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First Batch Questions - Semi-Sweet Artasianal

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M

Maximus

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 31, 2013
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Richomond, VA
Well, I am down to a burp every 25-30 seconds and thinking about taking another sample soon, but am now worried. I saw a colony-looking white mass on the top of my mead and not sure if that is bacteria or yeast... Should I post a picture or not freak out too much?
 
M

Maximus

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 31, 2013
45
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0
Richomond, VA
Alrighty. Also for this batch, I am thinking of doing the secondary in a plastic carboy (bubbler from NB). Any personal experience with that? I do have a glass 5 gallon, but want to save that for aging.
 
M

Maximus

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 31, 2013
45
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0
Richomond, VA
Racked to secondary today after 1.004 readings. Took a taste and while pretty strong, still had that medicinal taste. I figure I'll let it sit for a month or so in the plastic carboy and then over to the glass for the final few months and clarifying. Thoughts?
 
M

Maximus

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 31, 2013
45
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0
Richomond, VA
So I've heard. Think I make a bad call on racking too early. I'll just let this one sit for even longer, but my only concern is aging for any significant amount of time in a plastic carboy, even one that is designed for wine/beer aging. Anywho, I figure 3 months in that and then kick it over to glass when I add clarifying agents and such.
 
Medsen Fey

Medsen Fey

Fuselier since 2007
Premium Patron
May 23, 2007
9,004
53
48
Fusel Shack, in the swamp west of Ft. Lauderdale
Racking at 1.004 shouldn't be a problem. And letting it finish in a plastic container (if it is made of PET plastic) is fine. I've aged things in a PET container for up to a year with no issues. It sounds like everything will be good.




Sent from my THINGAMAJIG with WHATCHAMACALLIT
 
M

Maximus

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 31, 2013
45
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0
Richomond, VA
Well, it looks like my previous posts were lost in the past couple days, but Medsen, this is the order I think will be right:

1. Rack
2. Back-sweeten to taste and measure gravity and add honey to match
3. Stabilize and let sit for 30+ days or so (I have to due to Alaska trip)
4. Clarify upon return and wait 24-48 hours.
5. Bottle.

Thoughts?
 
M

Maximus

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 31, 2013
45
0
0
Richomond, VA
Yeah, that was not exactly well thought-out... Still fried from building my hop and herb gardens :). Corrected order:

1. Rack
2. Stabilize and let sit for 30+ days or so (I have an Alaska trip)
3. Back-sweeten to taste and measure gravity and add honey to match (waiting after this?)
4. Clarify upon return and wait 24-48 hours.
5. Bottle.
 
Last edited:
moridin

moridin

NewBee
Registered Member
Jun 12, 2013
288
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0
Vancouver, B.C.
Sounds good, you might need more time after u back sweeten in order for perfect clarity of your mead. However certain fining agents like super kleer or whatever work magic


Sent from The Age of Legends, trapped inside a Stasis Box
 
Medsen Fey

Medsen Fey

Fuselier since 2007
Premium Patron
May 23, 2007
9,004
53
48
Fusel Shack, in the swamp west of Ft. Lauderdale
Actually the order I would recommend is:
1. Rack
2. Stabilize then wait 12-24 hours.
3. Backsweeten to taste and measure gravity.
4. Treat with fining agent. Keep under airlock.
5. Leave it for 30 days.
6. Confirm the gravity is unchanged.
7. Bottle.


Sent from my THINGAMAJIG with WHATCHAMACALLIT
 
zpeckler

zpeckler

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 7, 2014
519
3
0
Newark, De
This is an excellently educational thread. Thanks to everyone who contributed!

It brings up something I was wondering. I'm doing my first batch now. About a week ago my fermentation finished (FG 0.996 for 72hrs) and I racked it from my plastic fermenter to a carboy to get it off the lees. Since then more lees have settled out, but the mead is still very cloudy to the point of being opaque. My plan going forward is to age the mead in bulk in the carboy for at least 6 months.

I'm thinking I'll probably have to rack again at some point in the next week or two to get the mead off the new lees that are forming? I don't want them to start autolysing and make my mead taste yeasty.

My main question is this: is it better to stabilize, back-sweeten, adjust acidity, and clarify now at the beginning of aging--the thought being to let the flavors marry and gain complexity during that time--or to do all that at the end of the bulk aging prior to bottling?
 
Medsen Fey

Medsen Fey

Fuselier since 2007
Premium Patron
May 23, 2007
9,004
53
48
Fusel Shack, in the swamp west of Ft. Lauderdale
I find that it is useful to let the mead clear and age a little (like 6 months) before deciding on sweetening or other additions. As the mead clears and the hot alcohols mellow, you'll probably find you won't need to sweeten as much. If you do it early you may overshoot. After I stabilize and backsweeten I let it age for months (or years) before bottling which gives plenty of time to make sure the flavors marry and to make sure the yeast remain dormant.

Sent from my THINGAMAJIG with WHATCHAMACALLIT
 
M

Maximus

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 31, 2013
45
0
0
Richomond, VA
So I will be racking off the last of the lees and stabilizing this weekend and I thought that I should post a pic of this. Its pretty dark, but we'll see how it tastes soon I think. Not 100% sure of what to put at the bottom of the carboy to rack onto, but hope to have that straightened out soon. Thoughts?

IMAG0290.jpg
 
moridin

moridin

NewBee
Registered Member
Jun 12, 2013
288
0
0
Vancouver, B.C.
I have never used any, but I have heard others talk about using marbles

Btw that mead has great color

Sent from The Age of Legends, trapped inside a Stasis Box
 
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