Uncorking and recorking carbonated bottles

[jonalexdeval]

I did my first mead about a year ago (it was an orange blossom kurt and Cathy's kit from northern brewer). I followed the instructions at the time and took gravity readings, etc., and it's now tasting pretty good in the bottles.

One minor problem: it's supposed to be a sweet mead, and it is... but the last two bottles I've opened have been lightly carbonated! I guess the yeasts have decided to restart. It's not significant carbonation by any means, but enough to tell that it's lightly so when tasted after opening.

So I assume I can pop all the corks and re-cork with new, sulfited corks. But will this really release much carbonation? Seems like I don't really have a choice since it's in regular wine bottles. It will release some, but I guess I'll just have to do it and hope it stops soon.

It's Lalvin 71B with OG of 1.112 and FG of 1.030... 15 lbs. honey in 5 gal, etc. as per kit instructions.

 

[jonalexdeval]

Well, I just went down and did it. Was pretty easy with a bench uncorker and corker. All were mildly carbonated like clockwork. But I popped a bottle on the rest of my meads and none were carbonated so it appears to be an isolated incident. Long aging appears to be recommended...

 

[biochemedic]

Assuming you didn't degas your mead aggressively, sometimes a very light, petulant carbonation can just be from residual dissolved CO2 from the fermentation...it doesn't *necessarily* mean bottle re-fermentation. Did you stabilize the mead before bottling? What was your FG, yeast strain, and final ABV?

 

[jonalexdeval]

FG was 1.030, 71B, with ABV of about 14% I think. I didn't stabilize that first batch, no. It was my first mead and the kit instructions said just bottle after 3 months in tertiary. I guess you may be right... I didn't think about residual CO2. Anyway I recorked as it was pretty easy.

 

[biochemedic]

1.030 sure does give plenty of sugar to continue to referment, but 71B tops out at 14%, so I don't think you'll go too much further even if your carbonation is due to a small amount of continued fermentation.