21stAmendment

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My first bottle of mead is ready to be bottled, but I've got a problem. No one in my area sells dry ice, so I don't have an easy source of nice, cozy CO2 to keep the mead from tasting oxygen in the bottle.

I'm getting desperate enough to consider breathing into a bag until I just about pass out and pour the resulting CO2 into the bottle. I've also thought about starting a new batch and using the carbon dioxide produced by its fermentation to fill up the bottle. Would either of these methods work well enough? More importantly: does anyone have any good suggestions on how I should proceed?

Ace_Club

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Just bottle without CO2 purging. The small amount of time it is exposed to the air is not an issue. You can also add a crushed campden tablet to the mead and let it sit for a couple days to help prevent oxidation.

If you really want to purge, buy a CO2 tank and use that to purge each bottle and the bottling bucket, but it really isn't necessary.

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21stAmendment

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Well, that was an unbelievably fast response. Thanks a bunch! Now it's time to go clean up the bottle and get the siphon ready!

DeafSmith

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Yooper

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I just bottle all of my wines and meads the old fashioned way, even though I have a co2 source. I've never had a problem with oxidation, even after 5 years of aging.

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SpamDog

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I picked up this little gadget from my LHBS. then I just got a hose barb that screwed right in and a short piece of hose and I can purge the bottles. I am hoping soon to be into kegging but I will probably still use this anyway.

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_271_275_273&products _id=12296

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Penguin Brewing

Upcoming: Berry Melomel, Coffee Cream Stout, Plum Mead, Acerglyn.
Fermenting/Bulk Aging: Spiced Cyser, Grape Pyment, Sweet Mead.
Bottled: Maple Porter, Honey Red Ale, JAO, Pear Mead, Sweet Zinfandel.

DeafSmith

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That looks exactly like the one I saw in the computer store for $14, except that one had a 3" long tube attached to direct airflow for dusting electronics.

bruin_ale

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oxygen absorbing caps? I think purging each bottle is overkill unless you're only planning to fill them up halfway or something.

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chicagobrew

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There is also a product out there called bloxygen. You could probably find it in the painting section of major hardware stores. It's a can of compressed argon that is used to put a heavier than air blanket over liquids - primarily paints and the like. Argon is completely inert and non-toxic, so it shouldn't cause any problems with the mead. If it tells you how inert it is, the national archives fills the declaration of independence housing with argon to preserve it. I'm with Yooper that it's probably not necessary, but it's an option if you're concerned.

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Mischief_Brewing

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I don't know if this is correct or not, but I've always believed that there is enough suspended CO2 in the solution that comes out when bottling and will help purge most of the O2 out on its own. How many times have you moved a carboy around, even after a year of aging, and the air lock starts bubbling again? That's the suspended CO2 coming out of the solution.

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