Mead update

[Moose53]

I started my first ever batch April 4. It's been about 72 hours, and I think fermentation is going strong. Airlock is releasing bubbles every 3 seconds or so.

As I'm new, I'm worried I did/am doing something wrong. I know I need to rerack when fermentation starts slowing down, but I'm already seeing sediment building up at the bottom and am wondering if I should rerack earlier than I thought I'd need to (thought I'd have 2 weeks before doing secondary). I've attached photos to show where I'm at.

 

[madscientist451]

Are you adding yeast nutrient and de-gassing? No need to rack now, sitting in primary for a month (or months) won't hurt anything.

 

[Moose53]

I added nutrient right at the beginning, but nothing since. The airlock is releasing gas, if that's what you mean by degassing?

 

[homebrewer_99]

Well, technically it is, but to degas you need to stir it a bit to get the CO2 out of solution.

Just let it sit a month (or more), the longer the better for clearing. You can degas after you rack.

 

[bernardsmith]

Forget about counting bubbles. Forget about racking when the action "slows down". You need an hydrometer and you need to measure the specific gravity of the mead. When the gravity drops to about 1.005 whether the airlock is bubbling like a boiling kettle or is quiet as a puddle in the street.

The reason for racking is to ensure that there is no headroom once active fermentation stops and it will stop when there is no residual sugar left to speak of (a gravity of 1.000 or less). "Racking" is too ambiguous a word. You need to rack into a narrow necked container - carboy - and have the container so full that the liquid is right up into the neck.

Rack too early and you stand a good chance of removing too many yeast cells too soon and so you stall the fermentation. Rack too late and while the risk is small, you stand the risk of allowing the mead to oxidize. Get an hydrometer. They cost about $10.00. It's the only tool a wine maker really needs.