Aging cloudy vs. clear and sweet vs. dry

[Sadcheese]

Hi everyone,

I'm on year two and finally decided to make a few traditionals. In March I made a six-gallon BOMM that was to the letter (or 6/5ths of the letter, at least) using a Pacific Northwest blackberry honey and in May I made a six-gallon an orange blossom traditional using D47 and TOSNA (OG 1.110). I plan on keeping the BOMM dry and backsweetening the OB to 1.005 (it is currently just below 1.0, the primary ferment went great).

I have questions:
1) The blackberry doesn't clear well. I've used the same 40# bucket for a number of batches, and they all stay cloudy up to 8 months out (my oldest) and the ones I have bottled I have cleared with superkleer. Since I planned on aging this one a long time I figured I'd just let it go, but will the quality be better if I clear it and then let it age? I've already racked three times and there is a minute film of lees on the bottom and that is all.
2) The OB will probably clear soon as it's only ~3 months out so I'm not so worried--I've made a few TE'J batches with it and they cleared really quickly. I want to backsweeten just a bit. Do people typically wait until after most of the bulk aging is done for this, or do they age it in bulk after backsweetening?

I plan on keeping in bulk for about 9 months (if I can keep my dirty hands off them) and then aging in bottles from there.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Squatchy]

You can add it now or later. If you wait until it's clear and then add the honey it will muck it up again. Personally I stopped waiting for things to clear too much because I find if I get to a place (like where your at) That most of the larger stuff has dropped and then use something to clear it up, and then lastly run it through a filter it ages to a better place quicker. I find lots of times I don't need both parts to the mix. Usually the first one makes it clear in less than a day. I then will add adjuncts to it. Or just let it sit before I bottle it. I usually wait about a year before I bottle.

Even if you crashed it, fined it and ran it through a filter, but had fusels in it it would still require additional ageing to clear up the off flavors.

 

[Sadcheese]

Great, thanks. I'll just meddle with them then. That's more fun anyways.

You can add it now or later. If you wait until it's clear and then add the honey it will muck it up again. Personally I stopped waiting for things to clear too much because I find if I get to a place (like where your at) That most of the larger stuff has dropped and then use something to clear it up, and then lastly run it through a filter it ages to a better place quicker. I find lots of times I don't need both parts to the mix. Usually the first one makes it clear in less than a day. I then will add adjuncts to it. Or just let it sit before I bottle it. I usually wait about a year before I bottle.

Even if you crashed it, fined it and ran it through a filter, but had fusels in it it would still require additional ageing to clear up the off flavors.