Not clear - whats next?

[Monsieur Abeille]

OK, now I'm feeling a bit of a fool for thinking this mead making was all straightforward.

I started two demijohns something less than a month ago, it was bubbling, but is no more, and isn't remotely clear either.

So - do I take the plunge and syphon it into new demijohns (or bottles?), throw it away, feed it with more yeast, or something else?

Sorry if this is a daft question, but there is no yeast makers beginners section (yet).

 

[protheroe]

rack it off the waste into demi johns and leave it to clear,this can take a long time unless you use wine finings to clear it which will do it in about 24 hours.some say finings can change the flavour but my taste buds arent good enough to tell the difference

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

rack it off the waste into demi johns and leave it to clear,this can take a long time unless you use wine finings to clear it which will do it in about 24 hours.some say finings can change the flavour but my taste buds arent good enough to tell the difference

Thanks - I think I saw some discussion about not leaving too much air space, is that relevant here? I'm guessing that the two demijohns, which are currently about 90% full will be 70% after syphoning off (after dfiscarding slices of oranges and god knows what)

 

[protheroe]

it is said that oxidation will spoil it.i have a half full demi of blackberry from last year and i think it tastes better with the air space.then again its 17%so thats probably helped it.not sure how mead would cope,maybe you could top it up with a nice white.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Filtered off into new demijohns, and I was very pleasantly surprised with the taste. No idea if it will improve, but I'm going to exercise restraint and not bottle it until close to December. No finings applied as yet, will wait and see if it clears further of its own accord. Gravity was around 1010. Decided against diluting it further to fill up the dj.

Thanks for your help

 

[dclewis]

To fill the airspace you could always insert a clensed plastic bag into the neck of the demijohn and then fill the bag with water so displacing the air above the mead, then close off the plastic bag and bung the demijohn. You need to be certain that fermentation has stopped though.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

To fill the airspace you could always insert a clensed plastic bag into the neck of the demijohn and then fill the bag with water so displacing the air above the mead, then close off the plastic bag and bung the demijohn. You need to be certain that fermentation has stopped though.

Like it!

 

[psafloyd]

OK, now I'm feeling a bit of a fool for thinking this mead making was all straightforward.

I started two demijohns something less than a month ago, it was bubbling, but is no more, and isn't remotely clear either.

So - do I take the plunge and syphon it into new demijohns (or bottles?), throw it away, feed it with more yeast, or something else?

Sorry if this is a daft question, but there is no yeast makers beginners section (yet).

I made two batches of mead. One with my honey which is pretty clear, and another with (mostly) borage which is anything but, ironically.

Clearing can take a long time with any fermented beverage, so sit tight and let it do it's thing. You can always rack off the mead from the bottle (get some syphon tubing) if it doesn't fully clear.

 

[MuswellMetro]

I made two batches of mead. One with my honey which is pretty clear, and another with (mostly) borage which is anything but, ironically.

Clearing can take a long time with any fermented beverage, so sit tight and let it do it's thing. You can always rack off the mead from the bottle (get some syphon tubing) if it doesn't fully clear.

i think it is stuck, often happens with mead when you put all the honey in at once, gets some fast yeast that tolerates high alcohol, mix it with diluted honey/your mead/strong Tea and once it start fermenting add back to your mead

I add my honey in several stages during fermentation rather than all at once,i also I add a stewed teabag to the demi john but that's not a normal approach just mine as when i forgot to add tanning one year i got good results by adding the tea bag later (and I won the mead prize at our show)

 

[psafloyd]

i think it is stuck, often happens with mead when you put all the honey in at once, gets some fast yeast that tolerates high alcohol, mix it with diluted honey/your mead/strong Tea and once it start fermenting add back to your mead

I add my honey in several stages during fermentation rather than all at once,i also I add a stewed teabag to the demi john but that's not a normal approach just mine as when i forgot to add tanning one year i got good results by adding the tea bag later (and I won the mead prize at our show)

Mine hasn't stuck, MM, as fermentation was complete in one go, no false starts. On this occasion at least.

M Abeille, did you use a hydrometer to determine original gravity? If not, I recommend you invest the few quid to get one as they are invaluable at times like this.

 

[einsteinagogo]

OK, now I'm feeling a bit of a fool for thinking this mead making was all straightforward.

I started two demijohns something less than a month ago, it was bubbling, but is no more, and isn't remotely clear either.

So - do I take the plunge and syphon it into new demijohns (or bottles?), throw it away, feed it with more yeast, or something else?

Sorry if this is a daft question, but there is no yeast makers beginners section (yet).

last year, I left my ferment out, until stopped, and then left, it cleared completely I never thought it would after 2-3 months, and then I bottled after checking SG.

 

[wessexmario]

thinking of ways to remove the air space without diluting the mead or using a balloon;
I had though of using an air filled balloon, but the same problem occurs as would with a water filled balloon, how to successfully tie it off and maintain the air seal without either dropping the balloon into the bottle or tearing the external part of the balloon when fitting the cap/cork ?


option 1. If you had some inert solid material like glass beads, you could drop as many as you need into the bottle to displace the air.

option 2. pour it into one or more smaller containers.