My first mead, made with Orange Blossom Honey, has been aging in 5 gallon carboys for 5 months at 60 degrees F. I have not kept very good records, but I know that I racked it three times after the primary fermentation and I added Potassium Sorbate when fermentation was complete - i.e. no airlock bubbles and final gravity below 1.00 after starting around 1.11. I have, but did not add, Potassium Metasulfite (Campden tablets). The mead is now very clear with no sediment after the last racking about a month ago. I have a Better Bottle DryTrap airlock on the carboy.
I would like to bottle some, but not all, of my mead so that I can experiment with some modifications later (ex. backsweetening) if I am not happy with the results. I intend to transfer 3 gallons of the mead into a 3 gallon carboy for bulk aging while bottling the rest.
Question #1: Should I use a solid stopper in the 3 gallon carboy or do I still need to use an airlock? I would prefer to be able to "leave and forget" the bulk aging mead without having to monitor the liquid in the airlock. The 3 gallon airlock is glass, and I intend to use my DryTap with the 5 gallon Better Bottle and batch of Tupelo Honey mead that is currently mid-way through its primary bucket fermentation.
Question #2: Can I bottle the rest of the mead into corked wine bottles without any additives, or do I need to add Potassium Sorbate and/or Potassium Metasulfite first? I want this to be still mead.
Question #3: How long do you recommend I let the mead bottle age before I try the first bottle?
Thank you in advance for any advice!
Dan
I would like to bottle some, but not all, of my mead so that I can experiment with some modifications later (ex. backsweetening) if I am not happy with the results. I intend to transfer 3 gallons of the mead into a 3 gallon carboy for bulk aging while bottling the rest.
Question #1: Should I use a solid stopper in the 3 gallon carboy or do I still need to use an airlock? I would prefer to be able to "leave and forget" the bulk aging mead without having to monitor the liquid in the airlock. The 3 gallon airlock is glass, and I intend to use my DryTap with the 5 gallon Better Bottle and batch of Tupelo Honey mead that is currently mid-way through its primary bucket fermentation.
Question #2: Can I bottle the rest of the mead into corked wine bottles without any additives, or do I need to add Potassium Sorbate and/or Potassium Metasulfite first? I want this to be still mead.
Question #3: How long do you recommend I let the mead bottle age before I try the first bottle?
Thank you in advance for any advice!
Dan