Reracking, bottling, and maybe more...

I can answer some of your questions. Also, I would recommend not doing a show mead (no additives whatsoever other than honey yeast and water - this means no nutrients) and doing a traditional instead (same as a show mead but additives are ok). This way you can use nutrients and correct PH and such if you need to. I personally wouldn't attempt a show mead myself (about 5-6 months experience) as a newbie, especially unless I was willing to risk the fermentation stalling and ending up with an overly sweet mead... and never being totally sure all the yeasts were dead, and as such bottles could potentially become bombs... not good.

Were you thinking sweet/dry/in the middle? What ABV?

slowbie said:

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1. My plan is to put it in the primary for a few weeks (or longer as needed) before transferring to a 5 gallon glass carboy. From there I am prepared to let it age for at least six months and up to a year. My question is how important is reracking? If the answer is very important, is there a practical way I could somehow rerack to the same container by using another container temporarily while I clean the first? Or do I just have to bite the bullet and buy another carboy?

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Depends somewhat on what yeast you use. Some yeasts are okay to leave the mead/wine sitting on them for a looooong time, others are very bad. Also, if you don't rack at least once again before bottling you're likely going to bottle a whole bunch of sediment.

I've heard of people racking back into a bucket, cleaning their carboy and then racking back, but this seems like a heck of a lot of work just to save $30 for a carboy, and I'm guessing it is going to increase potential oxidization of your mead.

2. How drinkable is the mead after bottling if I let it sit for six months to a year before I bottle?

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I personally have found some of my traditionals to be perfectly drinkable at 3-4 months, though I can certainly see what more time would do to improve them. (and bear in mind I do totally dry meads, which some people feel need to age longer than sweet ones, as the sweetness can cover up some flavours).

Most of the people around here tell people to try and let it age for at least around a year, so you're probably looking pretty good on the aging front, especially for a newbie (most of us seem to loose our patience and start drinking it way before we should!)

Hope that helps, people with more experience will be along soon to give you more/better info.

slowbie said:

Okay, I was a little confused on terminology. I am planning on making a traditional mead and therefore using additives. I am also hoping to do a nearly to totally dry mead, and I'm still playing around with the calculator and doing a little research before I decide on ABV, so if there is any advice or important things to know about that it would be helpful too.

I'm really hoping that I don't lose patience too soon, because I know I'll be tempted...

EDIT: Almost forgot to thank you for the advice! Thanks!

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You're welcome, and I had a hunch that's what you meant, because that's what I meant when I started! Very common missunderstanding, we even have a thread dedicated to the subject.

Totally/nearly dry is the way I like them myself, be sure to post when you have your ABV figured out (I'd recommend between 11-14%) and then everyone can help you pick a yeast.

Hi, slowbie! Welcome to "Gotmead?"!!

Let me first suggest that you read the Newbee Guide if you haven't already done so (there's a link to it over on the left side of this page) because it will give you lots of relevant information that will help you out with your first batch. I applaud your decision to play around with the mead calculator to zone in on where you want your batch to finish. The best way to learn to use that thing is to play around with various entries until you're sure that you understand how it works. Once you've got the basic parameters for your batch established post your planned recipe (target volume, % ethanol, final gravity, type and amount of honey, yeast strain, nutrient types and amounts, etc.) and we can offer up some more specific suggestions.

If you are using good honey, most any of the yeast will take this dry and produce a good mead.

For your first mead, I'd suggest a commonly available yeast that works with minimal fuss such as K1V-1116. A five gram packet properly rehydrated will give you a fast, problem-free fermentation.

For nutrients in a 5 gallon batch with this gravity and K1V, you could go with about 2 tsp DAP and 4 tsp Fermaid K. While we usually do a lot of staggered nutrients, in a batch like this, you can add it all in one dose as soon as you see visible signs of fermentation (bubbling and foaming) after pitching the yeast.

Be sure and aerate it at least daily for the first 1/3 of fermentation. I'd suggest keeping the temp below 70F if you can, and in the lower 60s if possible. This will give you results that will be drinkable sooner.

I hope you get a great mead!

Medsen

The first 1/3 of fermentation will probably be 2-4 days and the fermentation should be complete in somewhere around 2 weeks unless you run into a problem.

I'd recommend starting a brewlog, listing the recipe exactly as you mixed it. Then periodically update us with performance. Take a look at some of the other brewlogs already there and you'll get a good idea of what is usually posted.