Bulk vs. Bottle Ageing

[henryakirk]

What are the pros and cons of bottle ageing vs. bulk ageing mead? I've got 5 gallons that are ready to leave secondary and ghost o sit and get old for a while, i can either bottle it or rack it into 1 gallon carboys but I have plans for the bucket its in now.

 

[BBBF]

What are the pros and cons of bottle ageing vs. bulk ageing mead? I've got 5 gallons that are ready to leave secondary and ghost o sit and get old for a while, i can either bottle it or rack it into 1 gallon carboys but I have plans for the bucket its in now.

With bulk aging, you will end up with a more consitant product between bottles, you can continue to make adjustments and the batch will continue to drop sediment before bottling. The downside is you are taking up a carboy the entire time.

 

[stpug]

There may be some truth to the "more consistent product" argument but I suspect the differences between bottles would be negligible. IMO, excluding using additives like fruit/oak/etc, the greatest PRO to bulk aging is being able to leave behind excess lees/sediment, which is only as much of an advantage as you give it. Otherwise, I would opt to bottle and move on with new fermentations. If you're carbonating your mead then you're likely to end up with sediment anyway so what's a little more.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Bulk aging will give you less sediment in bottles. Bulk aging lets you put off bottling for another few months or years. I've bulk aged mead as long as 4 years & it turned out great; crystal clear, no visible sediment & tasted great. All I did was keep the airlock filled & sample every 6 months or so.
Regards, GF.