Both are done!
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My first official JAO Mead...
- Thread starter xanderphillips
- Start date
Both are done!
Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
Racked them today to clean glass. Looks good and tastes decent, but still a bit 'hot', needs more age.
Awesome. It will just keep getting better as the weeks go by. If you can resist the temptation to sample. Try and set aside at least one bottle (12oz) and forget about it. I wish I had done that with my first JAOM. It would be a little over 2 years old by now! Once you get patience, time flies!
Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
I completely agree, made the same mistake with my first meads ( jaom included) now I just make 5 gallon batches tho and the odd 1 gal test batch so saving a few bottles for a year or two shouldn't be thattt hard
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Hi all,
I just wanted to post and say that I too have begun my first three batches of JAOM. I started two gallons late February and I started another five days later.
It's been just over a month and they are just starting to clear a little. I followed the recipe as best I could (I actually added too much clove in the first mix) but used two different brands of (wildflower) honey. I can really see the difference in the color from the two different types.
I'm pretty darn excited about what they are going to taste like. I've read basically every page of the newbee guide and everything that I could about JAOM. One question: is there any particular type of filter that I should use on the siphon hose when I bottle? I bought the mini auto-siphon, and I have the bottle filler applicator for the bottles, but what if anything should I use to filter the siphon hose? I think the ID is 5/16" and OD 3/8".
Xander, how did bottling go for you? Or did you just put them into a secondary?
I just wanted to post and say that I too have begun my first three batches of JAOM. I started two gallons late February and I started another five days later.
It's been just over a month and they are just starting to clear a little. I followed the recipe as best I could (I actually added too much clove in the first mix) but used two different brands of (wildflower) honey. I can really see the difference in the color from the two different types.
I'm pretty darn excited about what they are going to taste like. I've read basically every page of the newbee guide and everything that I could about JAOM. One question: is there any particular type of filter that I should use on the siphon hose when I bottle? I bought the mini auto-siphon, and I have the bottle filler applicator for the bottles, but what if anything should I use to filter the siphon hose? I think the ID is 5/16" and OD 3/8".
Xander, how did bottling go for you? Or did you just put them into a secondary?
I'm just in secondary. It's settled out a bit more crud since then so I'm glad I didn't bottle yet.
Yeah I'm thinking that I should perhaps do the same thing, which means I'm going to have to buy another container. I think I may just break down and buy a five gallon carboy. I figure that even if I brew only occasionally it wouldn't be a bad investment.
Look on Craigslist, kijiji, the hobbies and misc. section in the paper and yard sales. I got two 23L carboys, a 26.5L carboy plus assorted other goodies like airlocks all for $30 at a yard sale advertized on Craigslist. So keep an eye out there are good deals out there.
Yeah that was an awesome deal, considering that one of those carboys would go for more than that! Good advice and I'll start scouring the local used market, thanks!
When you rack out of your primary, don't filter at all. You will only end up clogging the filter very quickly. It looks clear but it's not. Rack into a secondary carboy and then cold crash in the fridge for a week. Then rack again. Once you have a carboy of twice racked once cold crashed mead you will be ready to filter.
I recommend the Vin-Brite. It's cheap, works very well and the media is good for 5 gallons and also cheap to replace.
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I would recommend seeking out local home brew stores, and others affiliated with various wineries. One of my nearby hbs sells 5 gal used carboys for 10 bucks, and new airlocks and bungs and those things only cost few bucks
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Yeah I will keep an eye out before I purchase a new one for 40+ dollars. Also, I have no LHBS so I'm kind of at the mercy of the private used market. By the time I drive 50 miles to the nearest LHBS, I might as well just pay for a brand new one and shipping. I think I'll check out my local recycling center and see if I can find some 1ga wine bottles, sanitize them, and use those as secondaries. I'm already set with bottles.
Gotcha mannye and thanks for the info. I will follow your instructions and twice rack/cold crash. Now I just need the secondary containers.
Mannye,
I've been reading about the Vinbrite that you mentioned and that seems like a great solution. There are a handful of reviews on amazon.com about it and most people seem pretty satisfied with it. Alas it seems that those with poor reviews probably didn't let their brews settle long enough before trying to filter. I think by racking twice and cold crashing, once the filter comes into use as you recommended, the mead should be much finer to filter. I haven't used the system but it definitely seems doable to me. And if I can use one pad per (hopeful) five gallons of mead, buying replacement pads wouldn't be too expensive either. Although the pads are roughly $12 per six-pack online (amazon: plus a disgusting $5 shipping charge), I'd probably be much better off buying them in person.
So in the hopes of already having relatively clear mead to filter, and disregarding the possibility of altering flavors by using the same filter for multiple 1-gallon batches (well 1 to five 1-gallon batches until I buy a five gallon carboy), I'm looking at a cost of $17 per six-pack of filters (via online purchase), plus the initial system cost of approximately $46.85. So for about 64 dollars, in theory, that would be enough to filter (5*12[one six-pack comes with unit + additional pack]=) roughly 60 gallons. That would give me the most hopeful optimistic value of just over a dollar ( ≈$1.07) per gallon filtered.
It's late and I've spent a considerable amount of my day studying calculus
. I thought I'd run through a few estimates to see what this filtering unit would cost me in the long run versus the up-front costs.
:Edit: Do you use the Vinpapers? Because that would be an additional cost.
I've been reading about the Vinbrite that you mentioned and that seems like a great solution. There are a handful of reviews on amazon.com about it and most people seem pretty satisfied with it. Alas it seems that those with poor reviews probably didn't let their brews settle long enough before trying to filter. I think by racking twice and cold crashing, once the filter comes into use as you recommended, the mead should be much finer to filter. I haven't used the system but it definitely seems doable to me. And if I can use one pad per (hopeful) five gallons of mead, buying replacement pads wouldn't be too expensive either. Although the pads are roughly $12 per six-pack online (amazon: plus a disgusting $5 shipping charge), I'd probably be much better off buying them in person.
So in the hopes of already having relatively clear mead to filter, and disregarding the possibility of altering flavors by using the same filter for multiple 1-gallon batches (well 1 to five 1-gallon batches until I buy a five gallon carboy), I'm looking at a cost of $17 per six-pack of filters (via online purchase), plus the initial system cost of approximately $46.85. So for about 64 dollars, in theory, that would be enough to filter (5*12[one six-pack comes with unit + additional pack]=) roughly 60 gallons. That would give me the most hopeful optimistic value of just over a dollar ( ≈$1.07) per gallon filtered.
It's late and I've spent a considerable amount of my day studying calculus
. I thought I'd run through a few estimates to see what this filtering unit would cost me in the long run versus the up-front costs.:Edit: Do you use the Vinpapers? Because that would be an additional cost.
Last edited:
Here is my mead ready to filter.
I put the growler and my hand behind the carboys so you can see a real world example of how clear it should be before you filter.
The sediment you see at the bottom is what fell out of clear LOOKING mead after racking into the secondary and cold crashing. Granted, there are finings in there as well but the point is that filtering should not be a way to get clear mead. It's only really useful as a final polish to get that "sparkling" look otherwise only really achievable by letting it sit for months or years.
Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
I put the growler and my hand behind the carboys so you can see a real world example of how clear it should be before you filter.
The sediment you see at the bottom is what fell out of clear LOOKING mead after racking into the secondary and cold crashing. Granted, there are finings in there as well but the point is that filtering should not be a way to get clear mead. It's only really useful as a final polish to get that "sparkling" look otherwise only really achievable by letting it sit for months or years.
Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
Here is my mead ready to filter.
I put the growler and my hand behind the carboys so you can see a real world example of how clear it should be before you filter.
The sediment you see at the bottom is what fell out of clear LOOKING mead after racking into the secondary and cold crashing. Granted, there are finings in there as well but the point is that filtering should not be a way to get clear mead. It's only really useful as a final polish to get that "sparkling" look otherwise only really achievable by letting it sit for months or years.
Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
Right, I understand. So what you're telling me is, filtering is more of a cosmetic thing? Can you taste a difference with the enhanced clarity? For brewing purposes alone, I understand why people would strive to make their mead as flawless as possible, but will the final filter leave a taste less gritty or more palpable?
I don't think I would mind the extra step and additional cost if filtering was going to improve the taste or texture of the brew. If it terms out it is largely just for appearance, I could do without it.
I won't say it makes a big difference because the only way to judge is by doing it for yourself and tasting the results.
I notice a subtle difference in mouthfeel that aside from the clarity enhances (for me) the whole experience. It doesn't change the flavor in my experience but it does make drinking more enjoyable.
I just filtered those two carboys in preparation for some friends coming over to try mead for the first time. Here are the resulting meads:
Nicely polished. Remember that wine is a feast for all the senses and a cloudy glass can put off your boozy buddies pretty quick.
But if you have the time and patience to just wait/cold crash/rack/repeat you will achieve the same result.
Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
I notice a subtle difference in mouthfeel that aside from the clarity enhances (for me) the whole experience. It doesn't change the flavor in my experience but it does make drinking more enjoyable.
I just filtered those two carboys in preparation for some friends coming over to try mead for the first time. Here are the resulting meads:
Nicely polished. Remember that wine is a feast for all the senses and a cloudy glass can put off your boozy buddies pretty quick.
But if you have the time and patience to just wait/cold crash/rack/repeat you will achieve the same result.
Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
Looks good!
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Crystal clear. Nice work. Wouldn't mind some of that. Ahahahaha
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Yes your mead looks great! I greatly appreciate all of the info and the pics.
I think I'll invest in the Vinbrite as well. My wife isn't a huge drinker but she is excited about trying the mead that I've been making (my first brews ever mind you). I was talking with her about possibly buying the filter and she thinks it's a good idea. If she is okay with making it as enjoyable as possible, I will follow your advice and final filter. First racking is coming up in a few weeks. I may leave the mead in the primaries for about two extra weeks. Could this create any negative effects? I know the JAOM recipe is pretty forgiving (if you follow the instructions precisely), but I'd obviously rather do it verbatim the first few tries. I just may be out of town when the two month mark hits.
Thanks again mannye for all of the info!
I think I'll invest in the Vinbrite as well. My wife isn't a huge drinker but she is excited about trying the mead that I've been making (my first brews ever mind you). I was talking with her about possibly buying the filter and she thinks it's a good idea. If she is okay with making it as enjoyable as possible, I will follow your advice and final filter. First racking is coming up in a few weeks. I may leave the mead in the primaries for about two extra weeks. Could this create any negative effects? I know the JAOM recipe is pretty forgiving (if you follow the instructions precisely), but I'd obviously rather do it verbatim the first few tries. I just may be out of town when the two month mark hits.
Thanks again mannye for all of the info!
My jaoms have been left on lees until all the fruit as settled - sometimes this took over 2 months.
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