Cloudy mead

[Hsocain]

Newbie question. I know this topic has been addressed in other posts, but I haven't found the answer to my issue. I did my first mead in a 2 gallon batch. It reached final gravity and cleared brightly in secondary. I knew I was going to back sweeten so I added potassium sorbate. This caused the batch to become cloudy and it never fully brightened again to its previous state. I've bottled and am happy with the result. But a little stressed about the clarity. Any ideas? OG 1.106, FG 1.002.


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[bernardsmith]

I know nothing about chemistry and what kinds of reactions K-sorb can produce in a mead but I wonder if the cloudiness is in part due to any absorbed CO2 holding in suspension particles of yeast. My questions that are aimed at finding support for this hypothesis is
1. How long did you let the mead age before you added the k-sorb?
2. If the aging process was short did you degas the mead before stabilizing it (I assume you added K-meta at the same time?)
3. Did you add sweetener? If so , was it honey you added? Adding honey can produce a haze

 

[Hsocain]

It aged apex 2 months before adding the potassium sorbate. I used the staggered nutrient additions outlined by K. Schramm, ferm k, dap and degassed with and between additions, up to day 5. I didn't degass after or when adding honey as a sweetener. Added 1/2 cup. Interesting thought as honey producing the haze. Thanks for the reply, Steve


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[bernardsmith]

Yeah... Honey will often add a haze but you cannot stabilize and produce a bright /clear wine (or mead) unless you first remove all the CO2. Simply stirring during the first few days removes some of the CO2 but If you pull a vacuum through your mead (about 22 inches) you will see how much gas has been absorbed in the liquid. That CO2 will keep in suspension enough particulates to create a haze even if you had not added any honey. Two months "aging" assuming you used an airlock will not be nearly enough time to allow the CO2 to dispel. What my colleagues generally do is rack every two or three months and that racking if you allow the mead to run down the inside walls of the target carboy will help dissipate the CO2. Racking in this way at temperatures above 70 degrees F will help dissipate the CO2 but forcing the CO2 to stay in a liquid behind an airlock inhibits the release of CO2. After 6 or 9 months much of the CO2 will have been quietly and gently blown off but 2 months? My guess, Steve, is that you probably still have literally pounds of CO2 dissolved in your mead.

 

[RegarRenill]

My advise is: Rack your mead into smaller containers, leaving about 1-2 inches of headspace( 2 1 gal jugs, for instance). Attach a brake bleeder, like a MityVac, to a small bung and pull a vacuum until no more bubbles form, might take a couple of sessions. Don't build the pressure above 22-25 psi. This will go easier if the meads temp is over 70F. If you don't own a MityVac or a brake bleeder, well it's an excuse to the SWMBO to buy another tool, lol. You can usually pick one up for under $20 at Harbor Frieght.