Sad times for a batch of JAOM

Today I went to transfer a 1 gallon batch of JAOM from a 1 gallon spring water bottle (same as a plastic milk bottle), into a glass bottle to finally take it off the fruit and yeast. It was in the plastic bottle for about a half a year.

In the process of transferring it into my 1 gallon carboy (a used Carlo Rossi wine bottle) the neck of it decided to crack and break off. I had noticed a blemish in the neck of the bottle after I bought it, sort of a raisin-sized bead of glass stuck to the inside of the neck of the bottle. But I paid little attention to it, and had no problems using it for several yeast starters. The bottle and the mead were at room temp when transferring, so I wouldn't think temperature shock would be my problem. I think that all this time, I had a ticking time bomb just waiting to explode.

After it cracked (the entire neck of the bottle broken off, maybe I'll attach a picture), I decided to let it sit for a half hour to help let any glass possibly settle out. Then I racked it out of the broken jug into 2 smaller jugs, leaving the bottom 2 inches of mead in the broken jug. I'm going to let it sit in those new bottles for about a week to settle more, then carefully pour it out of the bottles through a couple coffee filters into another bottle, leaving another inch or two behind. Yes I'm aware that oxidation is probably inevitable at this point, but I really don't want to dump this batch. Taste tests have found this to be absolutely awesome!

Sorry for the long post. I'm currently buzzed and sucking down another 4 liter bottle of Carlo Rossi Merlot to replace the broken one and to satisfy my sadness. Some intoxication is inevitable as well.

Before everyone goes off about the risks of others, this batch will be ingested by only myself and others who will be greatly warned about the possibilities. It will be transferred multiple times, and filtered multiple times.
Maybe you guys can talk me out if it, but I'd hate to waste a half a years worth of waiting/watching for this to go down the drain...

 

I'd still drink it id it'd been filtered. I don't think there's any way a coffee filter could let any glass through.

Sorry to hear about the accident, had to happen when you're transferring aged mead huh? It'd be a shame to waste it.

 

That crack doesn't look like much shattering took placed, more like a clean snap. I hope it all comes out okay

 

I wouldn't filter yet. Just age and bottle as normal, and then filter when you pour to drink. That way you're avoiding oxidation, and possible glass!

 

From the picture is looks like a clean crack, and before I found the top of the bottle was completely severed it looked clean, but after I realized the top was severed, I noticed the "raisin-sized bead of glass" had practically exploded. You can see close up that the crack started from the blemish in the glass, causing the "pop", which then proceeded to crack around the neck. You can see the blemish (or what's left of it) on the backside of the neck at my ring-finger's knuckle.

That's a good idea. I think it may be more of a pain to do, but it may be worth it.

 

Also, for future rackings, wrap your racking cane tip with cheese cloth. I don't any damaging size chunks of glass will get through....

 

I thought about wrapping this in cheese cloth to help filter out some of the orange pulp from the mead, but that wouldn't have helped with the cracking concern, as it would have been after the filtering. I decided against filtering it initially because I haven't had luck with keeping a siphon with a filter attached. So maybe I'll buy some small coffee filters and pour through them with every glass poured, as you suggested.

 

That's what I'd do, especially since you may end up aging awhile (I know JAOM is supposed to be "good" quick, but as with any mead, it's better after a long time).

Just don't let your friends see you doing it

 

That's why I decided to "forget" about it for a half a year. I've heard that 2 months of aging, and generally it's good to go, but even longer makes it awesome. And right now, if you ignore the fact that you may die from internal bleeding, it is awesome. Maybe I'll try to figure out a way to easily filter it with every pour. Like a coffee filter in a funnel to pour into, which then drips into the glass.

 

That sucks.

In the future, find 1 gallon glass containers that apple cider comes in. Half price, for a better beverage. You could also make hard cider if you wanted.

 

FWIW, I saw a tv show where they were sampling really old wines >60 years old. The corks were to weak to be removed, so they would heat up a ring shaped pliers till it was red hot. They would wrap it around the neck of the glass bottle right below the cork. Then after removing the pliers the neck was brushed with water and the neck would snap of perfectly. Then they would pour directly from the bottle into glasses.

I assume it would be similar to your break as long as you don't see any chips in the mead.

That does suck though.

 

A couple of years back I was trying too open a bottle of wine using a horrible old bottle opener and managed to shatter the top of the bottle in the process. We poured it though a tea strainer at pouring time and none of us died.

Would it be possible to rack into a bucket with a tea strainer / filter just above the surface to minimise aeration while passing it through the filter, and then racking it back into the carboy again?

 

If it was a clean break, I would not be as worried as I am. But the "glass bead/blemish" in the neck of the bottle actually exploded into tiny pieces, and then cracked the rest of the neck from there.

I'd rather not mess with it too much more and oxidize the hell out of it. I did end up wasting probably 1/8 of a gallon when transferring it from the broken jug, so any glass at the bottom would hopefully be left behind.

I think I'll use the filter-as-I-pour-a-glass approach. I think a coffee filter in a funnel to pour through should work fine.

 

I think using a coffee or tea filter would work fine. That is what I would do at time to drink it. I wouldn't be able to throw away my hard work either. Drink it and enjoy let us know how it turns out.

 

I've had 2 glasses so far and filtered them individually by using a coffee filter inside a funnel. It's absolutely amazing, actually a lot better than I thought this would ever turn out to be.
I'm glad I didn't freak out and dump this batch. Hopefully (knock on wood) this batch will be fine to the last drop if filtered.

 

if you use a coffee filter, be prepared to wait. i just bottled some JOAM, and, due to the warnings about the yeast not settling well, i tried putting it through a coffee filter. slower than sh*t. it's probably put it through several layers of cheesecloth, personally, or one of the hop bags the LHBS has.

 

I attach a piece of a paint straining bag to the end of my siphon hose, you could use something like that if you wanted. They are about $2 at lowes or home depot. I have also used a coffee filter and like previously stated it was super slow.

 

at $2/each, you're getting ripped off. go to an independent paint store (benjamin moore, miller, rodda, etc)
my store sells cone filters for a quarter and bags are about the same, plus, then you don't have to go to home despot or blowes.

 

I had no problems with it filtering through 2 coffee filters together. I have been filtering every poured glass, and did not filter the entire batch. Yes it was a bit slow, but when doing that individually for every glass, it's not that bad of a wait, and the peace of mind knowing that there's a lesser chance of glass present is even better.

 

Glad to hear it is working out.

 

It's good to hear that it's working out.

Just a little side info......

If you experienced this again.... Well, glass is heavy and will sink to the bottom of the fermenter anyway, so if you use a "normal" racking cane i.e. with either an upturned pipe like a snorkel, or a cup like piece attached to the end, then any shards of glass are likely to stay in the in the sediment.

To be doubly sure etc, when it's cleared and finally racked off the last of the lees, then any tiny particles should have also stayed in the racking losses that stay in the bottom of the jar.

If you then passed it through a coffee filter in a funnel, it should pass through the filter Ok without much, if any, delay. Plus it would get a "final polish" that proper filter devices give.

Hence, however you've got round this issue, well done. It's just too easy to say f*** it and pour it straight down the plug hole..... which to my mind is a complete waste.

regards

fatbloke

p.s. Oh and also, meads don't oxidise like "normal" wines. It takes a lot more and you'd notice any by having a slight "sherry-like" taste to it....