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Bung got knocked off during bulk aging, Sherry?

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RachmaelBenApplebaum

RachmaelBenApplebaum

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Sep 7, 2011
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I am a mass of organic molecules called "RachmaelB
SO I went and checked a bulk-aged batch of peach melomel and found the bung had gotten knocked off for what is probably months. took a sample and it still tastes good but with a very noticeable oxidation/sherry flavor. I actually think it could be on it's way to being a stellar sherry but I'm not sure if it can or how to go about it. here's a link to the mead log as well.

http://www.gotmead.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20233

My only real question since I know it can't be saved is how to make this mead a fantastic sherry/stop the oxidation process so it doesn't devolve into something funky and/or poisonous.
 
I also forgot to add that there has been some evaporation since I last checked it, about 2-3 inches lower than it was when I filled the carboy. I was thinking of ordering/pitching a sherry yeast since it's right in the ballpark range for alc% and temp, then fortifying it to kill off the flor and letting clear? This one was really a curveball as I was planning on having delicious summer peach mead and now it has taken a different turn. Incidentally I'm kinda excited now at the prospect of having a big batch of sherry :)
 
I've oxidized at least one batch on purpose because I enjoy that sherry-like thing too.

So, let me make sure I'm reading you correctly, this is already fermented and and stabilized, and you want to add another yeast and try to ferment it more? I looked at your brewlog and wasn't sure how much sugar would be in it (1 lb in a 5 gal batch at time of backsweetening, no SG recorded so I guess you'd want to add more honey) but my suspicions are that you'll just end up wasting money on sherry yeast (although getting my hands on some myself is definitely on my to-do list!) that will not appreciate being started in a solution that already contains alcohol... Unless all your alcohol evaporated (doubtful but you could check it with a spirit indication test), you're trying to restart something with a yeast that may not be suitable for restarting, and the must you're trying to restart contains potassium sorbate.

If I misread your post and you're talking about making a peach sherry with this year's harvest, then by all means get the yeast, have at, and tell us all how you did it :)

My recommendation for this batch? If you like how it is now, hit it with sulphites one more time (to protect against anything else happening to it including the nice sherry-like oxidation shifting to the not so nice wet cardboard oxidation which I have heard about but never experienced) and bottle it.



 
Man, I forgot that I had put sorbate in it, it was so long ago. I ordered some Vierka sherry yeast that'll be here soon, I was planning on making a large starter and pitching it but do you think the sorbate will effect it that much if I grow a large enough starter to put in it? It only inhibits growth so a large cell count would in theory still work right? I don't plan on messing with this one anymore so it can sit and mingle as long as it needs to. Definitely glad CG was around to double check my work! Many thanks.
 
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