Super Kleer

[CaptainCoJo]

I have a 5 gallon batch of mead that's been sitting in a secondary for at least 5 months and I was gonna use super kleer on it to clear it up. Can I just throw it as it is or do I need to rack it to another container to get rid of the sediment. I know I have to stir it to aerate it.


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[loveofrose]

I have a 5 gallon batch of mead that's been sitting in a secondary for at least 5 months and I was gonna use super kleer on it to clear it up. Can I just throw it as it is or do I need to rack it to another container to get rid of the sediment. I know I have to stir it to aerate it.


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You don't have to rack, but it would help speed things along. You add the first pack and swirl to mix. Let that sit an hour or so, then add the second pack and swirl.

The package says it clears in 24 hours, but I give it 2 weeks to really get the sparkling crystal clear shine I'm after. It almost never works well in 24 hours so expect it to take longer.


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[CaptainCoJo]

Okay so I waited two weeks and I racked it into another carboy. It's still looks very cloudy though. Any suggestions? Here's a pic


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[p4ttythep3rf3ct]

Keep waiting. If it doesn't look any better after a month you could consider sparkalloid hot mix followed by bentonite. But then again, I think that just does pretty much what Super Kleer does (positive charge followed by a negative charge).

However, if it looks even moderately better after a month I think you should just keep waiting.

 

[loveofrose]

I had a batch of meadowfoam that took 3 months. Just give it time.


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[RegarRenill]

Couple of questions:
1. What kind of mead?
2. Any spices, fruits, additives in it or was it a traditional w/just honey and water?
3. What was your starting gravity and your final gravity?
4. How many times have you racked?
5. Have you stabilized with sorbate and kmeta?

Having this information could give a clearer picture of what's going on. For instance, if you used fruit, you could have a pectin haze. Spices could be refusing to fall out of suspension. If it hasn't been stabilized and the FG is over 1.00, you could still be fermenting, especially if you fermented in a cool environment.


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[CaptainCoJo]

It's just a tradition mead with 15 lbs of orange blossom honey and I used lavin 71b-1122 as my yeast along with some nutrient and energizer.
I made a newbie mistake and forgot to write down the beginning gravity but it's almost 1.1 now.
I racked it into my secondary two weeks after I first brewed it(12/02/13) and again right after I made this thread when I put the super kleer in. Then after two weeks I racked it again and I noticed the sediment looked really muddy. So I guess 4 times total? This is the first time I put Campden tablets in since I didn't know they were that important until now. I put about 5 of them in.


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[RegarRenill]

The gravity is 1.1? Not 1.01 or 1.001, but 1.1? Your mead isn't finished fermenting at 1.100. Give it some more nutrients, a good swirl, and see if the sg drops some more. If not, you may have a stuck fermentation. Get another pack of 71b and make a starter. Once it takes off, add about 4-8oz of your must. Give it a few hours and repeat a few times to acclimate the yeast to the gravity and alcohol. Then pitch it in. This *hopefully* restarts your fermentation and drops you down to about 1.000. Once you get to 1.000, hit it with sorbate and kmeta and back sweeten to where you want it.

 

[CaptainCoJo]

False alarm I just suck at reading hydrometers. Good news is that I bought a thief so it'll be a lot easier. It's right at 1.000. So I should try another clearing agent?


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[ruin7734]

Sparkolloid works really well for me...although I usually let my mead clarify on its own. Be sure you use the proper amount, and boil the heck out of it (per package instructions). Add it and wait; which can take up to a month. The difference should be noticeable within 7 hours (take before and after pictures).