Looking into starting my first batch of mead. I plan on carbonating part of it and just bottling the other half like mine. I don't have experience bottling without co2, so what are the concerns? Do you degas? How much headspace?
Bottling mead?
- Thread starter Bugaboo
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Carbing mead without a keg/co2 system can be difficult.
1) There's the potential that the yeast have reached their max potential, or may be too stressed out to continue carbing. We'd need some specifics about the gravity readings of the mead, abv, what yeast you used, what the FG was at the end, etc. You may need to use a bottling yeast (champagne) if the yeast you used to ferment is over it's alcohol tolerance. Of course, the issue here is that the high ABV toxicity is not a good environment for new yeast, so you may need to build up a starter to get that new yeast acclimated to a higher abv environment. If you've used sulfite/sulfate to try and keep it sweet, I figure you're pretty well stuck.
2) You can't carb sweet mead in the bottle reliably. If there's residual sugar and the yeast are still able to eat and carb, there's likely enough sugar to bottle bomb and nobody wants those.
1) There's the potential that the yeast have reached their max potential, or may be too stressed out to continue carbing. We'd need some specifics about the gravity readings of the mead, abv, what yeast you used, what the FG was at the end, etc. You may need to use a bottling yeast (champagne) if the yeast you used to ferment is over it's alcohol tolerance. Of course, the issue here is that the high ABV toxicity is not a good environment for new yeast, so you may need to build up a starter to get that new yeast acclimated to a higher abv environment. If you've used sulfite/sulfate to try and keep it sweet, I figure you're pretty well stuck.
2) You can't carb sweet mead in the bottle reliably. If there's residual sugar and the yeast are still able to eat and carb, there's likely enough sugar to bottle bomb and nobody wants those.
OP
OP
My first reply was not very clear. I have a keg set up so that's how I'm doing the carbonated bottles. I was wondering about bottling without carbonating. Degas? headspace? Storage temp?
Oh, well then...talking about just regular bottling?
Degassing depends on how much co2 is still in solution (how long has it sat in a clearing tank). As for bottle headspace, I've always used the same bottling wand I do for my beer, so that when I fill it to the top and then pull the wand out, it brings the level of mead to apparently the right spot.
Storage temp...probably best in your standard cellaring temps up until serving time. I like to serve mine cold to eliminate some of the alcohol bite, but I also like some at room temp. I'd imagine you'd probably want to keep it like secondary temps or like wine, cool place out of the way that doesn't get up in the 70s or higher.
Degassing depends on how much co2 is still in solution (how long has it sat in a clearing tank). As for bottle headspace, I've always used the same bottling wand I do for my beer, so that when I fill it to the top and then pull the wand out, it brings the level of mead to apparently the right spot.
Storage temp...probably best in your standard cellaring temps up until serving time. I like to serve mine cold to eliminate some of the alcohol bite, but I also like some at room temp. I'd imagine you'd probably want to keep it like secondary temps or like wine, cool place out of the way that doesn't get up in the 70s or higher.
OP
OP
The longer it's in the clearing tank the less co2?
Do you prefer carbonated mead? Or is there certain kinds that carbonating is considered a advantage for?
Do you prefer carbonated mead? Or is there certain kinds that carbonating is considered a advantage for?
As it sits, it will slowly degas over time. Younger meads will still have some left, older meads will have much less. I've never degassed.
I like mine still (uncarbed), however I like it young with a little residual co2 left in solution. Not enough to push out the cork, but something on the tongue where it's not completely flat.
I like mine still (uncarbed), however I like it young with a little residual co2 left in solution. Not enough to push out the cork, but something on the tongue where it's not completely flat.
OP
OP
Thanks for the replies jezter. Can't wait to get a mead started. The long wait time makes me so much more anal than I am with my beers
Well, good thing about that is you don't have to worry about degassing/bottling for a few months to a year. Just gotta worry about a good ferment.
OP
OP
Yep. Got staggered nutrient additions planned. Just ordered an aeration system. Working on finding cheaper honey. Hopefully locally
