# A pic of my newly racked mead



## Seolyk (Jul 11, 2009)

This is the pic I took of my mead right after I racked it and put the plug and airlock on it. I've been showing it off to all my friends cause its the first time i've ever done it!  (is there any emote for just a regular smile by the way? that one is normally reserved for the phrase ROFL... just saying)

http://twitpic.com/9u530

Since then its started to clear up some, sadly some of the pulp from the orange slices that were in the first container got into this and is floating at the top. Should I do anything about that or does it matter?


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## Luc (Jul 11, 2009)

Seolyk said:


> Since then its started to clear up some, sadly some of the pulp from the orange slices that were in the first container got into this and is floating at the top. Should I do anything about that or does it matter?



If it still is fermenting you could rack it again by just pouring it through a pantyhose (which is used as a filter) into another carboy.

Luc


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## Ceegar (Jul 11, 2009)

If it's not still fermenting, that's an awful lot of headspace isn't it?


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## Wade E (Jul 11, 2009)

All of that sediment will fall out over time which your wine will need anyway. I agree, if its done fermenting then ypou need to get it to a vessel with much less headroom!!!!!!!


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## Seolyk (Jul 11, 2009)

well the recipe I used for it was this one: http://www.stormthecastle.com/mead/fast-cheap-mead-making.htm . I didn't have any equipment then and so it was originally just in a plastic gallon jug of water, plus the racking rod wouldn't stand straight up even with the clamp since it was way too big for the jug so it didnt get a lot of the initial liquid.

On that note, the guy who made the website has some videos on youtube and one seires is a step by step guide. In one step he just pours it into a carboy and in another (not part of the step by step series) he siphons it saying that you don't want aeration. I saw the 2nd video before the 1st and so i just siphoned mine. Should I have just poured and strained it?


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## WildSeedGrrrl (Jul 11, 2009)

nice looking mead.


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## Seolyk (Jul 11, 2009)

thanks, i'm really excited about it.

I siphoned a little into a glass when i racked it to taste it and right now it kind of tastes like a buttery chardonnay (well, the kind that comes out of a box that my parents drink regularly anyway).

Do you think I should mix some more honey water together and add it to give it less headroom?


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## Wade E (Jul 11, 2009)

Not unless you have already added sulfite and sorbate otherwise you will start fermenting all over again plus you will be sweetening it so if you dont want it sweeter then no. I dont think you could make up that amount of difference anyway. You need to get some a smaller vessel or vessels to put this in. Luckily meads will not oxidize as much as a wine will due to the factors in honey that act as a natural preservative.


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## Seolyk (Jul 11, 2009)

I wouldnt mind it being sweeter actually. I picked up a bottle of honey thinking it was 3 lbs and it turned out ot be 2. I've never had mead before so I don't know if I'd rather have it sweet or dry, I go both ways with grape wines I have't added any sulfite to it yet, but I could.

I'm really new to this so I'm ignorant about a lot of things


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## Wade E (Jul 11, 2009)

Well then start adding some hony after stabilizing with sulfites and sorbate slowly until you are satisfied and if you are very close then fine but I still think you wont be wherer you need to be level wise. Dont add too much water though as youll dilute it.


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## Seolyk (Jul 11, 2009)

ok, I'll probably just leave it how it is and hope for the best. I'm probably going to start a new batch within the next few weeks when i can get some better equipment for the initial fermentation.


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## wilkey43 (Jul 14, 2009)

I dont know how closely you followed the recipe but next time instead of putting the whole orange peel into the bottle take a cheese grader and scrape off the zest of the outside of the orange and put it into the primary since this is where all the orange oil is anyways to add taste to the mead.

if you use OJ as a yeast starter mix yeast into room temp OJ and let sit

then take a Lipton large cold brew bag and dump out the tea and put in the orange zest in the tea bag and restaple 

heat 3/4 of a gallon of water to around 200 F put the orange zest bag in the water and let sit to release oils from the zest 

reheat to 200 and mix in honey and raisens and put into primary and let to cool down put in your other ingrediants and let sit for 24 hrs what ever you have left over that wasnt put into the primary put back into the water jug and use it for top off your secondary even if fermantation starts back up at least you will have a full secondary.

and not picking up all the time to show off to friends will help it clear up faster 





then add yeast and OJ


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## wilkey43 (Jul 14, 2009)

Seolyk said:


> ok, I'll probably just leave it how it is and hope for the best. I'm probably going to start a new batch within the next few weeks when i can get some better equipment for the initial fermentation.



if you just want to make 1 gallon at a time go down to your local Sherwin-Williams store I just bought a 1 gallon bucket and lid and fine nylon mesh bag for under $5 both bucket and lid are #2 food safe plastic


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## manku007 (Jul 14, 2009)

I think it will get good as much as it get old, all the sediments will drop down and it will be more clear, as I have read from sites and I also got help from this forum. I m telling u this how much I know but people here who are more experienced will tell u more good and in a nice way.

Best of luck for ur mead Dear


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## Seolyk (Jul 14, 2009)

wilkey43 said:


> I dont know how closely you followed the recipe but next time instead of putting the whole orange peel into the bottle take a cheese grader and scrape off the zest of the outside of the orange and put it into the primary since this is where all the orange oil is anyways to add taste to the mead.
> 
> if you use OJ as a yeast starter mix yeast into room temp OJ and let sit
> 
> ...



I followed it exactly this time, since it was my first time doing it, I'll take that into consideration with my next batch


Wilkey: I'll definitely be getting one of those then soon.


on another note, its been a week and here's a new pic of my mead: http://twitpic.com/ae0oy its clarifying a bit. 

I also tasted it and its got less of an initial bite now and is a lot more mellow than when i first tasted it after racking it. its pretty tasty so far.


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## wilkey43 (Jul 14, 2009)

if you really like a mead you will like it even better spiced, me personally I like it with the pumkin pie spice or during the winter I will warm the mead up and mix it with buttered rum mix its better then a hot tottie when its cold


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## WildSeedGrrrl (Jul 15, 2009)

wilkey43 said:


> if you really like a mead you will like it even better spiced, me personally I like it with the pumkin pie spice or during the winter I will warm the mead up and mix it with buttered rum mix its better then a hot tottie when its cold



that sounds delicious. I'm going to have to try that this winter.


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## Seolyk (Jul 15, 2009)

Me too! Do you prefer it with plain mead or with melomel or what?


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## wilkey43 (Jul 15, 2009)

I have always prefered a sweet mead but if you have a dry mead I would think that the hot butterrum mix would mellow it out alot.

I am going to be making a batch of Melomel and try it spiced up and see how it tastes


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## Seolyk (Jul 15, 2009)

let me know how that turns out


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## Seolyk (Nov 18, 2009)

Another update on my mead. I've bottled it and my friend and I made a label for it. This happened a few weeks ago and I've been really busy, but here's a few pics.

Immediately after bottling: http://twitpic.com/iv0xl

With a label: http://twitpic.com/lnxql


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