when to bottle ancient orange mead

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Steed

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hi im brewing JAOM for my first mead.

i was wondering: when do i bottle JAOM?

i read some place bottles can explode.

how do i prevent bottle bombs from going off when bottling JAOM?

also: i am brewing the JAOM in a brewing bucket and was wondering if and when should i transfer all of the mead to a glass carboy for final fermentation.

do i need to transfer to a glass carboy or can i do the entire fermentation process in a plastic fermentation bucket?
 
As long as you followed the directions exactly, it is ready to bottle when crystal clear. This can be 2-6 months. It's really not tasty until 8 months, so no need to rush.
 
You can use the plastic bucket all the way through (many people do). As far as going to the carboy it really is your call. Both will work if sealed and cleaned / sanitized well prior to using them.

If you are concerned about too much head space in the bucket and the potential for oxidation then move to a carboy after primary is complete.
 
I have about six inches space in the bucket is that too much space?
How will I know when primary fermentation is over?
 
6" is a lot of space in a bucket and if opened you will have a lot of air but again the jury is out as to if it is a huge concern for oxidation. (Better to be safe and go to a carboy.)

Primary fermentation typically takes anywhere from 7-30 days.

The only way to determine whether or not fermentation has finished is by taking gravity readings on consecutive days; if this reading remains constant, fermentation is complete.

I use lack of airlock activity as a guide (1 Bubble > 60 seconds) as an indication that fermentation is finished but can be misleading as my experience with buckets is they don't seal well. If you think your fermentation is done, use your hydrometer to make sure.

Edited - Should have mentioned Secondary fermentation and Tertiary will take even longer but just be much slower. I have had an airlock bubble each few to five minutes for a umber of months
 
CKuhns said:
6" is a lot of space in a bucket and if opened you will have a lot of air but again the jury is out as to if it is a huge concern for oxidation. (Better to be safe and go to a carboy.)

Primary fermentation typically takes anywhere from 7-30 days.

The only way to determine whether or not fermentation has finished is by taking gravity readings on consecutive days; if this reading remains constant, fermentation is complete.

I use lack of airlock activity as a guide (1 Bubble > 60 seconds) as an indication that fermentation is finished but can be misleading as my experience with buckets is they don't seal well. If you think your fermentation is done, use your hydrometer to make sure.

Edited - Should have mentioned Secondary fermentation and Tertiary will take even longer but just be much slower. I have had an airlock bubble each few to five minutes for a umber of months
Click to expand...

thanks for the info i will head to the hardware store tomorow and pick up some syphening tubeing and suck the mead through to the carboy.

the only part i dont like about the transfer is disturbing the brew and jamming those pesky oranges into the carboy.
 
Wait until fermentation finishes, usually 60 days. The fruit will fall and the mead will be very clear. Rack to a smaller carboy and leave the fruit behind. Wait for any sediment you might have picked up to settle (another week or 2) then bottle.
 

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