how do you bottle your mead?

[Krausen89]

Let us know how you bottle! What bottles you use, what corker if any....labels? Etc.

 

[rideincircles]

I need to find better methods to bottle one gallon batches. I ended up knocking mine over with the huge beer racking cane and lost a small amount. I also got yeast in a few bottles after that. I was bottling a JAOM.

Would it be best to transfer to a 2 gallon bucket with a spigot and bottle?

 

[Inner10]

I need to find better methods to bottle one gallon batches. I ended up knocking mine over with the huge beer racking cane and lost a small amount. I also got yeast in a few bottles after that. I was bottling a JAOM.

Would it be best to transfer to a 2 gallon bucket with a spigot and bottle?

Cut the cane down.

 

[hungry4hops]

i use stella artois bottles that i get fom my brother in law and i cap them with red caps!

 

[ExoticMeadMaker]

I use standard green wine bottles from the brew store, cork with a double lever hand corker, and label using a p-touch label maker. I put the label on the bottom of the bottle so I can read it while it's stored upside down in the box the bottles came in. Its also labeled in a code system and I reference my brew journal for the particular flavors, i.e TRAD 087, METH 025, CYSR 015.

 

[opus345]

Why upside down?

 

[turvis]

I am about to bottle my first mead made April last year and I am going to use blue swing top bottles.

 

[Packman715]

I just cap 12oz bottles like you would beer.

 

[CityOChampBrew]

12oz or 22 oz beer bottles... still

 

[johns]

I use wine bottles, the dark ones I drink later, the light ones I drink sooner, (becasue of light off flavors), I keep the lighter bottles in an old dresser, in the basement. I dont label, but I do use a portuguese bottle corker. It seems to work for me.

 

[gayleygoo]

I never really though of using beer bottles, I've bottled most of my meads and wines in wine bottles... with screw caps... hopefully they'll be okay like that. I might start doing some in beer bottles so it's easier to taste without opening as whole big bottle and having to drink it all. I like clear bottles for mead so I can stare at it and admire it I bottled my first batch of mead in green Buckfast wine bottles and it just didn't look good...

 

[wintermute2]

I'm getting ready to start my first two 1-gallon batches of mead. I asked the guru at the LHBS which corker to get and he suggested saving some money and trying tasting corks until I decide that I'm going to be "that guy" and start brewing mead on a regular basis. Is this sound advice? How long do you think I can keep mead in a bottle with a tasting cork (port-style)?

 

[nitack]

I put most of the mead in 16 oz swing top bottles, either cobalt blue I bought or green "groelsh" bottles I've been saving. 16 oz is perfect size for two glasses for me because my wife doesn't like honey and refuses to even try mead.

For the rare occasions I have company, or give it away as a gift I have 1liter swing top bottles.

 

[Inner10]

I'm getting ready to start my first two 1-gallon batches of mead. I asked the guru at the LHBS which corker to get and he suggested saving some money and trying tasting corks until I decide that I'm going to be "that guy" and start brewing mead on a regular basis. Is this sound advice? How long do you think I can keep mead in a bottle with a tasting cork (port-style)?

If I were to make a guess I'd say 6 months unless you sealed the top with wax. Doesn't sound like a bad idea really...

 

[saramc]

I'm getting ready to start my first two 1-gallon batches of mead. I asked the guru at the LHBS which corker to get and he suggested saving some money and trying tasting corks until I decide that I'm going to be "that guy" and start brewing mead on a regular basis. Is this sound advice? How long do you think I can keep mead in a bottle with a tasting cork (port-style)?

If you are talking about the cork based tasting corks, and not the plastic ones you can definitely use them long term. I have several bottles of local commercial port that use bar top corks with wooden tops and a few are approaching nine years, the others are all 4+ years. Also have several dessert wines, 15% ACV, which are sealed with these same corks. I have had no issues with those.

 

[AZhornedtoad]

I am only doing one gallon batches until I get the process down better. I rack my secondary into a slightly more than one gallon ice tea container with a spigot. Makes it easy to gently decant into 12 oz beer bottles and cap. I wait for the lovely color when I pour. The mead doesn't last too long with one gallon batches so long term storage is not really an issue yet. I have a few of swing top bottles I use for gifts/showing off.

 

[nitack]

Am I the only one who actually buys beer or wine because I want the bottle for my own stuff to go in? Been drinking groelsh beer lately, not because I am particularly fond of it, but because the flip top bottles are cost effective that way.

 

[ExoticMeadMaker]

Why upside down?

it prevents the corks from drying out over time

 

[TedLarsen]

Am I the only one who actually buys beer or wine because I want the bottle for my own stuff to go in? Been drinking groelsh beer lately, not because I am particularly fond of it, but because the flip top bottles are cost effective that way.

God, yes, I do this! This is proof positive that I'm addicted to this hobby (and by "hobby," of course, I mean "mad obsession.")

I've taken to drinking Warsteiner -- which I like, don't get me wrong -- mostly because it de-labels so easily. I hate removing labels!

 

[Inner10]

Am I the only one who actually buys beer or wine because I want the bottle for my own stuff to go in? Been drinking groelsh beer lately, not because I am particularly fond of it, but because the flip top bottles are cost effective that way.

I thought everyone did that...I drink only beers with non-embossed, not-painted labels.

 

[ACbrewer]

I bottle my mead in wine bottles without a label, well ok, a peice of masking tape with a note of what it is (cinimon, clove, nutmeg) and after 3 days tip them on their side - so the corks don't dry out. I generally don't 12oz them although I could since I have beer and wine bottles. Sometimes I go to 375ml instead of 750's, mainly because I have a few of the smaller bottles and want versatility later. I use a typical lever corker (the step up from the hammer corker).

 

[mooney]

I have spent a fortune on Belgium beers in flip top bottles for the bottles, at Christmas the offy was selling Christmas tree beer at £12 a bottle but the bottle was smart enough to make it worth buying

 

[opus345]

it prevents the corks from drying out over time

Seems that most recommend storing wine on their sides which will allow the corks to stay moist and not shrink.

Storing them upside down allows sediment to accumulate in the neck and when righted for opening, the sediment is then redistributed throughout the liquid.

Anyone else have storage orientation ideas?

 

[opus345]

I found a Portuguese floor corker on CL for $40. I let friends and family know that I'm looking for empty wine bottles and boom, the floodgates opened. Seems like every month I'm getting a couple cases. I break out the Oxyclean and scrub brush. Let me soak for a couple days and the labels either fall off or come off easily with the brush. I use a plastic knife on the more stubborn labels.

I'm actually to the point of ready to give away 3-4 cases of cleaned burgundy bottles. I just scored a 240 bottle rack off CL for $75. One bottle rests at a slant on top for display and the rest or laid on their sides in each column slot. The burgundy bottles don't play well with others when stored on their sides.

 

[ACbrewer]

I found a Portuguese floor corker on CL for $40. I let friends and family know that I'm looking for empty wine bottles and boom, the floodgates opened. Seems like every month I'm getting a couple cases. I break out the Oxyclean and scrub brush. Let me soak for a couple days and the labels either fall off or come off easily with the brush. I use a plastic knife on the more stubborn labels.

I'm actually to the point of ready to give away 3-4 cases of cleaned burgundy bottles. I just scored a 240 bottle rack off CL for $75. One bottle rests at a slant on top for display and the rest or laid on their sides in each column slot. The burgundy bottles don't play well with others when stored on their sides.

sounds like you could sell bottles on craigslist.

I found that when I let friends know I needed bottles, I suddenly got bottles also. I now recycles bottles that I feel don't make sense to keep. (painted labels, etc)

 

[BBBF]

I need to find better methods to bottle one gallon batches. I ended up knocking mine over with the huge beer racking cane and lost a small amount. I also got yeast in a few bottles after that. I was bottling a JAOM.

Would it be best to transfer to a 2 gallon bucket with a spigot and bottle?

I bottle 1 gallon batches straight from the carboy with a mini auto-siphon and a shortened racking cain.

As for bottling, I use several types for each batch. For 5 gallons, it goes something like:

10 Flip Top bottles for early consumption (although I've had some last 2+ years without problems
12-14 Beer Bottles with crown caps for competitions or longer aging
10 Corked Wine Bottles that can be used for Gifts and and Show

 

[Funnage]

I'm lucky to keep it that long. I taste too much too often.

 

[goiked]

16/15 oz Grolsch bottles. Too bad they don't make the brown ones like they did in the 70's. I'll also buy beer that have those wire tops bottles just for mead. :rockin:

 

[TeufelHundenM198]

From the mead photo thread:

I have a bunch of those frosted bottles from the LHBS, and I also reuse all the corked wine bottles I buy. Corker, I just use one of those two handle deals I got on Amazon.

 

[EndlessPurple]

I got a box of 30 of some frosted bottles my lhbs had on sale. Really cool looking bottles only they do not fit in one of my wine refridgerators, and only in certain slots of my other one. They are too tall and hit the door.