a few q's

[android]

i bottled my first ever batch of mead last night, pretty excited about it. it was only a 1 gallon batch and i used 3# of honey for it. i didn't take gravity readings on it because i didn't want to waste that much mead on sampling (i know, i need a refrac). does anyone know how i might estimate the ABV of this? i know it's pretty beefy by the legs on the glass and the taste of it (tastes like vanilla flavored rocket fuel right now). think i used montrachet yeast also if that matters.

i used DAP and fermaid-k but only did one addition, not staggered like i probably should have. would only using one addition affect ABV or would it just stress the yeast into producing more off flavors?

also, should i even bother cracking a bottle before oct. 2010? it was in the primary for at least 4 weeks and then sat in secondary with 1/4 of a vanilla bean for at least 2 weeks, then bottled.

thanks!

 

[jezter6]

You can use hightest's excel calculator in the FAQ sticky to at least get the OG, however without knowing where it stopped, the rest is just a guess.

6 weeks is WAY too young to be bottled even. Don't think about touching this until maybe February or March 2010. Even then, one bottle...leave the rest until at least summer.

 

[android]

6 weeks is WAY too young to be bottled even. Don't think about touching this until maybe February or March 2010. Even then, one bottle...leave the rest until at least summer.

i didn't realize mead benefitted more from bulk aging rather than bottle conditioning/aging. i was basically planning on waiting one year from bottling date to crack one open... speaking of storage, down in the basement on it's side to keep the cork wet or upright?

 

[jezter6]

Bulk aging probably allows for slightly quicker aging (someone else want to confirm?), but also allows for uniform aging in the batch. With bottle aging, each bottle might be different. You may find that one bottle tastes very vanilla-y, and another bottle that has 0 hint of vanilla.

There's a reason why 90% of mead makers wouldn't touch anything younger than maybe 6 months. I'm sure we all get impatient, I've bottled one around 4-5 months that tasted just wonderful and I'm sure others have to. But 6 weeks is barely enough time for it to come into its own.

 

[pulpfiction32]

Did you use any clarifying agents?
I have never had a mead clear until atleast 3-4 months

 

[malkore]

it depends on the honey. I've used Sam's Club honey several times for heavily spiced metheglins, and they clear fast because the honey is a bit processed.

the rawer the honey, the more it seems to need to age (assuming no rapid fining agents used).

Bulk aging is more convenient, along with the consistency bit. A larger single-surface bottom may allow the yeast to 'clean up' the mead faster. It does suck to store dozens of full bottles, properly, for 12+ months. I have to restrain myself from making mead because i can't consume it quickly enough LOL.

 

[android]

damn, i wish i'd left it in another vessel for longer. i just figured that 6 weeks was enough before bottling... now i know. it definitely isn't 100% clear it was pretty raw honey though, farmers market right off the small farm... i'll be planning for the next mead soon! thanks for the info.

what about storing the bottles, on the side or upright?

 

[summersolstice]

The combination of no hydrometer reading, "legs" and bottling in six weeks sounds like bottle bombs waiting to happen, unless you corked your bottles and then you'll only have to contend with popped corks. Legs don't necessarily indicate alcohol content - it also indicates residual sugar. As everyone else said, six weeks is way to early to bottle wine or mead. Get yourself a hydrometer. I sanitize mine and then dump the sample back in the fermenter.

 

[android]

well, we'll see how it turns out in a year. i'll watch out for popped corks. thanks for the info.

 

[mrgoodcheese]

Did you use any clarifying agents?
I have never had a mead clear until atleast 3-4 months

I've experimented a lot with different clearing agents with plain meads and melomels. One consistant thing I've found about plain meads (no fruit) is that bentonite works very well to clear, usually within a couple of months tops... and without changing the flavor. As for melomels, bentonite won't work well enough by itself, and sparkoloid or super-kleer is needed depending on the type of fruit used.

 

[rsmith179]

Regarding your question about storing the bottles up or sideways, store them upwards for at least a few days. If your corks decide to pop themselves out, you won't have spilled mead all over the floor. After a few days, you can then bring them onto their sides to prevent the cork from drying out.

 

[android]

Regarding your question about storing the bottles up or sideways, store them upwards for at least a few days. If your corks decide to pop themselves out, you won't have spilled mead all over the floor. After a few days, you can then bring them onto their sides to prevent the cork from drying out.

thanks for the reply. i'll let em hang out for a while upstairs and then put them in the wine rack in the basement for 5 years or so.

thanks everyone for all the tips, i know my next mead will turn out much better.