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nelsongg · 01-30-2009, 10:49 PM

Right up front i'm asking...please be kind.
My question is: When bulk aging instead of bottling is there a point where you remove the airlock and seal the carboy?

Thanks,
Greg

The Blow Leprechaun · 01-30-2009, 11:16 PM

You can pretty much do it right after primary if you want to. As long as it's not actively fermenting and outgassing, you won't suffer any ill effect, I don't think.

**Nurmey** · 01-30-2009, 11:22 PM

How long has it been in the carboy? It's not something I would do but if I did, I would be darn positive that ALL fermentation is finished. What's the problem leaving the airlock on? I have some coming up on 1 year that is been just fine sitting with the airlock.

northcountry · 01-30-2009, 11:51 PM

I wouldn't after the primary, good possibility, especially with a mead to keep fermenting albeit slowly. You might end up with some carbed mead, or worse yet if there happened to be any weak points in the glass carboy = giant bottle bomb and,,,booom.
My dad actually had this happen to him, I was about 9-10 and in the middle of the night he hears what sounds like a shot gun going off, his immediate thought was....they've found me. He gets up, goes to the spare bedroom and the room was covered in red...chokecherry wine, glass shards and all stuck into the wall. I was right next door in the other bedroom and slept thru the whole thing, of course back then I could sleep thru a train wreck. What I do now when bulk aging is fill the airlock with vodka, put the cover on and that comes with the airlock, and tape over all but one of the holes, if you get the airlock that doesn't come with a cover, just tape over the top with scotch tape and poke a hole in it with a needle, this will prevent evaporation of the vodka.

nelsongg · 01-31-2009, 12:55 AM

Thanks for the replies. It's about 2 months old. It was a five gallon batch that I put into 1 gal carboys for primary, then racked onto fruit I brought back from Hawaii. When I rack it off the fruit I wanted to bulk age it. I don't have a problem leaving the airlocks on. Just didn't know if that was how bulk aging was done.

Thanks,
Greg

nelsongg · 01-31-2009, 11:26 AM

Since I have 5 1 gal carboys bulk aging is it resigned to being still mead? I was thinking of making one or two gallons sparkling but I'm guessing that the yeast will be dead by then. Do I have alternatives?

Thanks,
Greg

EvilTOJ · 01-31-2009, 01:43 PM

I don't understand your question. Why would you think it's not going to be mead? The ingredients would have to change, bulk aging doesn't do it. If you want carbonation at bottling and you're worried about dead yeast, just pitch more at bottling.

nelsongg · 01-31-2009, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EvilTOJ

I don't understand your question. Why would you think it's not going to be mead? The ingredients would have to change, bulk aging doesn't do it. If you want carbonation at bottling and you're worried about dead yeast, just pitch more at bottling.

Sorry. I thought "still" referred to noncarbonated. What is the proper term for noncarbonated mead for future reference?

Greg

northcountry · 01-31-2009, 03:20 PM

Yes, "still" is proper for non-carbonated.

The Blow Leprechaun · 01-31-2009, 08:20 PM

If you want to carbonate it and you think the yeast has shuffled off this mortal coil, you can always pitch new yeast at bottling.