2 Questions

Hi all you Mead folks I have 2 questions.. My girlfriend and I made 5 gallons of Mead back in March (3/25/2006), VERY basic recipe (Honey, Water and Yeast) We Xferred to a secondary 5/27/2006 and it's been there ever since. Now the other night (11/18/2006) we Xferred to another secondary, the mead was VERY clear (with a bit of stuff on the bottom of the carboy). 1: The recipe calls for a CLEARING agent, bieng that the mead is VERY clear, do we need to add that before we bottle? (we are going to bottle in 2 weeks). 2: We have wine bottles and SYNTHETIC corks, How do we sanitize the corks and do they need to be soaked first? Any help would be appreciated!! Clayton Clark

You don't need a clarifying agent if your mead is already clear.

As far as the corks go, I really don't know so I recommend you go here:

http://www.weekendbrewer.com/wine_equipment_tips.htm

As HB said if it's clear it doesn't need any clearing agents. Fully synthetic corks just need a quick soak in a 'no rinse' sanitizer I'd have thought.

Clayton79 said:

Hi all you Mead folks I have 2 questions.. My girlfriend and I made 5 gallons of Mead back in March (3/25/2006), VERY basic recipe (Honey, Water and Yeast) We Xferred to a secondary 5/27/2006 and it's been there ever since. Now the other night (11/18/2006) we Xferred to another secondary, the mead was VERY clear (with a bit of stuff on the bottom of the carboy). 1: The recipe calls for a CLEARING agent, bieng that the mead is VERY clear, do we need to add that before we bottle? (we are going to bottle in 2 weeks). 2: We have wine bottles and SYNTHETIC corks, How do we sanitize the corks and do they need to be soaked first? Any help would be appreciated!! Clayton Clark

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The two books I've read have both asked why I might want to clear it with additives if it's already clear?

The only reason I used a clearing/fining agent, was because of the novelty value of making something I'd never made before (the kid with a new toy mentality), I just couldn't be bothered to wait, but I will next time.

The local home brew shop bloke also said, when it's time, why should I bother putting it into bottles too age, as it will age just as well in a demijohn/carbouy as it will in individual bottles.

The Ken Schramm "Compleat Mead Maker" book I've read, also says that he likes to bottle it into either crown cap type or wire spring lock (Grolsch) type beer bottles as its easier to enjoy a smaller amount/give away as gifts than to open a whole 70/75cl wine sized bottle and find that you're the only one who likes it.

Afterall, once it's opened, you can't really leave it till it's empty can you ?

Good luck though, it sound like it's all going really well.

regards

John

I plan on putting my mead (melomel) in a cornie for a year or so and then bottle in 12 oz. bottles. A fifth of mead is way too much for me at one sitting.