Aging of Mead

[wvbrewer]

I have a Cherry mead that I made from a short Mead kit. It is currently in a secodary now. I racked it into there while it was still sweet 1.020. I used a campden tablet and potassion sorbate to stableize it. It is clearing up well with a little sediment on the bottom, but there is a thin scum or bubble layer at the very top of it. This is a one gallon batch in a glass jug with a 3 peice airlock with vodka in it. The question is I was wondering if this is normal and how long should it age before bottling?

Thanks
Dave

 

[fatbloke]

I have a Cherry mead that I made from a short Mead kit. It is currently in a secodary now. I racked it into there while it was still sweet 1.020. I used a campden tablet and potassion sorbate to stableize it. It is clearing up well with a little sediment on the bottom, but there is a thin scum or bubble layer at the very top of it. This is a one gallon batch in a glass jug with a 3 peice airlock with vodka in it. The question is I was wondering if this is normal and how long should it age before bottling?

Thanks
Dave

To start with, I don't do "kits" with meads. I can't see any point.

I don't quite see what you were aiming at by using sulphite/sorbate at 1.020 as the sulphite stuns the yeast and the sorbate just stops it multiplying further. There's no guarantee that either of those will actually stop a ferment (it's actually quite hard to do that other than chilling it to just above freezing).

As for the scum/bubble layer ? well, its something that can be experienced and there's no certainty that there's anything wrong. What you can do is to re-rack from underneath the layer and try not to take any of the bubbles/scum into the new container (which should have been cleaned and sanitised correctly).

You should make sure about keeping any airspace down to the absolute minimum in the secondary container, whether it's "topping up" or by using sanitised marbles or glass chips to take up the air volume (careful about putting these into a carboy/jug etc as it's easy as hell to break the bottom of the container).

As for how long before bottling ? Well it's really up to you. I tend to "bulk age" my meads until they "taste right". Unfortunately "taste right" is relative to what each of us like. I'd just suggest that you concentrate on making sure that the ferment has finished (take 3 or 4 hydrometer readings but each reading 3 days or so apart - when it's exactly the same on 3 consecutive readings, then the ferment should have finished and you can start on the racking/clearing process).

Once you've got it clear, you can either bulk age it, or bottle it and age it that way. Or it might be that you need to further process it, like it might need back sweetening or something. It's unlikely to taste good as soon as the ferment has finished, and equally, it's surprising how good it can be after it's had some ageing time. I age mine for at least 6 months, often a year plus.

Dunno if any of that helps or not...

regards

fatbloke

 

[mmadmikes1]

The bobble layer is cause by gas release. Good chance it still has some active fermentation going. DO NOT bottle this batch yet. give it time. Mead seams harder to DE gas and it doesn't sound like its finished yet. TIME is your friend

 

[wvbrewer]

I think I will rack it again and let it sit topped up for a while. It's a real nice golden color and a light shine through it easily. You know how it is when you first get start making wines, you want to be ready it a soon as possible. I appreciate all of the advice I still have a lot to learn.

Thanks
Dave

 

[fatbloke]

I think I will rack it again and let it sit topped up for a while. It's a real nice golden color and a light shine through it easily. You know how it is when you first get start making wines, you want to be ready it a soon as possible. I appreciate all of the advice I still have a lot to learn.

Thanks
Dave

Yes, that I understand. Unfortunately, with meads, they often taste hideous when young. So I'd say take a tiny taste, then you have an idea about what it's like then age it for at least 6 months. Taste again, if you like it then, that's great, but if not, leave it another 6 months and try again.

Mine usually have at least 6 months, more often a year or more. There's no rushing a mead......

regards

fatbloke

 

[Wade E]

Yeah, meads can take some time to truly come around and degassing is typically much harder as they are usually much more viscous.

 

[wjdonahue]

I would say that it will probably take at least a year for this melomel to begin to really come into it's own. One of the problems with a melomel is that honey and bruit are dissimilar, unlike grapes and fruit. It just takes a lot of time for the flavors to lay down and meld together, just like a good port.

 

[Malkore]

off topic-ish:

degassing the first week of primary, staggered nutrient additions, and narbonne 71-B yeast is starting to get a strong reputation for producing very good meads that are quite drinkable at just 2 months.

its not a guarantee, but so far on my first 2 batches done this way, they are already very good at barely 9 weeks.

 

[wvbrewer]

If I make another mead I may have to try that yeast to see how it does. The kit I used for this one just had some yeast in a tiny ziplock bag, so I have no clue what it was.

Dave

 

[fatbloke]

If I make another mead I may have to try that yeast to see how it does. The kit I used for this one just had some yeast in a tiny ziplock bag, so I have no clue what it was.

Dave

Well if you like the convenience of kits, then what the hell.....

just bin the yeast that comes with it and pick up a pack of 71B and use that instead..... it's a good yeast that's quite easy to ferment with.....

regards

fatbloke

 

[wvbrewer]

No more kits that require you to use what seems like a bag of herbal tea. It really makes a mess in the fermenter.

 

[fatbloke]

No more kits that require you to use what seems like a bag of herbal tea. It really makes a mess in the fermenter.

Ha ha! You think that's bad, I've got a recipe for "Christmas Pudding" wine. When it's fermenting, all the mashed up christmas pud and other ingredients, make it look like a bucket of vomit!

But it comes out great in the end........ which is the idea

regards

fatbloke

 

[wvbrewer]

And I bet It improves with age.