Filling to the top.

I am still confused. After I take a SG reading and a small taste during racking, I have alot of air space that I need to fill. What do I use for that? More Honey? What that sweeten it up to much?

Thanks
Don "Ho"

Yeah if you add more honey it will restart fermentation. More honey=more alcohol=more aging time.

Fear Not Good Man.
Your mead will release an ever so thin layer of C02 that will protect it from air. Don't take that carboy on a Baja Adventure or anything, but if it's sitting still it will be fine.

BigKahuna said:

Don't take that carboy on a Baja Adventure or anything,

Click to expand...

Instantly pictured a guy in running gear with a brew hauler strapped to his back running down a sand dune. lol New olympic sport? I think so.

I always, but always, top up meads and wines. If there is too much headspace, I rack to a smaller carboy. I have several different sizes, and if I have, say, 5 gallons and a little bit, I rack to a 5 gallon carboy and put the remainder in a sanitized wine bottle and use it for topping up. I always plan on having a little "extra" in a wine bottle or grolsch bottle for topping up. If you don't, you will have a problem with oxidation. After a racking or two or three (or more), very little co2 (if any) is being produced and I even use campden tablets in every other racking to ensure that my wine or mead isn't at a risk for oxidation.
Good meads and wines can sit in a carboy for months- that's another reason to minimize the headspace. For a week or so, it wouldn't be too much of a worry. If you've ever had oxidized mead (I've had one wine that became oxidized a little because of a poor fitting carboy cap), you'll understand. It's an unpleasant, sherry-like taste and it actually can turn the mead a tan/brown color. It will ruin the entire carboy full of mead- and a batch is way too expensive to risk!

The batch I am currently concerned with is in a 1 gallon jug. So unless I want to put them in mason jars, I am stuck.

Thanks

Don "Ho"