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1st AO bottling

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tookalisten

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Nov 4, 2005
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My first 1 gallon batch of Joe's AO is exactly 2 months, 5 days old. There are still a few orange slices floating with the remaining slices/settlement at the bottom and a beautiful clear layer of mead between. When I carefully moved the jug to the counter to ready for syphoning/bottling - quite a bit of small particles came from the still floating orange slices to "cloud" the clear mead in between. My questions:
1. Should I just relax and wait for the few slices of fruit still floating to settle to the bottom before attempting to bottle, (or)
2. Let the now somewhat cloudy mead settle out over the next 24/48 hrs and then syphon, (or)
3. rack to a secondary gallon jug, allow to settle, and then bottle?

This first batch is such a beautiful color, I just want to be sure I do not mess it up at this final stage. Thanks!
Tom
 
Well, I went ahead and racked mine to a secondary, let it settle, then bottled. I still got some cloudiness in a couple of bottles, but since this is all for personal use, that doesn't bother me much. I'll use those bottles for making vinegar. ;D

I really liked the final results of this mead, by the way.
 
tookalisten said:
My questions:
1. Should I just relax and wait for the few slices of fruit still floating to settle to the bottom before attempting to bottle, (or)
2. Let the now somewhat cloudy mead settle out over the next 24/48 hrs and then syphon, (or)
3. rack to a secondary gallon jug, allow to settle, and then bottle?
Click to expand...

I'd do 3. I like to let them age for a month or two before bottling, plus it helps get ride of the extra bits that float around.
 
I have had my second batch of AO aging for a couple of months in the carboy after racking it out of the initial carboy. It is clear with a little bit of an orange tinge to it. I'll have to look and see how much sediment has settled out since the racking. Mine is about ready to bottle as well and the second batch was definitely better tasting than the first...

Pewter
 
Thanks for the advice; I too will plan to rack to a secondary tonight and let it age/settle before sending to bottles.
Thanks!
 
tookalisten said:
Thanks for the advice; I too will plan to rack to a secondary tonight and let it age/settle before sending to bottles.
Thanks!
Click to expand...

If you want it to settle more quickly (and you have room), you could put it into the fridge.
 
Uh oh! Don't want any trouble with Joe! Although, he would be proud of this beautiful batch!
/tw
 
The all time best Forum Flogging ever was the flogging I got from Joe Mattioli over the modifications I made to his recipe.

I'd made some changes, and paid for it dearly with a stuck fermentation that resisted all efforts to restart.

Joe took me to task for all the sins I"d committed against his recipe and beat me black and blue - all in good fun.

I laughed so hard while reading it that I nearly passed out laughing and darn near fell out of my chair!


I've taken his inspiration recipe and given it my own touches. I now have a recipe that follows more traditional methods, yet clearly shows its inpiration in the original recipe.

Don't be afraid to take the inspiration and run with it. Just remember, once you meddle with it all guarantees are null and void! ;D

David
 
This is a wonderful forum, even when you have to "take some heat".
I am curious about how the ancients would have transferred from the primary jug to the final drinking vessel; if it was not "racked" or syphoned in some way.
 
tookalisten said:
I am curious about how the ancients would have transferred from the primary jug to the final drinking vessel; if it was not "racked" or syphoned in some way.
Click to expand...

They would have had a very "pour" technique ;D
 
James P - too funny!

Also, I gotta say, after bottling my first batch of AO and taste testing - my first response was: Holy Cow, this stuff is great! I know maybe I should not have been surprised; but being new at this, I had no idea of the outcome. Thanks Joe! You have made another convert to the wonders of mead.
/tw
 
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