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JAOM Ready?

Barrel Char Wood Products

gtmanga

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 25, 2012
7
0
0
Riverside
f-2.tumblr.com
Hello all,

I made 3 one-gallon jugs of JAOM back in the end of August. It'll be 4 weeks since I pitched the yeast on this coming Tuesday.

It's my first mead making attempt.

I followed recipe ingredients and procedures exactly. It's blipping at about one per 10-15 seconds now. The JAOM recipe stated that if it's clear enough to read a newspaper through it, it's ready. However it also said that it'd take 2 months to clear up, but it's already clear enough to read a newspaper through it. Should I go ahead and bottle it this Saturday (3.5 weeks after pitching) or should I wait it out a bit longer? If so, how much longer should I wait it out? It's been fermenting in a room that varies between 70-80 degrees, sometimes over 80, rarely under 70.

Thanks for the help!
 

vulcan500rider

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 14, 2012
47
0
0
Nope. If you're still getting bubbles, there's still fermentation going on. Let it sit for a while yet.
 

kudapucat

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 2, 2010
2,383
10
0
Bundoora, Melbourne, Australia
Thanks! How I wish I had a local time containment field so I could speed up time and have it ready today xD

Ahhh! But you can... the instructions are below. (It takes 3 months to build)

What you need to never have to wait for a JAO:

4 x 1 Gal Jugs
4 x stoppers
4 x Airlocks
3 gal worth of bottles

Step 1 - Brew JAO as per instructions
Step 2 - Wait 2 weeks
Step 3 - Repeat step 1 until 4 jugs are full
Step 4 - Bottle Oldest brew - (clean those dirty bottles you've been saving)
Step 5 - Repeat step 1 ad nauseam

Now you only have to wait 1 month and all you could ever want to drink* will be in your reach.

*Caveat
If you run out of bottles, you're not thirsty enough, cut down to three jugs and leave it 3 weeks before repeating.
If you run out of jugs, you're very thirsty and have shortened the wait time without increasing your jug inventory. Go buy more jugs, or a carboy, or two, perhaps even three if they're on special.
 

Wingnut

NewBee
Registered Member
Jan 29, 2012
80
0
0
Snohomish, WA The Evergreen State
I have a gallon I started in July and it is still slowly bubbling. Extremely slow but none the less, a bubble here and there.
It has cleared nicely in the past 2 weeks but most of the fruit is still at the top.
I am going to let it stand for a bit longer to see if the fruit will settle to the bottom before I rack off.

Of all of the mead I have tried, this JAOM has shown the most promise.
It sure smells good.
 

gtmanga

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 25, 2012
7
0
0
Riverside
f-2.tumblr.com
Yeah, that's what gets me... Joe himself says he just bottles it when it's clear but most people out there seem to wait until the fruit drops? What's the purpose of waiting until the fruit drops? ;_;
 

kudapucat

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 2, 2010
2,383
10
0
Bundoora, Melbourne, Australia
It makes it slightly easier to rack.
It tends to result in a clearer brew, as the last sediment drops too.
My JAO would never drop, it was infuriating.
Solution.
Wait until there is zero airlock activity, and it's been clear, both for a week.
Place it outside where it's less comfortably warm.
Overnight the fruit falls.
Wait a week and bottle the clearest mead you'll get without racking...
 

gtmanga

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 25, 2012
7
0
0
Riverside
f-2.tumblr.com
Thanks for the clarification (no pun intended :D)

I cut my oranges into 1/8ths, not in slices, but rather an XYZ cut... Will that make a difference in how it decants after the fruit drops?
 

Loadnabox

NewBee
Registered Member
Apr 17, 2011
849
3
0
Ohio
I've never been able to bottle very well from primary.

I break the warranty a bit and rack when it's gone clear not worrying if I carry some sludge along. My racking cane always sucks in a few raisins so I have never been able to avoid this and have just given up on getting away clean in the first racking.

I then give it a week, by which point the sediment settles out again. I rack again leaving behind all the sludge.

Because I like a super clear and shiny mead, I generally even run my JAO through my filtration system at some point before bottling.
 

fatbloke

good egg/snappy dresser.....
GotMead Patron
I've never been able to bottle very well from primary.

I break the warranty a bit and rack when it's gone clear not worrying if I carry some sludge along. My racking cane always sucks in a few raisins so I have never been able to avoid this and have just given up on getting away clean in the first racking.

I then give it a week, by which point the sediment settles out again. I rack again leaving behind all the sludge.

Because I like a super clear and shiny mead, I generally even run my JAO through my filtration system at some point before bottling.
Which is one way of sorting that.

I like to move the fermenter the day before I'm gonna rack, as even that's enough to disturb the sediment a bit.

Plus, any floating fruit will have some of the yeast sediment on it, so waiting for it to drop, not only guarantee's that the ferment is complete, but also so that I don't get the extra sediment back into solution.

Once I'm happy it's settled from the previous days move, I start the rack making sure that the base of the racking cane is well away from the sludge/fruit. I rack very carefully, only the cleared part, as that will get bottled straight away. Then I take a 2 litre pop/soda bottle (a molded plastic one), I cut the top off that and then rack the rest, including a tiny bit of the sediment, into that, and it's then covered with cling wrap and put in the fridge over night.

The next day, is usually enough, for the sediment to have dropped out and settled into the molded feet of the bottle, so that careful movement keeps it there, so I can rack off the last bit and minimise racking losses.

It's always worked for me like this, so it should for others.......
 

gtmanga

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 25, 2012
7
0
0
Riverside
f-2.tumblr.com
Which is one way of sorting that.

I like to move the fermenter the day before I'm gonna rack, as even that's enough to disturb the sediment a bit.

Plus, any floating fruit will have some of the yeast sediment on it, so waiting for it to drop, not only guarantee's that the ferment is complete, but also so that I don't get the extra sediment back into solution.

Once I'm happy it's settled from the previous days move, I start the rack making sure that the base of the racking cane is well away from the sludge/fruit. I rack very carefully, only the cleared part, as that will get bottled straight away. Then I take a 2 litre pop/soda bottle (a molded plastic one), I cut the top off that and then rack the rest, including a tiny bit of the sediment, into that, and it's then covered with cling wrap and put in the fridge over night.

The next day, is usually enough, for the sediment to have dropped out and settled into the molded feet of the bottle, so that careful movement keeps it there, so I can rack off the last bit and minimise racking losses.

It's always worked for me like this, so it should for others.......


I'm assuming it's okay to break the warranty by racking now. There is still some small bubbling activity inside the glass fermenters but the air locks in two of the jars have the water withdrawn into the first chamber. I'm guessing that means fermentation is complete?
 

gtmanga

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 25, 2012
7
0
0
Riverside
f-2.tumblr.com
I've never been able to bottle very well from primary.

I break the warranty a bit and rack when it's gone clear not worrying if I carry some sludge along. My racking cane always sucks in a few raisins so I have never been able to avoid this and have just given up on getting away clean in the first racking.

I then give it a week, by which point the sediment settles out again. I rack again leaving behind all the sludge.

Because I like a super clear and shiny mead, I generally even run my JAO through my filtration system at some point before bottling.

Is the second rack done right before you bottle?
 

Loadnabox

NewBee
Registered Member
Apr 17, 2011
849
3
0
Ohio
Is the second rack done right before you bottle?

Not right before usually, I like to give a week after each racking to let more debris settle out, but certainly once you have done the first two rackings it's usually clear enough to bottle an amazing looking nectar. Everything else I do to it from there is just OCD.
 

Chevette Girl

All around BAD EXAMPLE
Moderator
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Apr 27, 2010
8,443
53
48
Ottawa, ON
I break the warranty a little bit once it starts to clear by swirling it around gently.

Usually it starts clearing when the yeast are slowing down, and the fruit drops when it's completely degassed, which I try to accellerate a little by gentle agitation to dislodge any CO2 stuck in the fruit bits.

I usually find the fruit drops for me a week or two after it clears, starting with the raisins... Then I rack it (because I too invariably suck sludge up when I try to bottle from primary) and let it sit at least a week before I bottle it, usually longer because I'm lazy.
 

columbiacritter

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 30, 2012
20
0
0
I was gone for 2 wks and was amazed how much my JAOM had cleared in that time. There's still yeast activity and some chunkier debris so it's not ready to rack for a while, but it is fascianting to see how clear it's getting. In another couple weeks I'll agitate it a little if the fruit hasn't started dropping.
 

Wingnut

NewBee
Registered Member
Jan 29, 2012
80
0
0
Snohomish, WA The Evergreen State
I racked mine off Saturday after the last of the fruit dropped. Nice and clear.

I noticed the fruit and sediment really started to drop when the weather turned cooler last week. My storage area is about 3-5 degrees cooler now.

Cutting the oranges into smaller parts made the cleanup a snap. Stuff fell right out with a swril of hot water.

I have to say it was a bit overpowering and perfume like in taste and smell.
I don't care for it.
My wife likes it so I guess it is a check in the win column.

I'll give that one another try.
 

Chevette Girl

All around BAD EXAMPLE
Moderator
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Apr 27, 2010
8,443
53
48
Ottawa, ON
Perfume, huh? Can you pinpoint what in it might be making you think that? the clove? the orange? the cinnamon? the honey?
 

Wingnut

NewBee
Registered Member
Jan 29, 2012
80
0
0
Snohomish, WA The Evergreen State
Perfume, huh? Can you pinpoint what in it might be making you think that? the clove? the orange? the cinnamon? the honey?

Hmmm. After tasting it again, I would say that it is the orange that is producing the strong, overpowering pungent scent and taste. I don't note any or not very much influence from the spices. It's there but very subtle. The honey was local blackberry.


Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2
 

THawk

Crazy Martian Cat
GotMead Patron
Ahhh! But you can... the instructions are below. (It takes 3 months to build)

What you need to never have to wait for a JAO:

4 x 1 Gal Jugs
4 x stoppers
4 x Airlocks
3 gal worth of bottles

Step 1 - Brew JAO as per instructions
Step 2 - Wait 2 weeks
Step 3 - Repeat step 1 until 4 jugs are full
Step 4 - Bottle Oldest brew - (clean those dirty bottles you've been saving)
Step 5 - Repeat step 1 ad nauseam

Now you only have to wait 1 month and all you could ever want to drink* will be in your reach.

*Caveat
If you run out of bottles, you're not thirsty enough, cut down to three jugs and leave it 3 weeks before repeating.
If you run out of jugs, you're very thirsty and have shortened the wait time without increasing your jug inventory. Go buy more jugs, or a carboy, or two, perhaps even three if they're on special.

You're basically building what would be in investment terms, a bond ladder... which is basically a never-ending string of bonds -- kinda like you design the said ladder that every month, one matures... :)
 
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