First Batch (Oxidation Concern)

[gekster]

Hi all. I'm working on my first 1 gallon batch of orange mead. It was sitting in the primary carboy for about 2 months. It was clear so I wanted to rack it into a secondary and away from all the fruit skins / lees at the bottom. I put it into the secondary carboy and I have a few inches of head space and read that oxidation might be a concern, because it is no longer fermenting.

I'm thinking of a few options that I have...

1) Add marbles to reduce the head space
2) Wait a few days for it to clear up (and risk oxidation) and then bottle
3) Rack into smaller vessel(s). If I decide to do this - could I rack the 1 gallon of mead into a couple wine bottles and cork them? And then re-bottle them when they clear up?

Any advice for cleaning up this beginner's mess? Thanks in advance!

[akueck]

If it is ready to bottle, you can go that route. A couple days sitting shouldn't do that much damage unless you're keeping it really warm. If it's under airlock now, it's not like new air is getting in.

Personally I'd say that unless you're planning on having it sit in that container for several more months, any manipulation you do now to reduce headspace (either adding marbles or racking it again) is going to cause just as much or more oxidation as leaving it where it is. I don't have any data to back this up, but that's my guess.

[gekster]

Thanks! I can see the yeast particles settling to the bottom again slowly. Hopefully it will be clear by the weekend so I can bottle.