Back sweetening question?

[Vandall]

I have a question for the pro's about back sweetening. How do you mix the honey in the mead without oxygenating it? Am I making this more difficult than it needs to be?

Thanks in advance,

Vandall

 

[TAKeyser]

I have a question for the pro's about back sweetening. How do you mix the honey in the mead without oxygenating it? Am I making this more difficult than it needs to be?

Thanks in advance,

Vandall

I back-sweeten when I rack so the way I do it is I mix a small amount of water and honey and pour that into the carboy I will be racking into. I than rack onto the mixture and the action of the racking usually does a good job of mixing it together then I just give it a gentle stir just to insure a good mix.

 

[TAKeyser]

don't forget to stabilize before hand

 

[Honey]

can you please explain "stabilize"? Thanks -

Honey

 

[wayneb]

Stabilizing is the term we give to the process of making sure that yeast (or spoilage organisms) are rendered inactive, typically before bottling a mead with residual sweetness. Stabilization is usually done by most home meadmakers with appropriate doses of metabisulphite and sorbate, but it can also be done by sterile filtration, using no chemicals.

 

[Gespacho]

I've heard that after back sweetening that the mead gets cloudy again (not sure since I like to drink mine bone dry). Is letting it age for a while the best way to clear it up again?

 

[TAKeyser]

I've heard that after back sweetening that the mead gets cloudy again (not sure since I like to drink mine bone dry). Is letting it age for a while the best way to clear it up again?

I usually back-sweeten before I set it aside for long-term bulk aging as you are adding ingredients that could cause a haze. Even if you do drink it dry the addition of the stabilizing agents will help slow down the effects of oxidation giving your meads a longer shelf life.

 

[skunkboy]

Yes it probably get cloudy again. Time, or a clearing agent.

 

[fatbloke]

Yes it probably get cloudy again. Time, or a clearing agent.

When, my ferments have finished, I rack them off the gross lees, then stabilise and back sweeten. Which helps with only having to clear them the once and reduces racking losses caused by having to clear a batch twice, if it did get hazed from the back sweetening honey.......

 

[paraordnance]

I've heard that after back sweetening that the mead gets cloudy again (not sure since I like to drink mine bone dry). Is letting it age for a while the best way to clear it up again?

Yes, it does get cloudy again after back sweetening. I prefer to back sweeten before I bulk age it. This way it clears as it ages and half a year later its ready to bottle.

 

[paraordnance]

I've heard that after back sweetening that the mead gets cloudy again (not sure since I like to drink mine bone dry). Is letting it age for a while the best way to clear it up again?

Given time it will clear up on its own. Let it sit 2-3 more months and you can bottle