Need help

[thefireman]

Just bottled my first batch of mead. It has been in a bottle since the 21st of sept. It now has yeast on the bottom of the bottle. All I did was go from secondary to the bottle. Did I miss something?

 

[Yooper]

All I did was go from secondary to the bottle. Did I miss something?

Well, maybe. You don't want to bottle until the mead is completely clear, like you can read a newspaper through it, and not dropping ANY lees at all over at least 60 days.

If it wasn't clear when you bottled, the lees will still continue to fall- except in the bottle instead of in a carboy.

 

[Lungus]

D'oh

 

[thefireman]

Is there anything I can do now to fix it?

 

[Yooper]

Is there anything I can do now to fix it?

Fix it?

Well, it depends on what you mean by that. You could store them upright, so the sludge stays on the bottom when you pour it. That would be an easy way to enjoy the mead but not put any effort into it.

Or, if you mean gently pouring them into a carboy and letting them clear that way, it might be ok if you make sure you don't splash when you pour them and use an antioxidant (like campden tablets) immediately in the carboy.

It sounds like the mead was bottled before it was clear, but it's hard to tell from the information given.

 

[thefireman]

Does this mean it is still fermenting. There was pressure when I opened up the bottle. This is my first brew I have ever done. Should I add potassium to stop the fermenting if this is what it is.

 

[Yooper]

Does this mean it is still fermenting. There was pressure when I opened up the bottle. This is my first brew I have ever done. Should I add potassium to stop the fermenting if this is what it is.

Oh, I assumed it was done and just not clear. If it's still fermenting, then you definitely need to open them, put them back in a carboy with an airlock and let it finish. Potassium sorbate (I think that's what you mean) doesn't stop fermentation. It inhibits yeast reproduction, but doesn't stop an active fermentation.

Have you taken hydrometer readings to verify fermentation was finished? That's really important, to avoid bottle bombs and/or corks popping out.

 

[thefireman]

Yes I was referring to Potassium sorbate. For some reason I got side tracked when writing. At the time I thought once there was no activity in the airlock that it was done. Now I know this isn't true. Just put back in a carboy to finish. Thanks for the help.