DrVertebrae
Well-Known Member
I was reading on the Talisman Farms web site that you need to get the mead off the yeast after a week of fermentation. Is this true?
Racking mead
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More than likely, no.
You usually want to wait at least until fermentation is complete. I usually wait to rack until the mead clears (sooner if I'm racking off of fruit); and than will rack a couple of more times if I get more than a ~1/4" or so of lees.
You usually want to wait at least until fermentation is complete. I usually wait to rack until the mead clears (sooner if I'm racking off of fruit); and than will rack a couple of more times if I get more than a ~1/4" or so of lees.
gratus fermentatio
Well-Known Member
fatbloke
Well-Known Member
Both AZ_IPA and GF are correct.
It gets a bit confusing when you read about autolysis, and battonage/sur lie ageing.
Autolysis is where the yeast can break down when it's settled out, even without the presence of oxygen (as with most things, it's the presence of O2 that can help things rot quicker than they otherwise would).
Whereas the other two terms, refer to leaving some lees/sediment at the bottom of the fermenter to impart some flavour that develops over time.
A lot of new wine and mead makers read about the autolysis and panic about getting their batch off the lees/sediment as soon as possible, which is fine but ASAP is relative.
The only yeast I've read about where it seems to be better to get the batch racked off the lees sooner, rather than later, is 71B.
As I say, relative doesn't mean that you need to remove the lees within seconds of the end of fermentation (which is a very hard thing to actually judge - you can tell if somethings finished but you can't say exactly when). So if you made a batch with 71B, which is a very good yeast for meads, especially some fruit types, then as long as it's off the lees in a month or so, then nothing is going to happen. I've actually had a batch on 71B lees for 3 months and not experienced any off flavours etc. You just don't need to panic about it.
With most things mead, patience is usually a good thing to possess !
It gets a bit confusing when you read about autolysis, and battonage/sur lie ageing.
Autolysis is where the yeast can break down when it's settled out, even without the presence of oxygen (as with most things, it's the presence of O2 that can help things rot quicker than they otherwise would).
Whereas the other two terms, refer to leaving some lees/sediment at the bottom of the fermenter to impart some flavour that develops over time.
A lot of new wine and mead makers read about the autolysis and panic about getting their batch off the lees/sediment as soon as possible, which is fine but ASAP is relative.
The only yeast I've read about where it seems to be better to get the batch racked off the lees sooner, rather than later, is 71B.
As I say, relative doesn't mean that you need to remove the lees within seconds of the end of fermentation (which is a very hard thing to actually judge - you can tell if somethings finished but you can't say exactly when). So if you made a batch with 71B, which is a very good yeast for meads, especially some fruit types, then as long as it's off the lees in a month or so, then nothing is going to happen. I've actually had a batch on 71B lees for 3 months and not experienced any off flavours etc. You just don't need to panic about it.
With most things mead, patience is usually a good thing to possess !
DrVertebrae
Well-Known Member
Ok thanks. I have three going and all three have pretty much long sense ended their fermentation. One is the basic orange slice/raisin mead, one is blueberry/black berry melomel and the third is a basic huckleberry mead. The FG of the berry one is exactly 1.000. I tasted it and wow, hot as fire with alcohol but a good, tart berry flavor and a touch sweet. They are all partially clear. I guess the long wait begins.
