gayleygoo

Recipes 

I never really though of using beer bottles, I've bottled most of my meads and wines in wine bottles... with screw caps... hopefully they'll be okay like that. I might start doing some in beer bottles so it's easier to taste without opening as whole big bottle and having to drink it all. I like clear bottles for mead so I can stare at it and admire it I bottled my first batch of mead in green Buckfast wine bottles and it just didn't look good...

wintermute2

Recipes 

I'm getting ready to start my first two 1-gallon batches of mead. I asked the guru at the LHBS which corker to get and he suggested saving some money and trying tasting corks until I decide that I'm going to be "that guy" and start brewing mead on a regular basis. Is this sound advice? How long do you think I can keep mead in a bottle with a tasting cork (port-style)?

nitack

Recipes 

I put most of the mead in 16 oz swing top bottles, either cobalt blue I bought or green "groelsh" bottles I've been saving. 16 oz is perfect size for two glasses for me because my wife doesn't like honey and refuses to even try mead.

For the rare occasions I have company, or give it away as a gift I have 1liter swing top bottles.

Inner10

Recipes 

If I were to make a guess I'd say 6 months unless you sealed the top with wax. Doesn't sound like a bad idea really...

saramc

Recipes 

If you are talking about the cork based tasting corks, and not the plastic ones you can definitely use them long term. I have several bottles of local commercial port that use bar top corks with wooden tops and a few are approaching nine years, the others are all 4+ years. Also have several dessert wines, 15% ACV, which are sealed with these same corks. I have had no issues with those.

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Motto: quel che sara sara

AZhornedtoad

Recipes 

I am only doing one gallon batches until I get the process down better. I rack my secondary into a slightly more than one gallon ice tea container with a spigot. Makes it easy to gently decant into 12 oz beer bottles and cap. I wait for the lovely color when I pour. The mead doesn't last too long with one gallon batches so long term storage is not really an issue yet. I have a few of swing top bottles I use for gifts/showing off.

nitack

Recipes 

Am I the only one who actually buys beer or wine because I want the bottle for my own stuff to go in? Been drinking groelsh beer lately, not because I am particularly fond of it, but because the flip top bottles are cost effective that way.

ExoticMeadMaker

Recipes 

it prevents the corks from drying out over time

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does anyone else find themselves sitting, starring at their mead in process?

TedLarsen

Recipes 

God, yes, I do this! This is proof positive that I'm addicted to this hobby (and by "hobby," of course, I mean "mad obsession.")

I've taken to drinking Warsteiner -- which I like, don't get me wrong -- mostly because it de-labels so easily. I hate removing labels!

Inner10

Recipes 

I thought everyone did that...I drink only beers with non-embossed, not-painted labels.