What vessel do I use to age 1 and 1/2 gallon Meads?

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ArcLight

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I want to start small, and make 1 and 1/2 gallon batches of Mead.

I can ferment in an Ale Pail, but then I need to rack to a container to age.
I want to minimize/eliminate head space.

What aging vessels do you suggest?


I was thinking I could use a glass 1 gallon or 1.2 gallon jug with stopper.
Those might be difficult to rack from, if I can't get an auto siphon in.
I guess the solution is to use a regular siphon?

Using proper SNA, how many times do you expect I'd need to rack beyond the initial racking from fermenting bucket to aging vessel?

How thick a coating of settled yeast would you wait to accumulate before racking?
 
You would want to rack every 60 - 90 days. You might want to see if you can find 1/2 gallon glass milk- bottles. Not sure the size of the bung they take but your LHBS would know... or you can buy "universal" bungs (their diameters increase as they approach one end to accommodate a great many different diameter sized jug mouths)
 
bernardsmith said:
You would want to rack every 60 - 90 days.
Click to expand...

Is that based on seeing the lees accumulate?
I was under the impression that would proper SNA Mead didn't need to be aged as long, and the yest would flocculate sooner, rather than continuously over a long time, since the fermentables would be long gone.
 
ArcLight said:
Is that based on seeing the lees accumulate?
I was under the impression that would proper SNA Mead didn't need to be aged as long, and the yest would flocculate sooner, rather than continuously over a long time, since the fermentables would be long gone.
Click to expand...

I was referring to aging - which is what all wines benefit from - 6 months - a year minimum. But yer pays yer money and yter takes yer chance.
 
ArcLight said:
I want to start small, and make 1 and 1/2 gallon batches of Mead.

I can ferment in an Ale Pail, but then I need to rack to a container to age.
I want to minimize/eliminate head space.

What aging vessels do you suggest?


I was thinking I could use a glass 1 gallon or 1.2 gallon jug with stopper.
Those might be difficult to rack from, if I can't get an auto siphon in.
I guess the solution is to use a regular siphon?

Using proper SNA, how many times do you expect I'd need to rack beyond the initial racking from fermenting bucket to aging vessel?

How thick a coating of settled yeast would you wait to accumulate before racking?
Click to expand...

Click Here for a siphon that works in the gallon and 1/2 gallon jugs.


And when your ready to bottle try:

http://www.specialtybottle.com/corkedbottlesmi.aspx

_MG_0005.JPG

for a size perspective. Far right is a full 750 ml the other tall ones are the 375 ml and the short ones are from specialty bottle at 8 oz.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You'll need the mini-siphon or some other method when using the 1 gallon jugs.
 

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