devianttouch
Well-Known Member
So this was my first mead, and I have already learned a lot about brewing since this one started, but I have some further questions.
First of all, it's a slightly less than 1 gallon batch. I started with 3 pounds cheap honey (I have access to good stuff, but didn't want to make my newbie mistakes on expensive honey), 1 packet Red Star Champagne Yeast, yeast nutrient, and about 3 Liters water, all in a 5 liter Carlo Rossi bottle.
It fermented steadily for about 2 weeks at 70F under airlock in a dark space.
Mistakes I made:
I THOUGHT I would need all of that headspace, because I'd head my friends complain about blowouts and such. But my friends brew beer, and I didn't realize mead was not going to do that. So the headspace is a bit much, and that will lead to some of my questions below.
Also, I did not get an OG. I know better now, and I have a hydrometer now. It has finished fermenting I think, because it has been at 1.000 pretty much exactly for 2 days. I can test again tomorrow, but it's done.
Questions:
Should I bulk age it in it's current carboy, with so much headspace, and on the yeast cake?
Alternatively I do have a 3 liter plastic jug (used to hold juice) and I could get a bung to fit it's top. Is there any reason not to age this mead in PET plastic?
I know that I should age this for at least a year, and that's fine - I did this knowing it would take a long time. I'm going to do another one soon (with less headspace, and an OG reading). Learning.
First of all, it's a slightly less than 1 gallon batch. I started with 3 pounds cheap honey (I have access to good stuff, but didn't want to make my newbie mistakes on expensive honey), 1 packet Red Star Champagne Yeast, yeast nutrient, and about 3 Liters water, all in a 5 liter Carlo Rossi bottle.
It fermented steadily for about 2 weeks at 70F under airlock in a dark space.
Mistakes I made:
I THOUGHT I would need all of that headspace, because I'd head my friends complain about blowouts and such. But my friends brew beer, and I didn't realize mead was not going to do that. So the headspace is a bit much, and that will lead to some of my questions below.
Also, I did not get an OG. I know better now, and I have a hydrometer now. It has finished fermenting I think, because it has been at 1.000 pretty much exactly for 2 days. I can test again tomorrow, but it's done.
Questions:
Should I bulk age it in it's current carboy, with so much headspace, and on the yeast cake?
Alternatively I do have a 3 liter plastic jug (used to hold juice) and I could get a bung to fit it's top. Is there any reason not to age this mead in PET plastic?
I know that I should age this for at least a year, and that's fine - I did this knowing it would take a long time. I'm going to do another one soon (with less headspace, and an OG reading). Learning.