Potassium sorbate in a sweet mead - Is it necessary?

[Undead8]

I just started fermenting a sweet mead.

If all goes well, the final gravity should be about 1.018 when the yeast will reach its maximum alcohol tolerance.

I’m planning to leave it in the carboy at least a month after there is no more bubble in the airlock to make sure that no more fermentation is happening. I plan to not carbonate it and bottle it in normal wine bottles.

My question is: Is it necessary to use Potassium sorbate or other yeast neutralizer before bottling? I would like to avoid it. What’s the risk that fermentation will start again after bottling if I don’t use it?

 

[JJack887]

Provided fermentation is complete, there's no need unless you plan to further sweeten it. I've never used it myself since all my meads are dry.

 

[stella_tigre]

You could always bottle a "test" soda bottle, filled almost to the top, and squeeze out the extra air. If it does not inflate, your other bottles should be fine. If it does inflate....

I've done that when I'm not expecting things to start up again, like a cyser or mead. That way, if it does start up again you can always uncap/uncork and recap/recork. I've done this ever since one cyser, which I thought was done, started up again and popped corks, spewing cyser all over our cool storage area.....I think the handling of bottling can occasionally get things going again - maybe because of a little oxygen getting in?

 

[NyQuil]

My question is: Is it necessary to use Potassium sorbate or other yeast neutralizer before bottling? I would like to avoid it. What’s the risk that fermentation will start again after bottling if I don’t use it?

You only need to use potassium sorbate and potassium metabisulfite if your mead finished dry and you add honey to backsweeten it.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

You only need to use potassium sorbate and potassium metabisulfite if your mead finished dry and you add honey to backsweeten it.

This is untrue; an increase in temperature is all yeast need to wake up and referment beyond their listed ABV tolerance (which are only rough numbers anyways since a well treated yeast can shoot 2-3 points over). I'm speaking from experience here.

In addition, since we're coming out of Winter, I'd strongly recommend stabilizing your meads that have residual sugars in them, even if they've been dormant all winter. Just a few degrees can be enough.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Undead8]

In addition, since we're coming out of Winter, I'd strongly recommend stabilizing your meads that have residual sugars in them, even if they've been dormant all winter. Just a few degrees can be enough.

Just my 2 cents.

The temperature in the room is stable at 21 C. I intend to cold crash at 15 C for a month or two.

However, I do not know how the mead will be stored once it’s bottle, since I will be giving some bottles away. Maybe it will be stored at temperature above 21 C. If that’s the case, I understand that it could start the yeast back and ferment a little more.

Do you have a preferred method to stabilize mead?

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

The temperature in the room is stable at 21 C. I intend to cold crash at 15 C for a month or two.

However, I do not know how the mead will be stored once it’s bottle, since I will be giving some bottles away. Maybe it will be stored at temperature above 21 C. If that’s the case, I understand that it could start the yeast back and ferment a little more.

Do you have a preferred method to stabilize mead?

I use the Potassium Sorbate and metabisulfite combo. One prevents current yeast from producing alcohol, and the other stops reproduction, effectively stabilizing the mead.

If you do choose to not stabilize, I'd store them refrigerated until opened.

I had some mead that finished sweet at the yeasts alcohol tolerance, and was storing them in my wine cellar at 55F. I bought myself some nice red wine and raised it to 58F. Two days later the mead shot its cork, and its contents all over the bar. Not one of my best days.

From that point on I've always taken the better safe than sorry approach.