Kenpachi Z
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How long should i age my mead in the secondary fermenting carboy before i rack it into regular corked bottles ?
How long should i age my mead in the secondary fermenting carboy before i rack it into regular corked bottles ?
ok so im new to all this and still learning ....so exactly how do i stabilize my mead ?I suppose the correct answer would be as long as it takes to finish fermentation. Just because you racked it, doesn't mean you didn't get any of the yeast in secondary. Really, the best way is by taking gravity readings. If you have 3 consecutive gravity readings in a row, (usually within a 2 week span), pretty safe bet it's done fermenting. I bulk age as much as I can before bottling. If you don't stabilize, make sure your gravity is 1.000 or below....(dry), or bottle bombs could be an issue.
Another question is do they make a book on how to read the hydrometer for idiots ? ...because this thing is confusing lolHow long should i age my mead in the secondary fermenting carboy before i rack it into regular corked bottles ?
Your set up looks great i hope to get to that at some point toI suppose the correct answer would be as long as it takes to finish fermentation. Just because you racked it, doesn't mean you didn't get any of the yeast in secondary. Really, the best way is by taking gravity readings. If you have 3 consecutive gravity readings in a row, (usually within a 2 week span), pretty safe bet it's done fermenting. I bulk age as much as I can before bottling. If you don't stabilize, make sure your gravity is 1.000 or below....(dry), or bottle bombs could be an issue.
And how many times should i rack it ? Just every time i see the less build up at the bottom of the bottle or what ?
Do you stabilize before bottling ?I rack whenever I have lees (sediment) of 1/4" or so or more, or if there are ANY at all in 60 days. When I no longer drop any lees at all in at least 60 days in a new carboy, not even a dusting, then I bottle.
I use an auto siphon is that the best to use when racking and whats the best way to not oxidize it ?Buckets and wide mouths are best for primary and then carboys for bulk aging. I use brew buckets and primary may last a month sometimes, never had an issue. Just remember to use plastic utensils to stir/mix a plastic fermenter/bucket so you don't scratch it and cause an issue later down the road, glass is best for aging.
Racking is done when your ready to proceed to the next step or need to remove something. Primary fermentation goes 2-4 weeks usually, some recipes are an exception, the you rack off anything that has settled. Secondary fermentation or clearing, depending on your recipe, can go weeks-months. It's a time to monitor odor's or flavors as they mellow and blend or age out, when there's a good layer of lees at the bottom again or you're ready to bottle you rack again. Racking can sometimes help with clearing a haze but be careful to avoid oxidizing it.
My two cents is use a wide mouth if you have it for primary, if not a carboy is just fine. Co² will purge oxygen during primary so don't worry to much there and the wide mouth will help you stir/degas. Best of luck, keep us posted.
Careful racking, from carboy to carboy, without allowing oxygen pick up which means no splashing and to do it "quietly". Also, campden tablets (sulfites) are helpful, as the sulfite binds with the wine so that oxygen can. I use campden at every other racking and at bottling.I use an auto siphon is that the best to use when racking and whats the best way to not oxidize it ?
Do you stabilize before bottling ?
Thank you... both very helpful answersCareful racking, from carboy to carboy, without allowing oxygen pick up which means no splashing and to do it "quietly". Also, campden tablets (sulfites) are helpful, as the sulfite binds with the wine so that oxygen can. I use campden at every other racking and at bottling.
I don't use sorbate (I can taste it and don't like it), but I do use some sulfite at bottling. I don't sweeten my meads or wines, so sorbate isn't necessary.
So the sulfites kill the yeast ? Wouldn't that stop the ageing process ?Careful racking, from carboy to carboy, without allowing oxygen pick up which means no splashing and to do it "quietly". Also, campden tablets (sulfites) are helpful, as the sulfite binds with the wine so that oxygen can. I use campden at every other racking and at bottling.
I don't use sorbate (I can taste it and don't like it), but I do use some sulfite at bottling. I don't sweeten my meads or wines, so sorbate isn't necessary.
So the sulfites kill the yeast ? Wouldn't that stop the ageing process ?
So the sulfites just keep it from getting oxidized and possibly going bad ?No, sulfites don't kill yeast- that's why winemakers use them. They are an antioxidant and antimicrobial. Plus, you should have very little (like almost none) yeast in the mead or wine when you bottle it.
?I'll second the campden every other rack, been doing this since I read Yoopers first advising of it years ago, never failed yet.
I also use an auto siphon, the cap on the bottom helps pull liquid in horizontally rather than off the bottom. Practice is all, gently placing the siphon into the mead, keeping it still and not disturbing the lees off the bottom will prevent transferring anything. As you get close to the bottom slowly tilt your fermenter and you can get most of the mead without any lees. Once you see wisps of sediment floating towards the siphon pull it out. If there's alot left yet just let it resettle an hour and you can keep going. When you think it's clear give it more time if you want to bottle, surprising how clear can keep clearing and drop more sediment.
Which kind of sulfites should i use ?No, sulfites don't kill yeast- that's why winemakers use them. They are an antioxidant and antimicrobial. Plus, you should have very little (like almost none) yeast in the mead or wine when you bottle it.
Which kind of sulfites should i use ?
?
Campden.
So the sulfites just keep it from getting oxidized and possibly going bad ?
The sodium instead of potassium
How much sulfite would i use for a gallon ?That's fine. It works exactly the same, but adds a smidgeon of sodium to the mead.
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