sometimes see weird stuff on top at the ferment stage.....
 

Whatshisface

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 3, 2012
52
1
0
Michigan
Thanks for the reply Fatbloke. There is a chance that fermentation process has kicked in again because I did back sweeten this batch about 2 weeks ago. I generally do not rack onto sulphites but I definitely will this time.
 

Chevette Girl

All around BAD EXAMPLE
Moderator
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Apr 27, 2010
8,443
53
48
Ottawa, ON
I've had a few batches over the years do weird things like that, either developing a white ring that sort of stirs back in if swirled, or a "skin" that folds and flakes and sinks when the carboy is moved. And that's when I hit it with sulphites, just in case... I don't think it's ruined a batch of mine yet. As long as it smells and tastes good, it should be safe to bottle once it's been sulphited. And if you backsweetened it, it's possible that it's just scum from the honey. And if you didn't stabilize it before you backsweetened, you really should stabilize it if you want to bottle it this soon.
 

Whatshisface

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 3, 2012
52
1
0
Michigan
Thank you for your response Chevette Girl. I am Crushing a Campdem tablet right now. I hope it is only because I back sweetened it without stabilizing it. I plan to rack it to another carboy tonight with the Metabisulphite, let it sit about 24 hours then bottle it.
 

speedreader

NewBee
Registered Member
Oct 18, 2010
127
0
0
If you didn't stabilize it, you didn't backsweeten so much as you step-fed it. Someone else might back me up (or correct me), but if there was any yeast and your batch wasn't at its tolerance, that, in all likelihood is a restarted ferment.
 
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Whatshisface

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 3, 2012
52
1
0
Michigan
Actually that makes sense Speedreader. Now that I have it on the Metabisulphite I feel confident that this batch is good to go. Thank you.
 

Chevette Girl

All around BAD EXAMPLE
Moderator
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Apr 27, 2010
8,443
53
48
Ottawa, ON
If you didn't stabilize it, you didn't backsweeten so much as you step-fed it. Someone else might back me up (or correct me), but if there was any yeast and your batch wasn't at its tolerance, that, in all likelihood is a restarted ferment.

Got your back... hence the recommendation to stabilize. We don't know how old/young this mead is but even months (sometimes years) later in a clear mead there can still be yeast activity, so if you have residual sugar and you haven't left it to sit at least a year in a carboy with no change in specific gravity, stabilize it before bottling just to be on the safe side... And for the record, campden tabs alone might not do it permanently, you want to use potassium sorbate too, if you can get your hands on any.

Oh, and a belated Welcome to the Addiction-er, Forum, Whatshisface!
 
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Whatshisface

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 3, 2012
52
1
0
Michigan
Thank you for the welcome Chevette Girl. I'm glad I found this place. Thanks for the advice on the potassium sorbate I'm going to have to look for some at the LHBS. This blueberry mead is only 5 months old, so it probably did had some active yeast still in it. I believe the campden will probably do the trick in this case because this mead and a cyser are heading for a wedding at the end of April (and I don't plan to bring any back home). I hope the Metabisulphite will work that long.
 
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Viking Brew Vessels - Authentic Drinking Horns