Quart Jars

So no one cares about bubbles. What's your gravity? Are you just letting all the yeast suffocate each other? That's a great way to get off flavors��

I rouse the yeast the entire duration. And usually for a few weeks after its over. This allows the yeast access to the honey, YAN and keeps them from over heating. I do this from day 1 until I'm ready to rack.

Stir enough, just to get the yeast back into suspension......

There's more to it than just "rousing" the lees/yeast. there is also degassing and oxygenating. the basic effort of stirring can provide all three. and except oxygenating, they should continue for the life of the ferment and beyond. you want to get oxygen in to the must in the earlier stages of ferment (lets say up to 1/3 sugar break), I do this with direct O2 application to the must after I have degassed and raised the lees. just stirring is not getting a lot in the must and serious shaking is getting some in there, but not to levels that the theory dictates as optimal. I then continue to stir twice daily to degas (aggressively?) and rouse the yeast through 2/3 sugar break. then, I degas and send the yeast back into suspension once daily through the rest of the ferment, i.e. down to 1.000. however, in this last stage, I try not to impart air into the must, stirring below the surface and not so aggressively that i force bubbles into the liquid. after the ferment is done, i.e. SG down at 1.000 or less (or darn near close), I will continue to stir to rouse the lees/yeast for a week or so, to let the whole process come to an easy, elongated settle. after that, which is possibly as much as 30 days into the process, I let the whole thing settle a few days and rack off for a long extended sit. then, by judgement, I'll eventually rack off again ... and again ... and again, each time leaving behind what settles.

so now, apply this to the small quarts you have; pick them up twice daily, take off the airlock, spin them around and around, to stir them up and keep the lees from settling too long. that is untill you have a 2/3 sugar break ... and so this is where the SG is important. bubbles are a very very loose indicator of where you are in the ferment. a small spoon to stir would also help, maybe even get more gas out. CO2 is the gas coming off and can concentrate in solution leaving the yeast with nothing to breath (suffocate).

well ... I think I'm mostly "correct" with this ... I also understand the timings to be a bit subjective and variable. so, your mileage may vary ... listen to Squatchy's Got mead radio casts. read earlier posts on plans and recipes (some of my posts have this, use the search feature, and/or go back through forum topics).

Along with all that. I have a spray bottle anywhere there is mead in my house (all over the damn place). So I can shoot it any time I need to. Starsan.

Sgt Warden said:

Rouse?

Thanks for the reply! Just not familiar with the way you are using this word. Just want some clarification. I’m trying not to be a total noob. It probably shows though.


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Rouse, not arouse, there's a difference

Sgt Warden said:

Rouse?

Thanks for the reply! Just not familiar with the way you are using this word. Just want some clarification. I’m trying not to be a total noob. It probably shows though.


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Rouse. To keep suspended in the must.

Stir or shake to keep the must cloudy.

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Sgt Warden said:

Stopped by Yeastie Beastie and picked up a hydrometer and a test glass.

Pretty close to being dry?



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I assume that it is cometely floating.
Would be helpful.if you could clear the foam away and remember to give it a spin before checking to dislodge bubbles.

Looks like a smidge over 1.00 sp awfully close to complete.

Give it another week with stirring up the yeast. You should notice the top part starting to clear up on its own.

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K woild rouse it for a other few days at the least.

Also before you rack to another jar I would suggest you put it in the fridge for a few days to a week. This will help a great deal more sediment settle out and minimize racking loses.


I know that the waiting is the hardest part but still.

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LOL.

Your correct about the racking losses. And then rack again and he might have 2 pours do save until later.

No. It doesn't kill the yeast but it slows them down so your mead will clear faster. Even after cold crashing and then racking off the lees you will still have enough yeast to crab your bottles. I would not think this is something to do (carb) unless you have more experience than what might be presented in this thread. It's pretty easy to mess this up unless you do it really right.