weird cloudiness / crystally sediment

September 2005 I brewed two, 2-gallon meads. One sweet, one dry. Both are aging in 1-gallon jugs in a 55-degree basement. Both have strange 'sediments'. One is a kind of crystallized, white flakes (flakes are large - about 1 mm or so diameter). The other 'sediment' is very fine, white 'powdery' substance.

What are these? Can I get rid of them with some clearing agents? Should I just rack again before I bottle?

I know they need to age at least 18 months, but I've tasted both and both are bland, mild, 'sour', boring. I'm hoping the flaky sediments aren't mold or something creating off flavors....

VF

It's yeast that has fallen out. That's one reasn for aging so it can clear.

Yes, you should rack again before bottling especially if you plan on carbonating them.

I don't think it's yeast. I've racked 3 times already prior to this (that's 3 times in about 9 months). And this crystally white cloudiness persists. This is my perhaps 15th or 20th batch of home brew (wine, beer, mead) and this doesn't look like any dead yeast sediment to me.... Imagine really thin cotton balls forming a layer at the bottom with 1-2 mm bright white crystalls mixed in.

VermontFreedom said:

I don't think it's yeast. I've racked 3 times already prior to this (that's 3 times in about 9 months). And this crystally white cloudiness persists. This is my perhaps 15th or 20th batch of home brew (wine, beer, mead) and this doesn't look like any dead yeast sediment to me.... Imagine really thin cotton balls forming a layer at the bottom with 1-2 mm bright white crystalls mixed in.

Click to expand...

sulfites? i've seen them occasionally in homebrew stuff, but it seems like they're not usually that large.

lj