A couple of newbie questions

[dougbridges]

My apologies for the newbie questions. I think that I know the answers, but I just want to make sure.

First, I currently have a 1 gallon batch of BOMM that has just finished fermentation. This is my first batch of mead to make. Yes, I know that I know that ancient mead is recommended, but this is what I did. I started it 11 days ago, and it appears to be finishing off fermentation. It still has tiny bubbles coming off the side, but not enough to come through the air-lock more than once every 2 minutes or so. I tried to measure the SG with a hydrometer, but it is bottoming out in the jug. I do know that it is less than 1.030 currently.

My understanding is that BOMM will finish moderately dry, and that if I want something a little sweeter, I should back sweeten it. So, I need to figure out what I need to do now.

First, do I need to wait for the mead to finish fermenting (no more bubbles) and rack it off to age. Can I directly rack it into bottles and let it age in the bottles? Or, since I plan on backsweetening it, should I wait for fermentation to finish, let it clear in the jug, then rack it off the lees and add potassium sorbate to kill the yeast. After that backsweeten it, let it clear up again and then bottle?

My wife would like to have it carbonated, but I can't understand how to backsweeten and carbonate unless I use some type of backsweetening that is not sugar based (i.e. won't feed the yeast). I am fine making it still for right now.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[kchaystack]

First, bubbling in the airlock ( or lack there of) is not an indication of fermentation. You need to get a hydrometer and take readings to know if there is still sugar left, or where you are in the fermentation.

Second - read the newbee guide here: http://www.gotmead.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1300&d=1395107426

It will explain how to rack and bottle. You have to add both K-meta and sorbate to stabilize.

 

[dougbridges]

I have read the newbie guide, and it isn't clear regarding carbonating vs. stabilizing to backsweeten. It mentions doing both in the same section, but I don't see how that would work. Also, my hydrometer is too tall for me to measure inside my 1 gallon carboy. What do people put their samples into so that they can get a good measurement with a hydrometer.

 

[kchaystack]

You need a graduated cylinder. If you sanitize it and your hydrometer you can return your sample.

I do not carb my meads, so I can't talk to that - but I don't think you can stabilize and bottle carb.

 

[fatbloke]

Non-fermentable sweetener, stevia or aspartame or lactose maybe ?

 

[mannye]

There is a sweetener wine makers use that might allow you to do what you want. Bottle conditioning a sweet mead is very difficult and may lead to making bottle bombs since it is very difficult to know how much sugar to add to both feed until yeast gives up and leave enough residual to sweeten.


Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now.

 

[kudapucat]

Sorbitol from pears is unfermentable try a pear Melomel. Many unfermentable sugars can give odd tastes. I'd try a cocktail of stevia, lactose, sorbitol, whatever gives the sweetness in beer and maybe even aspartame.