Secondary Containers?

[DCFDPipeman]

Hi, just getting into the mead madness.. When adding fruit to the secondary, what is everyone's preferred container/carboy? I am following 1-gal basic BOMM recipe and only adding fruit to the secondary. It seems like adding in 5lbs of fruit into a glass container is going to be tough.. My plan is to use a bag like others have mentioned as well for the fruit (blackberry mead and a peach mead)

I have 2 gallon food grade containers for my primary and wonder if this is fine for secondary with all the added fruit? Of course, I will rack off the primary into another 2gal plastic container, airlock, etc.. My thoughts are 2 weeks in secondary..

Thoughts?

What a great site and especially a big thanks to @loveofrose for his amazing guidance on my first batch.. truly enjoying all of this!

 

[JimRausch]

I also do 1G batches. When I add fruit, I start in a 5 G brewing bucket, with the fruit in a BIAB meshbag. I leave the fruit in there for 4-7 days then pull the bag with the remaining pulp. Then when it's finished fermenting I rack to a 1G glass jug with an airlock. Helps limit the amount of sediment on the bottom, and means that my rackings are 2-3 instead of 5-6 until everything is clear.
I think a 2 gallon food-grade bucket will work just fine.
By the way- my Blackberry/Apricot melomel from last year may be the best thing I've ever done. I just bottled the Blueberry Cyser from this year, and that may give the Blackberry a run for the money!

 

[JimRausch]

Oh, fruit amounts: I used 3 lb of Blueberries this year. The blackberry/apricot used 2 lb blackberries and about 1/2 lb dried apricots. The peach wine (which did use enough honey to call it a melomel)= 7 lb of peaches. Prickly pear used PP syrup- no cactus in Maine.

 

[SKBugs]

If I’m doing a melomel I start in a bucket for primary with fruit added in a BIAB. I then rack into another bucket for secondary. All my buckets have spigots on the bottom for ease of use.
I then taste a couple of drops every other day or so, to figure out my next move. From there I may had more fruit or essences or whatever. The key is be conservative in your additions until you reach the balance you want. There’s no rush in secondary so take your time.
When I am happy with the taste and gravity etc I rack to glass carboys to age.
So far so good.

 

[Seamonkey84]

I put it in buckets if I want to add fruit. When I added fruit to secondary, I’ll either wait for primary to finish and just rack the whole carboy (lees and all), it lets the yeast work on the fruit a bit to make it more wine like but still have more if the fresh fruit flavor. If you just want to flavor the mead, then rack once it’s clear (stabilize if you want it to be sweetened by the fruit) and add fruit or juice to it.

 

[DCFDPipeman]

Awesome all! I was hoping I was on the right track thinking I can use my buckets.. they have tight lids and an airlock installed.. I have 4lbs of blackberry and 6lbs of peaches ready.. all being frozen first..

So after I rack the primary into a clean bucket, I have the option to stabilize or not? I plan on back sweetening to taste with honey/water.. but I assume some of the fruit will continue to ferment with the remaining lees? Are there potential mistakes? Should I continue to de-gas?

Is there any issues with head-space in the bucket while doing secondary? Ive read a lot on here about its an issue vs dont worry about it.. when they go to glass carboys, I will definitely fill to appropriate level.

Thanks for clearing up some steps!

 

[DCFDPipeman]

Oh, fruit amounts: I used 3 lb of Blueberries this year. The blackberry/apricot used 2 lb blackberries and about 1/2 lb dried apricots. The peach wine (which did use enough honey to call it a melomel)= 7 lb of peaches. Prickly pear used PP syrup- no cactus in Maine.

Man, all of that sounds great! thanks for your help!

 

[JimRausch]

So after I rack the primary into a clean bucket, I have the option to stabilize or not?

Don't try to stabilize until the fermentation is completely finished and most of the lees have been racked off. Metabisulphite and sorbate work best when there is very little yeast left in suspension. If you are adding fruit in the secondary, then don't stabilize first. There will be a true secondary fermentation after you add the fruit.
Also, if you add the fruit and get that 2nd fermentation, then headspace is not a big deal- you're producing more CO2. It's when you rack it to age that you want as little headspace as possible (to prevent oxidation).

 

[DCFDPipeman]

Don't try to stabilize until the fermentation is completely finished and most of the lees have been racked off. Metabisulphite and sorbate work best when there is very little yeast left in suspension. If you are adding fruit in the secondary, then don't stabilize first. There will be a true secondary fermentation after you add the fruit.
Also, if you add the fruit and get that 2nd fermentation, then headspace is not a big deal- you're producing more CO2. It's when you rack it to age that you want as little headspace as possible (to prevent oxidation).

Thanks for clearing that part up!

 

[Blacksmith1]

Pectic enzyme will allow your brew to extract more juice/flavor from your fruit.

 

[DCFDPipeman]

Pectic enzyme will allow your brew to extract more juice/flavor from your fruit.

Thank you!

 

[Seamonkey84]

Pectic enzyme will allow your brew to extract more juice/flavor from your fruit.

Plus helps it clear, pectin will leave a hazy wine.

 

[DCFDPipeman]

Here they are (BOMM).. plastic one has 4lbs of blackberry in a paint-strain bag w/glass marbles.. this is a 2gal food grade pale with a tight lid, air lock.. Not as much head space I thought it might have been, so pretty happy. I have 2 more plastic carboys with 6lbs of peaches, same method.. The 1gal glass carboy has 1 vanilla stick in it, nothing else... next week I place some medium toasted oak balls (2).. plan on racking fruit in 14days.. I'll cold crash the glass carboy in 14days.