How do you do SNA without causing an MEA?

[TandemTails]

I've got a 3 gallon carboy that I'm doing a base mead in. I'm trying to do things 'the right way' this time by doing staggered nutrient additions and aerating/degassing.

I just did my first SNA and got quite the carbonation volcano. I tried degassing it first thinking that might help but obviously not. I have a beaker that I put some of the DAP into but that exploded as well.

Should I just add extremely small amounts to the beaker and let the foam settle and then add it to the carboy slowly? Should I be using something with a wider mouth to prevent the carbonation from being pushed into a funnel shape and out the top?

The recipe was 8lbs of local honey with 3 gallons of water and Lalvin D47 yeast and I pitched it on 9/14/2015 (48 hours ago). I've kept my fermentation chamber at 62'F.

(sorry for the potato quality photo. My phone camera has been a POS lately and doesn't like focusing)

 

[valverij]

I degas thoroughly, then sprinkle the nutrients in slowly. There is generally a brief pause, and then you hear the mead start to go crazy (and occasionally foam up). After it calms down, I sprinkle a little more.

Others suggest mixing the nutrients with some spring water or some of your must in a separate container, and then pouring that back in. This should eliminate most, if not all, nucleation points.

I also highly suggest looking into Fermcap-S anti-foam drops. They greatly reduce the amount of foam in primary, and, in my experience, help prevent MEA's by breaking up the foam more rapidly as it forms. There was a pretty recent article about starters that talked about it: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/for-starters-flatulence-flasks-fermcap.html

 

[bob1852]

Do primary fermentation in a 6-7 gallon plastic ale pale.

You can degas and add nutrients without worrying much about an explosion.

After primary fermentation is done, rack to you carboy until it clears, for bulk aging, etc...

 

[TandemTails]

I degas thoroughly, then sprinkle the nutrients in slowly. There is generally a brief pause, and then you hear the mead start to go crazy (and occasionally foam up). After it calms down, I sprinkle a little more.

Others suggest mixing the nutrients with some spring water or some of your must in a separate container, and then pouring that back in. This should eliminate most, if not all, nucleation points.

I also highly suggest looking into Fermcap-S anti-foam drops. They greatly reduce the amount of foam in primary, and, in my experience, help prevent MEA's by breaking up the foam more rapidly as it forms. There was a pretty recent article about starters that talked about it: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/for-starters-flatulence-flasks-fermcap.html

Interesting. I might have to try some of the Fermcap-S in my next batch. I also like the idea of dissolving the nutrients water and then adding that (it'll also help keep things topped up)

Do primary fermentation in a 6-7 gallon plastic ale pale.

You can degas and add nutrients without worrying much about an explosion.

After primary fermentation is done, rack to you carboy until it clears, for bulk aging, etc...

Unfortunately I don't think my ferm chamber is big enough for one of those large pails without altering the freezer compartment (which i guess i should plan on doing eventually anyway).

 

[Yooper]

Do you stir the nutrients in a small sample of the mead, and then add that in after degassing? That prevents the nucleation points that create volcano reactions.

 

[TandemTails]

Do you stir the nutrients in a small sample of the mead, and then add that in after degassing? That prevents the nucleation points that create volcano reactions.

I started to with the mead in the beaker (from the gravity reading) but it pretty much caused an even bigger explosion because of the narrowness of the tube i'm guessing. After that failed, I just added it to the carboy which did the same thing.

at the next SNA I'll just add it slower to the beaker and then pour that slowly into the carboy

 

[bernardsmith]

Best to use a bucket as your primary.

 

[TandemTails]

I just wanted to follow up and let you all know how my SNA #2 went today.

I added my SNA to a few TBSP of water in a sanitized container and then I measured the gravity (1.062, down from 1.090 at SNA #1 and 1.098 OG). I added the water to the mead I tested my gravity with and then slowly poured that into my fermenter. No MEA!