Meadmisters lend me your ears - headspace fill?

[Snuffalupagus]

after racking my Mead what do i do to fill headspace to replace racking losses? in ciders I wouls simply top up with juice. with mead I'm not sure what to do.

 

[BigKahuna]

I sure like to use c02 from my keg setup....but without that, it's ok to use either water, or a water honey mix.

 

[Snuffalupagus]

I sure like to use c02 from my keg setup....but without that, it's ok to use either water, or a water honey mix.

I used my paintball tank to put a C02 blanket into the gallon carboy before racking, then topped off with additional Co2 on top after - so closing headspace isn't needed if this has been done? just wanna make sure

 

[Brandon O]

I use water.

 

[AnonyBrew]

I recently racked a mead and decided to make a little more must for top off. Honey & Water. Now I just wish the damn thing would clear.

 

[Snuffalupagus]

I use water.

thank you sir - I shall top up with some bottled mineral water.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I never add anything to my brews to reduce the head space. Any CO2 offgassing will do that automatically.

 

[The Blow Leprechaun]

thank you sir - I shall top up with some bottled mineral water.

I would recommend boiling the water first. Bottled water is probably sanitized, but it's also likely got oxygen in it, and you don't want to add that to your mead at this point.

 

[TipsyDragon]

Adding water or more must will delude the mead and lower the alcohol percentage. if this is OK with you then go ahead and fill the head space with water or must. If not use CO2. you can buy a tank online or at your local home brew store. you will need a special cap to allow for the air in the carboy to escape while you pump in the CO2. this can also be found online or at your home brew store.

if you don't want to go through the trouble of getting, storing, and refilling the CO2 canister you can do like i do and use dry ice. after you have sanitized everything your going to use to rack the mead; carboy, racking cane, tubing, stopper, airlock, etc. and before you start you siphon hop in the car and go get a block of dry ice. you wont need much a pound is way more than enough. when you get home brake off a chunk (don't touch it with your hands) and drop it in a glass of warm water. this will produce a spooky fog effect. the fog is CO2 and water vapor. now start your siphon and start poring the fog and ONLY the fog into the destination carboy. keep this up until you are just about to put the stopper and airlock on the carboy. the airlock will keep air from getting in and most of the CO2 from getting out. if you are worried about leakage just repeat the process again and top off.

 

[dudasaj]

I use little glass beads. Like the ones that go in the bottom of aquariums. Keep them soaking in sanitizing solution. Pull them out, hot rinse, and a clean paper towel. Then lightly drop them in.

 

[AnonyBrew]

I use little glass beads. Like the ones that go in the bottom of aquariums. Keep them soaking in sanitizing solution. Pull them out, hot rinse, and a clean paper towel. Then lightly drop them in.

That's a neat idea.