Well how about "sort of".......Is it ok to age a mead in the primary fermenter for three or four months before bottling or kegging?
If the fermenter (don't get to hung up about the terms primary and secondary) is the same one that the brew was started in, but only has a small amount of airspace, then it should be fine.
Initially, it's not so much of a problem because the CO2 will become a protective gas blanket, but it depends on the recipe, like if it's a traditional, at 3 months, it should be pretty much finished. So in most cases it's better to get it off the sediment to clear it i.e. depends on the yeast but a lot of wine yeasts aren't good for "sur lie" ageing. So to prevent autolysis you will have to get it off the lees and that will remove the CO2 blanket as well as start any de-gassing and expose it to possible oxidisation.I have 5 gallons in a 6 gallon carboy, primary fermenter, 1 gallon of headspace, 3 months so far. Why would headspace be so bad in primary fermentation? As long as the fermenter wasn't opened for an extended period of time after fermentation to allow it to air out, there still should be nothing but CO2 in the headspace, so the possibility of it getting oxidized is very slim. Unless you know of other reasons why headspace would be bad?
Initially, it's not so much of a problem because the CO2 will become a protective gas blanket, but it depends on the recipe, like if it's a traditional, at 3 months, it should be pretty much finished. So in most cases it's better to get it off the sediment to clear it i.e. depends on the yeast but a lot of wine yeasts aren't good for "sur lie" ageing. So to prevent autolysis you will have to get it off the lees and that will remove the CO2 blanket as well as start any de-gassing and expose it to possible oxidisation.
Hence apart from when it's in primary or you just do the whole ferment in the same container where you can rely on the CO2 for protection, it's a better habit to be in to make sure that you keep your airspace to a minimum.......
regards
fatbloke
I'm entirely in agreement with the unlikely event of oxidisation in a primary fermenter (presuming it's airtight/impermeable).So I think we may be on the same page that oxidation is slim in the primary fermenter due to the CO2 blanket.
I also agree, it IS good practice to limit the amount of headspace, whether it be in primary or secondary.
But, on the issue about autolysis, I don't think it going to be an issue at 3-4, even 6 months. I've heard of beers and wines left in primary for 6+ months with no ill effects from autolysis. I aged my apfelwein in primary for 4 months with no signs of autolysis. Quote from EdWort's Apfelwein recipe instructions: "In the 4th week, the yeast will begin to drop out and it will become clear. After at least 4 weeks, you can keg or bottle, but it is ok to leave it in the carboy for another month or so. Racking to a secondary is not necessary"
"Apfelwein really improves with age, so if you can please let it sit in a carboy for up to 3 months before bottling or kegging, then let it sit even longer."
Normally, having a large headspace in primary is not a problem. However, once the fermentation is over, if you open the container for any reason, air rushes in and fills that space where it has the potential to damage the mead and stimulate acetic acid bacteria and other spoilage organisms. As a general rule it is a bad idea.
Medsen
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