A bucket eruption!

[CBiebel]

I've taken to doing my primary (at least until the 1/3 sugar break) in a bucket fermenter in order to avoid the "Mt. Mead" eruptions. According to this line of reasoning, there is enough head space to avoid an eruption, so you don't need to be as careful when aerating the must.

WRONG!

This morning I was using my stirrer on my drill and figuring that I didn't need to worry about starting slow, I went at it pretty fast. Soon my mead (which was within about 36 hours of pitching) went nuts, foaming up so much that I had to stop and it seemed like it was only by the grace of God that it stopped just as it reached the lip of my bucket.

On the plus side, this does seem to be an indicator of a strong fermentation, likely the result of my having built up my yeast through two starter batches (The first one was because the yeast was old and didn't "puff up" the smack pack enough, so I thought that I should put it in a starter to "beef it up" a bit. The 2nd starter was because I became busy and thought that the prime pitching time had gone, so I threw it into another starter to get it up further).

 

[liff]

I am with you. I have had buckets with 3 or 4 inches to the top spill out on the floor. Have not had that happen for a while now, I like to start very slow rather thatn mop up afterwards.

 

[Medsen Fey]

Your brothers and sisters in M.E.A.D.S. (Mead Eruption Accident Decrement Society) are here for you. We know the anguish and shame that comes with an MEA and respect your courage for stepping out of the shadows. Sometimes even though you feel like you've beaten the problem, you find yourself backsliding. There is no silver bullet and it takes continued vigilance with each time.

To help you through this episode, it is not too late to add Antifoam drops. This will get you past this episode with no fear of relapse.

When you need us we're only a phone call away at 1-888-STOP-MEA!

 

[akueck]

When you need us we're only a phone call away at 1-888-STOP-MEA!

haha! The reads like "Stop me!" How about 1-888-STKY-FLR?

 

[Poobah58]

I feel for you. I just came out of the closet and admitted I had an M.E.A.

 

[jfisherman7]

I had my first M.E.A. last night. I have a Pinot Noir that I added 6 lbs of fireweed honey to. It had been in secondary for 6weeks, I wanted to stabilize before back sweeten. so I racked for a second time leaving about a quart of room in my carboy. I wanted to degas before I added some potassium sorbate. In went the lees stirrer and out comes an M.E.A.