Will my mead clarify

[RAMBO3602]

Hi all, Racked my straight mead several times in a quite a short time and no more sludge in the bottom. My mead is a very dark orange colour and im wondering if it will eventually clear. I used a combination of buckwheat and wildflower and thought maybee its the buckwheat that may stop it from clearing. Any advice appreciated. Im an absolute noob. ive had a gud few glasses and it tastes absolutely amazing

 

[saramc]

It should clear. Not quite sure when you started it, but you need to make sure it is 75F and degassed, then drop temp to 60-65F for two weeks and you should see clearing. Another option is degassing and fining with SuperKleer, egg whites, etc. But time has always taken care of it for me.

 

[fatbloke]

as saramc says or if you have enough fridge space, then just cold crash the whole lot for a week or so.....

 

[siroiszoo]

I have a JAOM started 7/6/12 with a D47 yeast and a JAOM base/Chai mead with a lalvin 1118 yeast started 9/9/12. Both have been racked twice each and forgotten in a dark controlled environment and still have not clarified.

(Had 3 others made the same recipe & in between the dates mentioned above that clarified quickly and finally went to bottle 3/30/13. They all taste great IMHO.)

Not sure what to do for the the two that are still cloudy.

refrigerate for a week??? add Sparkaloid??? Rack and leave alone longer????

 

[saramc]

I have a JAOM started 7/6/12 with a D47 yeast and a JAOM base/Chai mead with a lalvin 1118 yeast started 9/9/12. Both have been racked twice each and forgotten in a dark controlled environment and still have not clarified.

(Had 3 others made the same recipe & in between the dates mentioned above that clarified quickly and finally went to bottle 3/30/13. They all taste great IMHO.)

Not sure what to do for the the two that are still cloudy.

refrigerate for a week??? add Sparkaloid??? Rack and leave alone longer????

Are they degassed? What temp are you storing at? Any sediment on bottoms?
Did you add pectic enzyme if you have fruit on board?

 

[siroiszoo]

Are they degassed? What temp are you storing at? Any sediment on bottoms?
Did you add pectic enzyme if you have fruit on board?

Degassed? I imagine so. No activity in the airlocks for months.

Temp: average temp between 65 - 70 degrees

Sediment is on the bottom. It was on the bottom of all 5 of the gallon carboys; even after the second rack.

No enzymes were added; the 1st mead which did not clear was a straight JAOM. The 2nd was a JAOM base with a strong chai tea & 1 tsp of nutrient added to the initial ferment but nothing after the 1st & 2nd rack.

All fruit was removed during 1st rack on both.

 

[saramc]

Per siroiszoo:

Degassed? I imagine so. No activity in the airlocks for months.
RESPONSE: LACK OF AIRLOCK ACTIVITY HAS NO BEARING ON DETERMINING IF A FERMENT IS DEGASSED. THE CO2 REMAINS DISSOLVED IN SOLUTION, ESPECIALLY THE RANGE YOU INDICATE BELOW.

Temp: average temp between 65 - 70 degrees

Sediment is on the bottom. It was on the bottom of all 5 of the gallon carboys; even after the second rack.
RESPONSE: IF SEDIMENT IS PRESENT, YOU SHOULD CONSIDER RACKING ABOUT EVERY 60 DAYS UNTIL WINE IS DEGASSED, CLEAR AND NO LONGER DROPPING SEDIMENT.

No enzymes were added; the 1st mead which did not clear was a straight JAOM. The 2nd was a JAOM base with a strong chai tea & 1 tsp of nutrient added to the initial ferment but nothing after the 1st & 2nd rack. All fruit was removed during 1st rack on both.
RESPONSE: SINCE THIS WAS A JAOM VARIANT I WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE INCLINED TO USE PECTIC ENZYME SINCE FRUIT WAS IN THE BATCH. NO IDEA WHY OTHER BATCHES OF EXACT RECIPE MADE IN BETWEEN THESE DATES ARE CLEAR BUT THESE ARE NOT, BUT VARIANCES DO HAPPEN. IF IT IS STILL DROPPING SEDIMENT AFTER RACKING IT IS IN NO WAY READY FOR BOTTLING.

SARA (my apologies for all caps)

 

[siroiszoo]

obviously I don't understand the term "degassed".

I know that the sg has quit dropping

On one batch it started out at 1.150; now it stopped at 1.008.

On the other batch it started out at 1.086; it stopped at .996 or .994. (was hard to read; probly .995)

I did rack both of the gallon jars and will wait to see if any more yeast settles out.

 

[Delaney]

obviously I don't understand the term "degassed".

I know that the sg has quit dropping

On one batch it started out at 1.150; now it stopped at 1.008.

On the other batch it started out at 1.086; it stopped at .996 or .994. (was hard to read; probly .995)

I did rack both of the gallon jars and will wait to see if any more yeast settles out.

sounds like you have a stuck fermentation. It shouldn't be at 1.008.

I have two batches of mead that have been fermenting for 6 months. I used the same honey, the same water, the same yeast. One of them is crystal clear, the other is still very murky. I've been told that sometimes it's just the size of the moon that makes the difference (not really).