Opinions on this label

[sonofgrok]

Just thought it would be fun to get everyone's opinion on this label for my upcoming mead. Non-commercial product, I am just bottling it for myself and friends but like to make it fairly professional looking for my own entertainment. I am completely open to input. I am thinking of following this one up with a braggot called "Nordic Braggart Braggot". Image is not my artwork (I wish). I found it here http://media.photobucket.com/image/odin+/JonnyE777/odin.jpg

 

[Larso]

Looks great, but whats with the preservative? Is that standard practice for meads? Ive never brewed one. Whats EC1118 also. I've always meant to do labels but never found the time, I just use a sharpie on the lid.

 

[sonofgrok]

Looks great, but whats with the preservative? Is that standard practice for meads? Ive never brewed one. Whats EC1118 also. I've always meant to do labels but never found the time, I just use a sharpie on the lid.

It is more than a preservative. What potassium sorbate also does is arrest fermentation and yeast growth prior to bottling, improving the aging of the mead and helping avoid off flavors. It is completely safe and benign and is used a lot in wine making. It also protects from microbial growth. I don't know if its standard practice for meads (this is my first one) but it is something I picked up in organic chemistry when distilling ethanol and also in researching wine making.

EC1118 is the yeast I used so I have record of it. It is a high alcohol champagne yeast.

 

[fatbloke]

It is more than a preservative. What potassium sorbate also does is arrest fermentation and yeast growth prior to bottling, improving the aging of the mead and helping avoid off flavors. It is completely safe and benign and is used a lot in wine making. It also protects from microbial growth. I don't know if its standard practice for meads (this is my first one) but it is something I picked up in organic chemistry when distilling ethanol and also in researching wine making.

EC1118 is the yeast I used so I have record of it. It is a high alcohol champagne yeast.

Potassium Sorbate doesn't arrest fermentation. It prevents further multiplication of the yeast cells. It should be used in conjuction with Potassium/Sodium sulphite.

The sulphite stuns the yeast cells and the sorbate....as above.

Using just the sorbate element, leaves you open to the production of a by product that has the aroma of geraniums (known, I believe, as geraniols). If you got that, then you'd have a fault/off flavour, which I understand, isn't removable and the batch would need to be dumped.

I can't say for other places, but with wines, spirits, beers etc, here, I think (could be wrong) that the only substance that requires mention on a label is the sulphites, as some people are sensitive and they've been known to cause issues for asthmatics....(hence the legal requirement)

Nice art work though. Almost too good for "just" a label. Looking at it, its as if it needs to be on A4 or larger, to really appreciate the artistic merits.

 

[sonofgrok]

Fatbloke, I would rather not add any sulfites. We used sorbate in the lab to test different alcohol yields on mash (an assignment, not to be consumed). Would you recommend leaving it out then? Is there another good path to longevity? I plan on having some of the bottles for a long time. Some other forum members have told me that keeping mead for a long time is not a problem. I would definitely prefer to avoid geraniums

 

[fatbloke]

Fatbloke, I would rather not add any sulfites. We used sorbate in the lab to test different alcohol yields on mash (an assignment, not to be consumed). Would you recommend leaving it out then? Is there another good path to longevity? I plan on having some of the bottles for a long time. Some other forum members have told me that keeping mead for a long time is not a problem. I would definitely prefer to avoid geraniums

Sulphites are produced naturally by fermentation (though the ones you'd normally add, would be likely artificially produced as the natural ones wouldn't be concentrated enough).

The reason for adding both, I've already quoted. The sulphites dissipate naturally over time. If you had to add only one chem for preserving etc, then it would be best to use sulphites, as they have little to no down side. Whereas getting it wrong with just sorbate can "kill" the brew (and materials/money investment in the brew).

Yes, meads can last for years bottled, provided they're high enough alcohol. If you wanted to go "au naturel" with them, they're best bottled in champagne/sparkling wine bottles, because they can withstand many times the pressure, whereas standard Bordeaux type (or Burgundy type for that matter) are only designed for still wines.

Hell, even beer bottles would be safer than standard wine bottles.

All of the above depends on the point that the mead has got too. Yes, it'd be great if we didn't have to bother with chems, specific bottle types (for safety) etc etc, but unless you make "Sack Meads" (strong, sweet meads), and start with a gravity that will produce about the 12% ABV mark, then as it ferments, you step feed honey, allowing the ferment to progress, until it hits a point where you've exceeded the alcohol tolerance for the yeast and obtain a consistent FG (some of the best yeasts will go to 16 or 18% plus a little). What you've done there would be to produce a mead that has enough alcohol that it prevents the yeast fermenting any further. So that you could get away without using chems, though I'd still use sulphites, as a "belt and braces" thing.

It's one of those things, we get hung up on some things, especially stuff like "organic", but that can make producing some stuff very hard, unless you really want to move back to using methods/techniques similar to those mentioned in historic documents. If that is the case, then don't be surprised to have some failures. Stuff like stuck ferments, or even acetobacter getting in and turning whole batches to vinegar.

 

[sonofgrok]

Yeah, I am aware that sulfites occur naturally. I just find for me that more sulfites = more next day headaches. For this reason, I avoid certain wines. I think I will try adding a little bit of potassium metabisulite to the mix then prior to bottling ~30ppm SO2 or so. I am a little worried about ruining the flavor now though with the sorbate. This is my first time attempting to make a consumable alcohol. I am not planning on sweetening the mead so maybe the sorbate is a foregone conclusion.

 

[fatbloke]

Yeah, I am aware that sulfites occur naturally. I just find for me that more sulfites = more next day headaches. For this reason, I avoid certain wines. I think I will try adding a little bit of potassium metabisulite to the mix then prior to bottling ~30ppm SO2 or so. I am a little worried about ruining the flavor now though with the sorbate. This is my first time attempting to make a consumable alcohol. I am not planning on sweetening the mead so maybe the sorbate is a foregone conclusion.

Well 1 crushed campden tablet usually gives about 50 ppm. The whole point of stabilising is that it prevents any residual sugars from starting to referment, which it can do some time after the brew has been cleared and bottled. It's a safety measure, that just happens to allow you to back sweeten if you wanted to. Most of the sulphites dissipate into any airspace between the liquid and bottle stopper, and if you leave a corked bottle long enough, they will also pass through the cork over time.

If you read up on it, sulphites are only known to cause possible respiratory issues with asthmatics who are sensitive. The headaches are more likely to come from the actual wines/beers/spirits.

For instance, with spirits, you get less headache/hangover from "clear" spirits i.e. gin and vodka, because of the way they're distilled/made. Whereas you get higher/more of that with whiskey and brandy, because the esters and cogeners that are removed from gin/vodka, are actually part of what makes brandy/whiskey taste as it does.

You should likely be fine with your batch/brew, but the geraniols issue is one that is a known problem when just using sorbate. So if you did experience it, you know why and what the likely cause is. I suspect you've been conscientious with your sanitising, which is good and helps prevent problems.

Just run with it as is, if that how you want to progress, just that 50 ppm is a relatively small amount, known to be safe.

 

[ectoplasmicfunk]

Artwork looks fantastic. The font is a little distracting and hard to read towards the bottom, even though I think it works for the title. I would use something less scripty/stylized for the bottom, though. www.dafont.com has some great free-to-use fonts if you need extras.

 

[jcam91]

Cool label. On a side note woo hoo for another Albuquerque brewer! Would love to try your mead sometime.