I have several meads that have been bulk aging in carboys for about 2-2.5 years. They stopped fermenting ages ago, then I just racked them and left them. Now, I am moving and I need to bottle them, but I want to sweeten several of them, and I have never backsweetened a mead. I have some questions. I have not added any chemicals to any of them - i.e. - sorbate/sulfite (I would prefer to not add chemicals). Most of them read 1.000 on a hydrometer, if memory serves. Also, several of them have a thin layer of lees at the bottom - I've since figured out how to rack more effectively, but these ones were my earlier batches, and I did not do a good job of racking. I don't think the type of mead matters, but if anyone is interested, they're all five-gallon batches, and the meads are:
- Lord Rhys Chocolate Mead
- Lord Rhys Chocolate Bochet
- Marsh/Swamp Honey Traditional (tastes like dirt)
- Fruit Punch Melomel (wildflower honey with cherries, pineapple, lemon, lime and oranges)
- Bochet - dark and high ABV - probably not sweetening this one
Questions
- Should I rack them off the remaining lees before sweetening?
- If I sweeten any of them, is it possible the yeast could wake up after 2 years?
- What should I use to sweeten them? I've read that sweetening with honey makes it just taste like mead with honey added - is this something I should be concerned with? I would prefer to sweeten with honey, but if there's a better option, I'm all ears
- After I sweeten them, how long should I let them sit to ensure fermentation has not restarted?
Thanks in advance for any input!
- Lord Rhys Chocolate Mead
- Lord Rhys Chocolate Bochet
- Marsh/Swamp Honey Traditional (tastes like dirt)
- Fruit Punch Melomel (wildflower honey with cherries, pineapple, lemon, lime and oranges)
- Bochet - dark and high ABV - probably not sweetening this one
Questions
- Should I rack them off the remaining lees before sweetening?
- If I sweeten any of them, is it possible the yeast could wake up after 2 years?
- What should I use to sweeten them? I've read that sweetening with honey makes it just taste like mead with honey added - is this something I should be concerned with? I would prefer to sweeten with honey, but if there's a better option, I'm all ears
- After I sweeten them, how long should I let them sit to ensure fermentation has not restarted?
Thanks in advance for any input!