Newest Threads

buraglio · 12-16-2007, 03:15 PM

So, I have a batch of Joe's grape mead (recipe from gotmead.com) and am wondering if I have done something wrong or am being too impatient. I'm at the stage of the recipe where you're supposed to rack to a clean carboy over honey and juice. I did that. However, added the campden upon racking but I couldn't find my stabilizer until after the fact so I put it in after racking. So far about 24 hours have passed it it looks like I have renewed fermentation. Am I not waiting long enough? Can I add more Sorbate?

nb

buraglio · 12-17-2007, 12:57 PM

I went ahead and added a little more stabilizer and tasted the mead....wow, it was significantly different than before I sweetened it, although its still fermenting a little and won't seem to clear. I'm going to give it another few days before I do anything else.
If anyone has any advice/suggestions please feel free =)

nb

CBBaron · 12-20-2007, 06:06 PM

I'm a real newbie to this also so don't take anything I say as gospel.
When you added the sugars (honey and juice) without the sorbate the yeast kicked back into gear. When you added the sorbate it probably shut them down some but may not have completely knocked them out, especially because the SO2 may have dissapated some by that point.

I think the best thing to do at this point is wait for it to stop bubbling and clear. Taste it at that point and take a gravity reading. If it looks and tastes good then bottle it. If not consider repeating the stabilization steps and sweeten to taste. I would lean to not adding any more chemical/sugar additions unless it turns out too dry. I would be afraid of tasting the chemicals if the concentrations get too high.
Craig

buraglio · 12-22-2007, 03:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CBBaron

I'm a real newbie to this also so don't take anything I say as gospel.
When you added the sugars (honey and juice) without the sorbate the yeast kicked back into gear. When you added the sorbate it probably shut them down some but may not have completely knocked them out, especially because the SO2 may have dissapated some by that point.

I think the best thing to do at this point is wait for it to stop bubbling and clear. Taste it at that point and take a gravity reading. If it looks and tastes good then bottle it. If not consider repeating the stabilization steps and sweeten to taste. I would lean to not adding any more chemical/sugar additions unless it turns out too dry. I would be afraid of tasting the chemicals if the concentrations get too high.
Craig

Yeah, thats what I had been loosely planning. It's still chugging away down there in my basement, although it has slowed quite a bit. Still no signs of clearing. I may just hide it from myself like I've done with my older mead (which should be pretty much done ) so I stop obsessing over it.
Hopefully I'll get another brew in primary in the next few days so I can obsess over that instead. =)

nb