Back sweeten and bottle or back sweeten and batch age

[Izzie1701]

What is the best way. I just transferred my mead for a second time to get it off the spices. Thanks to a lot of help from people on here i decided to wait on stabilizing until it fully clears. I cannot read a news paper through it yet but can see my hand through it. I'm going to give it another month then stabilize. My question is for after this. I know I'll have to stabilize back sweeten and then let it sit for a week or so to clear up but is it best to then bottle or continue to age in a carboy for a few more months. It is way to dry right now. Sitting at around 0.995. I prefer it around 1.005-1.010. What's everyone preference after back sweetening?

 

[gratus fermentatio]

I don't backsweeten, but I always bulk age mead/melomel, usually for a few years. Bulk aging takes up carbouys & space though, and it's certainly not required, but for me it's easy & I get a good product, each bottle is the same as all the others. If you don't bulk age, it's possible (not necessarily likely) that some bottles could age differently. I just like easy.
Regards, GF.

 

[Izzie1701]

I guess my concern is with back sweetening the SO2 would dissipate during bulk aging while with bottling its sealed in. I could be way off here but my understanding is this is the chemical that inhibits fermentation from starting again. In sure it will have killed all the yeast off before it dissipates but wanted to make sure before I did it.

 

[Caliper]

If you can't read through it yet, wait. I've been through this with cider and the results are worth the (agonizing!) wait. Eventually you will see that haze slowly move down the carboy leaving clear drink behind. The end flavor will be noticeably better. Once it is clear, rack off those lees and give it a month or two to age off any residual flavors as well as make sure no more lees drop. This is a great time to start another batch as well, to keep the pipeline full!

Once it's cleared, I'd bulk age for at least a bit after back sweetening just to be sure that the yeast really are stabilized.

 

[Izzie1701]

Just tried this mead. Had extra from the bucket that wouldn't fit in the carboy so put it in a 1g jug 4 weeks ago. Needed the air lock from it so decided just to back sweeten it chill it and drink it today. It's only 7 weeks old and damn it's good. Slight spice taste great honey taste and so good. Back sweetened with Apple juice and honey. When I back sweeten and stabilize the full 5g batch I'll heat Apple juice to 160 for 10 mins and add honey. Then use this. Want to wait longer till the mead clears a little more.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Do yourself a favor & tuck away a bottle or 2 for 5 or 6 years, you'll be amazed.
Regards, GF.

 

[fuelish]

I don't backsweeten, but I always bulk age mead/melomel, usually for a few years. Bulk aging takes up carbouys & space though, and it's certainly not required, but for me it's easy & I get a good product, each bottle is the same as all the others. If you don't bulk age, it's possible (not necessarily likely) that some bottles could age differently. I just like easy.
Regards, GF.

Totally agree (.....well, just about totally...bulk aging in carboys takes up fermentors and space, true, but on the other hand, aging bottled takes up bottles and also takes up space, just in a different way ) I'm all about the easy anymore, and bulk aging is the way to go, imho.........not to mention I feel the temptation to try it ls lessened somewhat when ya have to dick around with thieving a sample as opposed to easily convincing yourself to pop a bottle open, and even then, I've never sampled from a carboy a bottle's worth to taste test