CO2 source for bottling mead?

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21stAmendment

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My first bottle of mead is ready to be bottled, but I've got a problem. No one in my area sells dry ice, so I don't have an easy source of nice, cozy CO2 to keep the mead from tasting oxygen in the bottle.

I'm getting desperate enough to consider breathing into a bag until I just about pass out and pour the resulting CO2 into the bottle. I've also thought about starting a new batch and using the carbon dioxide produced by its fermentation to fill up the bottle. Would either of these methods work well enough? More importantly: does anyone have any good suggestions on how I should proceed?
 
Just bottle without CO2 purging. The small amount of time it is exposed to the air is not an issue. You can also add a crushed campden tablet to the mead and let it sit for a couple days to help prevent oxidation.

If you really want to purge, buy a CO2 tank and use that to purge each bottle and the bottling bucket, but it really isn't necessary.
 
Well, that was an unbelievably fast response. Thanks a bunch! Now it's time to go clean up the bottle and get the siphon ready!
 
I just bottle all of my wines and meads the old fashioned way, even though I have a co2 source. I've never had a problem with oxidation, even after 5 years of aging.
 
I picked up this little gadget from my LHBS. then I just got a hose barb that screwed right in and a short piece of hose and I can purge the bottles. I am hoping soon to be into kegging but I will probably still use this anyway.

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_40_271_275_273&products_id=12296

That looks exactly like the one I saw in the computer store for $14, except that one had a 3" long tube attached to direct airflow for dusting electronics.
 
oxygen absorbing caps? I think purging each bottle is overkill unless you're only planning to fill them up halfway or something.
 
There is also a product out there called bloxygen. You could probably find it in the painting section of major hardware stores. It's a can of compressed argon that is used to put a heavier than air blanket over liquids - primarily paints and the like. Argon is completely inert and non-toxic, so it shouldn't cause any problems with the mead. If it tells you how inert it is, the national archives fills the declaration of independence housing with argon to preserve it. I'm with Yooper that it's probably not necessary, but it's an option if you're concerned.
 
I don't know if this is correct or not, but I've always believed that there is enough suspended CO2 in the solution that comes out when bottling and will help purge most of the O2 out on its own. How many times have you moved a carboy around, even after a year of aging, and the air lock starts bubbling again? That's the suspended CO2 coming out of the solution.
 
I think the more important thing will be how you bottle and what you seal the bottles with... If it's fermented out dry, and will be a still mead (did you back sweeten it to ensure the yeast is done, or stabilize it?) then I would cork the bottles and treat it like good wine. If using natural corks, lay it on it's side and relax. If synthetic corks, or caps, then you can leave the bottles standing up without worry.

I would also take a page from people that also make wine (the non-sparkling kind)...

I have four batches of mead that will be getting bottled sometime this year... They're still having yeast, and such, come out of suspension in them, but each time I rack, there's less in the bottom of the carboy. I'll probably rack just one or two more times before I put them into corny kegs for longer term aging (putting a tiny amount of CO2 over them, enough to get the seal to seat, then I'll release the pressure and fill with maybe 1PSI)... It is amazing how clear the traditional mead has become, compared with how it started out... Even after just ~4-1/2 months...
 
Just bottle without CO2 purging. The small amount of time it is exposed to the air is not an issue. You can also add a crushed campden tablet to the mead and let it sit for a couple days to help prevent oxidation.

If you really want to purge, buy a CO2 tank and use that to purge each bottle and the bottling bucket, but it really isn't necessary.

Could you just put the Campden Tablet in the bottoling bucket and bottle right away.

Roger
 
I think after mixing, you are supposed to allow it to off-gas for a day or two, but I'm not 100% on that.

No, you sulfite right before bottling. It binds to the wine so o2 can't.

I usually use one campden tablet per gallon at every other racking, which is roughly 50 ppm, and the same dose at bottliing. You don't want it to off-gas, otherwise it will lose the protection you just put in.
 
No, you sulfite right before bottling. It binds to the wine so o2 can't.

I usually use one campden tablet per gallon at every other racking, which is roughly 50 ppm, and the same dose at bottliing. You don't want it to off-gas, otherwise it will lose the protection you just put in.

Good to know. Thanks for the correction. :mug:
 
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