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Should I rack?

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JDWebb

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My one small batch and my mini-mead are very clear, but the fruit hasn't dropped. I'm wondering if I should rack them to a fresh jug. I have another identical Jack Daniels decanter that will hold both of them.

jaom1.jpg

jaom2.jpg
 

Squatchy

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What kind of yeast? How lond since you pitched? Why do you feel the neex to rerack?
 

JDWebb

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Both are scaled down "by-the-book" JAOM's. And I thought maybe since they are very clear, if the oranges, raisins and yeast have completed their task that I should put it in a clean jug is all. Besides, I need the airlock of one of them!
 

Squatchy

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The recipie says to leave it alone until the fruits drops. You know it's ready to drink once that happens
 

JDWebb

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I racked it anyway, its sweet, tastes great, needs a bit more time I think, will rack again in a couple months. I have two of these bottles, I'm guessing they hold about half a gallon, or around 1.8 liters. Both were clear as glass when I racked, picked up a tiny bit of residue but think it will settle. This is the Maxwell House bottle, the other one I have is the Belle of Lincoln bottle.

jd_mead.jpg
 
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fatbloke

good egg/snappy dresser.....
GotMead Patron
The problem with racking JAO before the fruit has dropped, is that you often get a fine layer of yeast on the floating fruit and as bread yeast doesn't flocculate very well, even the tiniest movement can bring it back into suspension.........

So you end up having to rack it again.........
 

JDWebb

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It was clear as glass when I racked it. I used a 1/4 inch plastic hose and I carefully inched it past the fruit. I let it sit like that for an hour before I started the suction process. The bit that I picked up was off the bottom as I gently lowered the end further into the bottle. I was just off the lees when I saw just a tiny bit get sucked up, and I quickly raised the end higher. I think it will be fine. It is clear now, and I expect it will get even clearer once it has sat for a while. I fully intend on racking it again, one more time into its permanent home, back into where it started, the special edition Maxwell House Jack Daniels bottle. I have the original cork and glass stopper for it, the cork is in great shape, seals well, and I'll figure out a way to make it air tight once I get there. I was thinking of dropping some oak chips soaked in bourbon into it near the end before I rack it for the last time.
 
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mannye

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Oct 10, 2012
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Next time, wait for the fruit to drop. It really happens at 90 to 100 days. I will bet you a dollar that an extra 30-40 days on the fruit will improve the flavor in the end. The fact is that even of you wait for the fruit to drop you will STILL get some clouding. It happens to me because I get greedy. I let the hose suck up a little bit more...then just tiny bit closer....then aw man... I went too close. Crystal clear JAOM is now cloudy JAOM. Happens EVERY TIME. Then I have to wait another two weeks for it to clear again, then I get impatient and cold crash it... then I rack again AND DO THE SAME THING AGAIN... but then I super kleer it.

IMO JAOM really benefits from being clear. I don't know about you guys, but cloudy JAOM is nowhere near as nice as clear JAOM.
 

JDWebb

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Dec 26, 2014
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Funny thing is, my one gallon version that I started on 12/31/14 still hasn't cleared. The fruit dropped right at the 2 month point, my smaller version is much younger by almost a month. I haven't touched the 1 gallon carboy since it was put on the shelf. The small version in the JD bottle is still clear as glass with little to no residue on the bottom, and both are exact recipes. The small version was scaled down, both the 1/2 gallon one and the quart sized one.

Thats a Tennessee Honey bottle behind the JAOM.
honey.jpg

hand.jpg
 
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mannye

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My latest JAOM (11/14) went crystal clear within a month but the fruit didn't drop until the end of Feb. I just racked it and it's freaking delicious. Used mandarin instead of oranges so it's tarter than normal. No bitter at all on the palate but it must be there balancing the sweet 'cause it's not cloying at all.


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