Hi everyone, I'm new to meadmaking. I started my first batch based on Ken Schramm's no heat medium sweet orange blossom mead. Here are the details:
15 lbs. honey
enough spring water to bring up to 5 gallons
2 tsp. nutrient
1 tsp. energizer
2 packets Lalvin 71b-1122
7/8/05 Started in primary OG 1.110
7/23/05 Racked into carboy SG 1.022
9/9/05 Fermentation stopped, I waited about a week then tasted and measured SG, was very dry 0.998, added 2.5 tsp. potassium sorbate
Today (9/11/05) I racked into clean primary fermenter and backsweetened by adding 3 cups honey. FG 1.012
Bottled into 375ml blue stretch bottles with an automatic bottle filler and corked with #9 corks. Corks were submersed for one hour in a gallon of water with two crushed campden tablets and a few drops of gylcerin before bottling. They will remain upright for 3 days.
About 2-5 minutes after bottling some of the corks started coming out of the bottles, one actually popped out. Out of 48 bottles I had to recork about 12 of them, now as I look at them (7 hours later) about 5 more are coming out. I think I know what is happening but I don't know why. I thought by adding the potassium sorbate I halted fermentation. Maybe all the splishing and splashing during bottling has angered the mead gods? Also why did it end up so dry that I had to backsweeten it? Please help!
15 lbs. honey
enough spring water to bring up to 5 gallons
2 tsp. nutrient
1 tsp. energizer
2 packets Lalvin 71b-1122
7/8/05 Started in primary OG 1.110
7/23/05 Racked into carboy SG 1.022
9/9/05 Fermentation stopped, I waited about a week then tasted and measured SG, was very dry 0.998, added 2.5 tsp. potassium sorbate
Today (9/11/05) I racked into clean primary fermenter and backsweetened by adding 3 cups honey. FG 1.012
Bottled into 375ml blue stretch bottles with an automatic bottle filler and corked with #9 corks. Corks were submersed for one hour in a gallon of water with two crushed campden tablets and a few drops of gylcerin before bottling. They will remain upright for 3 days.
About 2-5 minutes after bottling some of the corks started coming out of the bottles, one actually popped out. Out of 48 bottles I had to recork about 12 of them, now as I look at them (7 hours later) about 5 more are coming out. I think I know what is happening but I don't know why. I thought by adding the potassium sorbate I halted fermentation. Maybe all the splishing and splashing during bottling has angered the mead gods? Also why did it end up so dry that I had to backsweeten it? Please help!