Bottling Time

[JJack887]

I've made 8 batches of mead, and I've waited at least two months after racking to bottle (I'll re-rack after 60 days and then wait more if it's not clear yet). However, this last batch, a banana melomel, cleared completely in three weeks. I was wondering if I can just bottle it now instead of waiting longer. I know some of you guys have crazy patience and don't bottle until years after pitching, but I don't see the benefit in letting sit in the jug for months (I don't mind aging in bottles — and I've never gotten sediment in them so far, either). I'll degas before bottling.

 

[SkeletorMob]

From what I've gathered bulk aging and bottle aging is a fickle argument with great points to both methods. I'd say if it were mine, I would bottle it and be making room for mixing! As long as they are bombs eh?!

 

[SkeletorMob]

I bottled a jaom inspired recipe recently and am saving one bottle for conditioning, but I have no proper long term storage. So for now I'm kinda stuck bottling as soon as possible and drinking or gifting asap too.

 

[JJack887]

Exactly. I've just been storing my bottles in the basement. I'll bottle tomorrow. Thank you!

 

[eigua]

I also bottle as soon as it's finished fermenting and is clear and skip the racking and bulk aging steps. I don't have any results yet, but I think it will be fine based on everything I've read. Seems a lot more convenient.

I can understand the benefits of bulk aging if you're aging in a wood barrel or something, but I'm not. Age in a 1 gallon glass bottle vs a 750 ml glass bottle... Doesn't seem to much different to me. Plus, if I'm going to mess up on the bottling step and ruin it, I'd rather do it now than 6 months down the road.

 

[Dr_Floyd]

I've had problems in the past where a Mead that looked completely clear really wasn't done yet. In addition fallout in the bottle supposedly causes long term aging issues which of course isn't a problem if you plan on drinking it right away. I used to be impatient but now I have no issues with just giving it a few months before bottling.

 

[eigua]

I've had problems in the past where a Mead that looked completely clear really wasn't done yet. In addition fallout in the bottle supposedly causes long term aging issues which of course isn't a problem if you plan on drinking it right away. I used to be impatient but now I have no issues with just giving it a few months before bottling.

My mead will be aged at least a year. I didn't know fallout could be an issue with aged mead, however I don't see any sediment in mine yet. I suppose you could always rack to another bottle. Shouldn't be any different than racking from a carboy. I'll watch out for it.

 

[SkeletorMob]

Didn't think of the expended yeast factor, Good point doctor! Perhaps we could cold crash and use a clearing agent to slim down that possibility in the event that we have no space to accommodate patience. We are still looking at another week before the bentonite drops, but again deter the possibility of expended yeast offering off flavors. And like you (Dr. Floyd) said, it wouldn't be to applicable if we plan to drink it young. Eigua, you said you weren't seeing sediment drop in the bottles, what yeast did you pitch and how long was your fermentation? Perhaps you had a yeast that flocculated quite well! I seeing one packet of k1v1116 drop out of my 3 gallon even after one month in secondary (1.5 month primary)

 

[SkeletorMob]

Did you use a familiar strain jack? I have a gallon similar to your experience here but I'm wondering if the 1116 didn't like the environment and didn't attenuate as expected. Gravity readings were behind schedule compared to other recipes I pitched it too, but still aggressive. Now the yeast cake is what's bothering me, it's about 1/4 size of the cake at the bottom of the bochet mixed same date. Did you experience that in the banana mel?

 

[JJack887]

I used Montrachet in this latest batch. Very compact lees with quick flocculation, and the layer is average-sized. Also had quick attenuation (I've never had a primary longer than three weeks). Even with tannic fruits and apples I've never had sediment in the bottles (not that it'd be a problem). I'd wait a full 60 days for your batch just to be safe.

 

[Masbustelo]

Reasons that support waiting 8 mos.-1 year to bottle. When it warms up it might begin to ferment again. When it warms up it might go into spontaneous MLF. After it's bottled you can't sample it, sweeten it, adjust pH or T.A.. Or add tannin adjustments or anis, vanilla etc. Also you won't be able to blend it. Also much more lees in the bottle. Also co2 can't escape.

 

[eigua]

Eigua, you said you weren't seeing sediment drop in the bottles, what yeast did you pitch and how long was your fermentation?

I just checked my oldest bottles and I do see a fine dusting of sediment on the bottom now. It was in the primary 9 weeks, then racked to a secondary because I disturbed the lees some and made it cloudy again, left in the secondary for only 6 days, then bottled. It has been 41 days since bottling. The yeast was Cote des Blancs. I'm not going to bother racking for that small amount of sediment though.