Bottling time
 

I have a batch of mead that I put on last January and I would like to give some of it away as Christmas gifts. What is the best methods to stabilize the mead before bottling?

Usually after a year it'll be alright, especially if you're not back sweetening. Otherwise you can certainly use campden and potassium sorbate, honestly just a campden would probably do the trick. Personally I wouldn't even worry about it, but thats just me.

+1 to that. After I've had a mead sit for 6 months or more with no further activity no problems arise

My Dad trains race horses and I could put some of the mead in with the horses to help "Stable-ize" it for you... Sorry, it's Monday. Trying to keep it lite :-)

Boo... My grandma loves puns, she'd like you :-)

"Grandma's Boy....." oh no. :D

Stop horsing around. :)


Jim, could tell us a bit more about that mead. What yeast did you use? What was the starting gravity and what was is the current gravity? There are some things I would not bottle without stabilizing even after this much time.

Medsen

agh, that pun almost did me in.

I pretty much followed this recipe exactly:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f80/blueberry-mead-34038/
And got a OG of 1.151. After the first 2 weeks in the primary the SG was 1.000 when racking onto the first 1 lb of honey. After the final 2 rackings onto honey it has been sitting in the carboy since last april. I havent taken a gravity reading since then, opting to forget about it in my closet and let if simply bulk age.

wow...that's a strong mead -- 1.151 to 1.000 -- and you've incrementally fed it since? By those numbers this monster should be pushing 21% abv! I'm wondering if your OG reading might have been off. Either way, unless you plan on backsweetening, you don't need to do anything...just bottle it!

BTW, have you tasted it? I'm curious as to what the impression is if it is indeed that strong...

The OG could have been off, since I had used my beer hydrometer and not a proper wine hydrometer. I'm not super concerned about the numbers or % alcohol, I had just wanted to try my hand at making a interesting drink and this recipe looked tasty. I think I will bottle it as is, since fermentation seems to have been completed 8 months ago. I havent tried a sample since then, but I will once I bottle
However my palate is for beer, most wine tastes the same to me.