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ob111 · 07-31-2010, 04:27 PM

is there a recommended temp to age, I keep hearing " in a cool dark place"
I'm just wondering what is not cool enough?
also I have an old fridge that I could use to let my mead age but I'm not sure if that would be to cool
would it be better to bottle age or bulk age or is there no difference?
thanks

ob111 · 08-01-2010, 05:13 AM

I am hoping to bottle soon any help would be great

2ndGenBrewer · 08-01-2010, 07:01 AM

would it be better to bottle age or bulk age or is there no difference?

I think it's a matter of opinion. I have heard that bulk aging will give the entire batch a more consistent profile. Personally I wait till it clears and the FG stabilizes. Mainly I do gallon batches though. I'm not quite sure why it would make a difference so long as all your bottles where aged in the same bottles at the same temperature?

ob111 · 08-01-2010, 05:16 PM

that's what I was thinking that bulk and bottle would be about the same thanks for that.
what about aging in a standard fridge would that be to cool?
and one thought! when bottling I know oxygen is not good for wines, meads ect. so when bottling there is always that little head space when you put the cork in that will compress is there a way to remove that air?
my thought was to let my co2 run in to the space then cork it.
there would be very little co2 in the space so it wouldn't carb the mead but it may displace some air and possibly help preservation for extended periods of time.
or I may be over thinking this and would be wasting my time.
love to hear some of the veteran mead makers thoughts on these.
thanks

ob111 · 08-02-2010, 02:57 PM

well today I'm bottling my first mead.
my question was about aging in my old fridge.
I haven't got a response yet so I'm gonna go a head and do it.
if it's not good I can always take them out of the fridge.
but after seeing the article about the divers that found the case of champagne at a shipwreck site that was 220 years old, I would think that the temp on the sea floor is quite cool so my fridge should be fine.
imagine 220 year old champagne they drank one and said it was great.
they have 29 left and it says its the oldest in existence and is worth about 60,000 a bottle.
maybe I'll bottle my mead and leave a map in my will for the great great grand kids and drop it in the ocean. they'll be rich