Should I rack it?

[merc82]

Hey all,

Started my first melomel mead the first of this month. (Nov 1) My recipe was for 1 gallon and I used the following:

3 pounds of local wildflower honey
1 navel orange
15 Sunmaid golden raisins
1 .0176 oz packet of champaign yeast

I did not get to technical with checking the original gravity being this is my first time. Kind of a crash course for me. I was thinking I should rack the mead by now, but I think there is still activity. Very slow bubbling in the airlock still (1 bubble a minute maybe). I am just concerned about the fruit and oxdiation. I was going to rack it into smaller containers to reduce headspace as well. Should I let it sit a while longer?

 

[myndflyte]

Bubbles in the airlock doesn't really signify that things are still fermenting. There is CO2 dissolved in there from fermentation and most likely that is slowly being released. I'd say at almost a month now, it's probably good to rack.

 

[bernardsmith]

Hi merc82 ,What's the gravity? That tells you when to rack. Bubbles are babble and tell you zilch. And I would say that a mead or wine can still be actively fermenting longer than one month. Much depends on the ambient temperature, the amount (or lack) of nutrients (raisins have next to none and the orange will have none and the honey has none..), the concentration of sugars and the number of viable yeast cells pitched...

 

[merc82]

Thanks for the replies. As for the gravity now..... I haven't checked as of yet. I will check when I move it. It has been fermenting around the 70-75° F range. I know it probably should be a little colder. I have it in one of the cabinets in my kitchen. The raisins were just recommended by a person I know who has been making large batches of mead for a while. As soon as my bottles get here ( probably tommorrow), I will be moving it over to sit for a bit.