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How much mead should be made to end up with a 1 gal yield?

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capoeirista13

Honey Master
Registered Member
Aug 17, 2008
1,041
0
36
35
Philadelphia
So, I recently acquired two 1 gal. carboys and realized how awesome it was, because now I could brew test batches and not throw my money away! But I am curious about something. Assuming that you want to the 1 gal. carboys or containers for your secondary, tertiary, etc. how much of the original brew should be made? I was thinking 2 gallons (for topping off and such), but I'm not really sure.
 

akueck

Certified Mead Mentor
Certified Mead Mentor
Jun 26, 2006
4,958
11
0
Ithaca, NY
That is going to depend a lot on the mead. Melomels using whole fruit tend to lose more volume from primary to secondary, for example, due to fruit solids. A traditional won't lose as much. It also depends on how close you get to the bottom when you are racking (I tend to get a little more daring with small batches).

I'd think that if you started with 1.5 gallons, you'd be able to fill that gallon jug for most recipes.
 

Medsen Fey

Fuselier since 2007
Premium Patron
If you start with 2 gallons, there will be plenty for a full 1 gallon plus some left over for topping up even if you bulk age it for a long while. I have found the best way for me to keep that extra mead is to put it it PET bottles (like soda bottles) and squeeze them to displace all the air before putting the cap on. If any subsequent fermentation happens to occur, you'll see the bottles swell and can release the pressure.
 
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