Clarifying with acid?

[Mead Man]

New mazer here brewing my first batch of mead.

Yesterday I added an acid blend (North Mountain; 50% malic, 40% citric, and 10% tartaric) to my carboy. After experimenting with the flavor, I ended up adding 14.5 tsp to a carboy with approximately 5.5 gallons of mead. When checking on the carboy today, the mead seems to have almost completely clarified! There is also a large amount of sediment on the bottom of the carboy. I didn't check the pH before adding the blend, but it was approximately 4.2 during fermentation (I only have pH strips). I couldn't find anything online about acidity aiding mead clarification, so I was wondering if anyone had some insight? It seems amazing that it would have clarified in a single day. Picture of carboy is attached.

Tldr: does adding acid speed up mead clarification?

 

[bushpilot]

I recently noticed the same effect with a huckleberry melomel.

 

[Mead Man]

I recently noticed the same effect with a huckleberry melomel.

How much acid did you add? Was it a blend as well?

 

[bushpilot]

Much less than you did, 1/4 tsp to one gallon. I had just racked it, tasted, and decided to add acid blend. The next day was surprised by the change in clarity and the quantity of less.

 

[Abhishek Dewan]

The acidity shoot up caused yeast to go dormant and fall, causing clarity. Please take gravity readings to see if fermentation was complete or not.

 

[Mead Man]

The acidity shoot up caused yeast to go dormant and fall, causing clarity. Please take gravity readings to see if fermentation was complete or not.

Fermentation was complete about 2 weeks ago, and this was the second racking. Could there be any potential problems with this high acidity?

 

[Abhishek Dewan]

No, I don’t think so, just taste it and you can adjust acidity, if needed.

 

[CKuhns]

No potential problems other than taste that I am aware of. Have you checked the pH or TA numbers? 14.5 tsp acid blend sounds like a lot to me. I typically add acid to round out the flavor but in volumes much closer to 1/4 to 1/2 tsp per gallon depending upon what honey, fruit (if any) and where the ferment drove the pH to on its own.

Excerpt form this site that has some pretty good info Mead, Part 3: Racking and Finishing – Accidentalis Brewing
"Things to consider: too much (tartaric) acid can create a tart-n-tiny flavor, acid blends are unpredictable (I use either tartaric or malic), too much tannin creates unpleasant astringency, and carbonation (even a little) can increase aromatics and add a welcome bite."

 

[Mead Man]

No potential problems other than taste that I am aware of. Have you checked the pH or TA numbers? 14.5 tsp acid blend sounds like a lot to me. I typically add acid to round out the flavor but in volumes much closer to 1/4 to 1/2 tsp per gallon depending upon what honey, fruit (if any) and where the ferment drove the pH to on its own.

Excerpt form this site that has some pretty good info Mead, Part 3: Racking and Finishing – Accidentalis Brewing
"Things to consider: too much (tartaric) acid can create a tart-n-tiny flavor, acid blends are unpredictable (I use either tartaric or malic), too much tannin creates unpleasant astringency, and carbonation (even a little) can increase aromatics and add a welcome bite."

I might invest in a pH meter, haven’t checked the pH since adding the acid but I only have test strips so it would just be an estimate anyway.

The taste is slightly astringent and mildly tart/puckering, but not unpleasant. Before adding the acid blend, the palette was dominated by a cardboard flavor that I assumed was oxidation. This flavor seems to diminish with acidity, which is why I added the acid blend in the first place.

 

[Abhishek Dewan]

Just give it some time to age. It will improve in taste. You may have to rack again in few weeks.