Howdy - I suspect that the main answer I will receive is: "patience cures all things in mead". But, anyway, I'll post my question/challenge.
Back on 9 September 2012 I started 4 "Joe's Ancient Orange" variants. Each used 3.5 lbs clover honey, 1 tblspn redstar active dry yeast, a handful of raisins, and final volume of each was 1 gallon. We will call them Recipes "A, B, C, and D".
"A, B, and C" were given 1 cinnamon stick, 3 whole cloves, a pinch of nutmeg, and a pinch of allspice.
"A" was given a whole orange, cut into wedges (original recipe).
"B" was given the juice and zest of one orange.
"C" was given the juice and zest of 2 large lemons.
"D" was given a jalapeno pepper sliced into thin strips. I know, sounds terrible, but I tried a jalapeno in an earlier mead and it turned out quite good!
The estimated original gravity for all four monsters was about 1.13.
Everybody burbled along happily. The mead closet smelled divine!
Recipe "A" cleared completely by 9 Oct 2012 (speedy!); and was bottled on 10 Nov 2012 with a final gravity of 1.042 (mighty tasty)!
The remaining three were racked to new carboys on 10 Nov 2012.
"B" cleared completely, and was bottled on 30 March 2013 with a final gravity of 1.040 (again, mighty tasty).
"C" and "D" are still sitting, quietly, with no sign of clearing. Gravity of "C" at racking was 1.072, and that of "D" was 1.040. Both still smell wonderful.
The question is: let them continue to just sit ... waiting for clarity? Should I do anything else?
Thanks!
Back on 9 September 2012 I started 4 "Joe's Ancient Orange" variants. Each used 3.5 lbs clover honey, 1 tblspn redstar active dry yeast, a handful of raisins, and final volume of each was 1 gallon. We will call them Recipes "A, B, C, and D".
"A, B, and C" were given 1 cinnamon stick, 3 whole cloves, a pinch of nutmeg, and a pinch of allspice.
"A" was given a whole orange, cut into wedges (original recipe).
"B" was given the juice and zest of one orange.
"C" was given the juice and zest of 2 large lemons.
"D" was given a jalapeno pepper sliced into thin strips. I know, sounds terrible, but I tried a jalapeno in an earlier mead and it turned out quite good!
The estimated original gravity for all four monsters was about 1.13.
Everybody burbled along happily. The mead closet smelled divine!
Recipe "A" cleared completely by 9 Oct 2012 (speedy!); and was bottled on 10 Nov 2012 with a final gravity of 1.042 (mighty tasty)!
The remaining three were racked to new carboys on 10 Nov 2012.
"B" cleared completely, and was bottled on 30 March 2013 with a final gravity of 1.040 (again, mighty tasty).
"C" and "D" are still sitting, quietly, with no sign of clearing. Gravity of "C" at racking was 1.072, and that of "D" was 1.040. Both still smell wonderful.
The question is: let them continue to just sit ... waiting for clarity? Should I do anything else?
Thanks!
