Mead Fermentation Questions

[Melwyn]

Hi everyone, so nice meet you'll & to be here! I am so glad I found, this place! Say, I want to make 5 gallons of Mead and I could use some help because I have never made it before, so I might have a ton of questions before I am thru making it!
To start, I ordered an Anvil stainless steel fermentation tank because I thought that might be easier for me than a glass carboy because I am not very strong and it has handles. I know I ferment my primary batch in here for approximately a month or so.
Here is where I get confused:
After the first primary fermentation is over in the Anvil, can I put it in an oak barrel to age at this point, or do I siphon the primary into another container to do a secondary fermentation just in case there is more fermenting that needs done?
Also, after I age my Mead in my oak barrel (perhaps for a year or so?) I am wondering if I bottle it now? Or do I leave it in the oak barrel? These are just a few things I am wondering on.
I sure do appreciate any advice and thank you kindly for your help!
Melwyn

 

[piojo]

Hi, Melwyn. I can tell you're trying hard to do it the right way, and that is great. I cut a ton of corners when I started, and my mead didn't become good until I stopped.

So I've been doing this several years, but only 1-2 years with regularity and less corner-cutting. My opinion is that secondary and barrel aging are advanced techniques. It's not that newbies are too lazy. Rather, if you are going to use secondary and/or barrel aging, you need to have a good handle on how to manage oxygen exposure, and probably a feel for how much is okay. As far as I know, oxygen would either be managed by purging your new container with inert gas, or absorbing the oxygen with potassium metabisulfite. But sulfites need to be measured--if your sulfites are not perfectly fresh, you'll be wondering whether you used too little or too much.

In an oak barrel, you need to worry about sanitization as well. Coincidentally, I think metabisulfite is also the main sanitizer for oak barrels. But dealing with the barrel is a whole second project (which is entirely optional).

If you are using a "friendly" yeast (a beer yeast?), don't rack. Just leave it alone for a month, then bottle. Which yeast are you planning on using? Or are you flexible? (I don't know which yeasts require racking, or how long you have before off-flavors start to occur, but others on this forum will know.)

If you must rack, you can either use a smaller container so there is no head space (little oxygen to be absorbed), or you can take up the extra space in the container by adding something sanitary like HDPE balls or food-safe marbles. But I'd skip secondary and bottle directly if you can. Until you're more comfortable worrying about (or ignoring) oxygen.

 

[Melwyn]

Thanks so much for the reply and advice! I will surely ponder over my options before I jump into it! I am currently watching YouTube videos on Mead making and lots of reading online. I plan on getting a good book on Mead making too. Thanks so much once again!

 

[bernardsmith]

Hiya Melwyn - and welcome.
You might also consider making a one gallon batch as your first attempt. Honey is not inexpensive and making five gallons as your first attempt may mean that you have to struggle to quaff 30 wine bottles of barely drinkable stuff that might be better lining your drains than your stomach.

Your money and your time, of course, but I would suggest that you focus your efforts on making what is called a traditional mead - honey, water and yeast (with nutrients). Nothing else. When you make a naked mead there is nothing to mask problems and mistakes. You can taste all the off flavors caused by poor protocol. But that mans you can then focus on your methods and begin to make good mead. Batches of which you wish you had made five gallons. But then you know then how to make five gallons of very drinkable mead - and the world of flavors , of fruit (melomels) and spices (metheglyns) is your oyster.

Making a good mead is not rocket science but it is mead making and if you have never made a mead then it does take a little practice - it is more like making a loaf of bread at 75% hydration than one at 65%. There are a few considerations that practice improves. Just sayin'

 

[Melwyn]

Thanks so much for your help and advice!