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Bottling JAO

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Keln

NewBee
Registered Member
May 16, 2006
14
0
0
I have a gallon of JAO in the primary, and it has been there for about a month and a half or so. Now, I followed directions of the recipe to the letter, but this stuff cleared over two weeks ago. Almost three weeks ago now actually.

The fruit hasn't dropped, and I was going to wait until then, but in his recipe, he says he doesn't even wait for that. Since Joe says that this stuff should take 2 months and a week about to finish, should I wait until 2 months at least before bottling? I'm not that anxious, I just need to free up a carboy for another recipe. I tasted this mead a week ago or so (yes the wine thief was sterilized!) and it was already fantastic imo. The wife liked it too, and she has never liked mead.

There's been no airlock activity for weeks, so I am not really afraid of bottle bombs. Is there a reason to leave it sitting in the carboy for another several weeks? Or can I just bottle it and leave it to age? I haven't drawn enough to test with a hydrometer because I didn't want to mess with the stuff too much.
 

Oskaar

Got Mead Partner
Administrator
Dec 26, 2004
7,874
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34
The OC
I say this bud's for you!

That is, let your taste buds do the decision making. Thieve off a sample and try it, if it tastes good and is crystal clear in a wineglass, then you can probably rack without any problems. If it still has some floaties in the sample it will do it no harm to sit until it's crystal clear.

You make the call!

cheers,

Oskaar
 

Keln

NewBee
Registered Member
May 16, 2006
14
0
0
Yeah, it's crystal clear and tastes great. I was just afraid of any kind of deviation from the recipe. Although the recipe wasn't exactly strict on timing. I think I'll wait maybe another week then, and bottle.

thx Oskaar.
 

Pewter_of_Deodar

NewBee
Registered Member
Sep 23, 2004
1,867
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68
Cedar Rapids, IA
The fruit won't always drop so that isn't necessarily the primary indicator. I have gotten in the habit of racking my AO's off of the fruit after the fermentation stops. The racking will usually suck along bits of orange and raisins but those settle out in the secondary. Then I rack into the bottling bucket and bottle leaving those bits behind...

That is what I'd recommend if you have the extra container to rack into...

Good luck,
Pewter
 

Keln

NewBee
Registered Member
May 16, 2006
14
0
0
I decided to go ahead an bottle it, but of course I screwed up when I moved the carboy and mixed the sediment into the liquid and it is now cloudy. So I racked it into a big pot I use for just that purpose and cleaned out the carboy. Took a while to dig all that fruit out and I can't believe how big the cinnamon stick got. Anyways, I cleaned the carboy really good and racked the mead back into it. I used a grain bag the first time around the end of the racking cane so I didn't draw in pulp with the mead. I stuck the carboy in the fridge so it can settle out. Hopefully tonight or tomorrow it will be clear again and I can bottle it.
 

Dan McFeeley

Lifetime Patron
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Oct 10, 2003
1,899
7
38
68
Illinois
Keln said:
I decided to go ahead an bottle it, but of course I screwed up when I moved the carboy and mixed the sediment into the liquid and it is now cloudy. So I racked it into a big pot I use for just that purpose and cleaned out the carboy. Took a while to dig all that fruit out and I can't believe how big the cinnamon stick got. Anyways, I cleaned the carboy really good and racked the mead back into it. I used a grain bag the first time around the end of the racking cane so I didn't draw in pulp with the mead. I stuck the carboy in the fridge so it can settle out. Hopefully tonight or tomorrow it will be clear again and I can bottle it.

Hopefully soon! I'm guessing you have a lot of headspace right now, from racking off the fruit and from there into a container the same as before. Keeping it cold should help since cold temperatures help slow down chemical reactions, including those that can result from too much exposure to air.

Don't worry too much about this -- honey has anti-oxidant properties and, depending on the honey you used, might protect against adverse reactions. But, keep it cold!
 
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