When there is no more bubbling in the primary fermenter can I bottle my mead?

[Beer Viking]

Hi everyone,

It's been awhile since I've posted here but I'm looking into making a bulk 5 G batch of mead. When there is no more bubbling in the primary fermenter and I take a reading for gravity and it is around 1.000 is it safe to bottle my mead directly from my primary fermenter or will that make bottle bombs? I just watched a youtube video where someone said that after there is no activity in the primary fermenter you need to put the mead in a secondary fermenter and use some product to halt further fermentation. What do you guys do?

 

[lumpher]

Just because there is no more activity bubbling, that doesn't mean much. It just means you either have a leak or the activity has really slowed. Nothing will take the place of measuring the fg a few days in a row to find out if it's done, other than chemically stabilizing with k-meta and k-sorbate.

 

[CKuhns]

Whrn "bubbling" slows. Check the gravity using a hydrometer. If at or near 1.010 transfer to secondary. Allow it to clear and check the gravity again then again 1 week later if no change then clarify if needed, stabilize if you prefer and bottle.

 

[Srimmey]

Rack it after primary to get it off the gunk, then let it clear before bottling.

 

[Raptor99]

Once I rack my mead into a carboy for secondary/bulk aging, I usually leave it there for at least 6 months. Mead needs to age anyway, and that gives it time to clear naturally.

Then before bottling I will stabilize and backsweeten with honey.

 

[Beer Viking]

Thanks for all of the help everyone. Let me see if I have this straight; After there is no more bubbling I check the SG and then check again in a week and if the SG is the same I can rack it to a second primary fermenter and at this point I add k-meta or k-sorbate? Then I stir this stuff in and let it rest for a week and check the SG again and if it is the same it will be good to bottle?

Thanks again for the help!

 

[Ponder]

Once I rack my mead into a carboy for secondary/bulk aging, I usually leave it there for at least 6 months. Mead needs to age anyway, and that gives it time to clear naturally.

Then before bottling I will stabilize and backsweeten with honey.

When putting in the carboy do you use a bubbler?
Pondering

 

[Raptor99]

When putting in the carboy do you use a bubbler?
Pondering

Yes, for bulk aging you should fill the carboy to the neck so that very little air space remains and put on an airlock. At this point, it is important to avoid exposure to O2.

 

[Ponder]

Yes, for bulk aging you should fill the carboy to the neck so that very little air space remains and put on an airlock. At this point, it is important to avoid exposure to O2.

I do not have a hydrometer. I used one gallon water, one pound honey, one pack of yeast and a little yeast food.

This was done last week and it's clear now. Should I rack? No apparent bubbling. I realize that it is a best guess question but I'm okay with this batch being my first to "fly blind". Thank you so much.

 

[CKuhns]

Yes OK to rack. But certainly doesnt hurt it to wait a bit either.

 

[Ponder]

Yes OK to rack. But certainly doesnt hurt it to wait a bit either.

What's considered a bit?

 

[MightyMosin]

That's actually a good question and not having a hydrometer makes it difficult to know. As an example, I had a mead that stopped with the hydrometer at 1.002 and it sat there for a couple weeks. I then racked it into stainless kegs to sit for a bit.

In this particular instance it had been "stable" on its own for two weeks and I hadn't done any chemical stabilizing on it for reasons that aren't important right now. I checked on it a few weeks later and pulled the pressure relief valve to the CO2 that I normally put in there to displace O2. Boy was there a lot of pressure to release as it had started up again in the keg.

If that had been in a bottle, it would have been guaranteed bottle explosions.

So what is a bit... I would normally say two weeks and then chemically stabilize. Ensure its still at the same place in another two weeks and you are probably good to bottle. I mention the stabilizers as a variety of people don't want to chemically stabilize and you run the risk of bottles exploding.

 

[DBhomebrew]

What's considered a bit?

I typically rack my meads about two weeks after pitch. Mostly done, largely settled, but not quite fully finished nor crystal clear. I'll then bottle when it's crystal clear and when I get around to it maybe 6wks or 6mos later. There's a good amount of lees in there, but I haven't noticed any problems.

 

[Ponder]

Thank y'all
Ponder

 

[seanrndude]

Would you put an entire packet of yeast in for a one gallon brew?

 

[Ponder]

Would you put an entire packet of yeast in for a one gallon brew?

That is the recipe I used being one gallon of water, one pound honey and one pack of d47 yeast/ one teaspoon of yeast food.
Ponder

 

[Barzahl]

Would you put an entire packet of yeast in for a one gallon brew?

You could do a half pack for a gallon but personally I don't like having the other half kicking around in the fridge until my next one gallon brew and worry it might get contaminated so I just use the whole pack. Good luck

 

[DBhomebrew]

There's no danger to over-pitching the yeast.

However, if you're rehydrating your more-than-needed dry yeast with Go-Ferm following the manufacturer's instructions you'll be adding too much nutrients possibly leading to a nasty dead meat flavor.

 

[seanrndude]

Thanks guys, I think I may be under pitching a bit. My one gal have all turned out great but I just stepped up to 4 gal of apple juice, 12 lbs honey with fermaid O x3, with K1- V1116. Slowed to near stop on the gas bubbles after week 3. Added pureed peaches after week 2. Gonna check it at week 4 and see what I got.

 

[MightyMosin]

There's no danger to over-pitching the yeast.

This is true. Also know that the amount of yeast pitched has some minor effect on ester production with a higher amount of yeast producing less esters and a lower yeast pitch producing more esters.

This may be relevant if you were trying something like K1-V1116 at lower temperatures to try and get more esters.

 

[seanrndude]

Wow. You are so far past me. I think I met Ester once at a party but that's as far as it went. (I swear). I know it has to do with possibly enhancing flavors and emulsifiers but I wouldn't attempt to manipulate it on purpose. Just trying to make a beverage that's not toxic.