aging

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evan5159

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is it better to bulk age or age in a bottle, or both. i just racked my irst melomel into secondary three weeks ago. in another htree i had planned on bulk aging in a carboy for six months or so. should i bottle and age there?
 
I think it is just what you like to do... personnally if I do a big beer that I want to age I just give it a few more weeks in the primary then bottle condition. This allows me to try the beer periodically to see how it is coming along.
 
Ok, so the modern vineyard generally ages in the bottle, as both cooperage and the space to store are expensive.

But of course, they achieve consistency by temp/climate control.

So with meads, its recommended that you bulk age, for consistency reasons as mentioned above, as very few of use have the facility to bottle age for 2 or 3 years at the mid-50's that's used professionally.....

Hence bulk it the home brew compromise.
 
How long? I have a mead that is approaching six months. At what point should I bottle it?
 
Longer you bulk age, the clearer it will be in the bottle and less sedimate will build up.
Maybe it's just picky, but gunk in the bottom is not what I want in a great bottle of mead.
For that reason I tend to rack every couple of months until the bottom of the carboy stays clear.
 
Longer you bulk age, the clearer it will be in the bottle and less sedimate will build up.
Maybe it's just picky, but gunk in the bottom is not what I want in a great bottle of mead.
For that reason I tend to rack every couple of months until the bottom of the carboy stays clear.

Will this not bruise or oxidize your mead?
 
I only rack when the lees build up enough to irritate me. (1/4" or so.) With an auto siphon it is pretty easy to rack almost all of the fluid without picking up the lees. If you run your transfer hose to the bottom of the receiving container and top-off to the bung the risk factor for oxygenation is slim.
 
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