Backsweetening My First Mead Batch
- Thread starter Kakalakee
- Start date
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Out gassing is when Co2 in solution escapes the mead causing your airlock to bubble as if it were still fermenting. It happens most often when you take the finished batch (usually by now in secondary) from a cold place to a warmer place. That's the theory anyway. I've never experienced anything so vigorous that I would mistake it for an active ferment. But maybe others have.
Also, if you diluted the honey with water, you just added more yeast food and if the chems weren't dissolved in the solution, then you may have just started a new ferment. However, don't worry about drastically increasing the alcohol content..it can't raise it that high and chances are your mead is still fine.
Update guys...
So, I moved my split mead batch (half sweet mead, half blueberry-vanilla melomel) into two 3 gallon carboys with airlock. I also moved them into the fridge. After a couple weeks of no/minimal airlock activity, I went ahead yesterday and bottled in new widemouth Ball canning jars. 24 hours later, there was a little pressure on the lids (one of the benefits of putting it in canning jars is I can tell just with a press on a lid whether any gas is being produced). I released each lid and put them back in the fridge. I figure I can just keep doing this for a bit until there's no perceptible gas being produced. I'm hoping that the transfer to the canning jars just got things going slightly and that they'll calm down in a couple of days.
I'm also wondering if I'll have to do this again after I end the cold crash in a month or two as any remaining yeast warm and wake up. Just as a reminder, I did treat with both K-meta and sorbate (but had fermentation restart again after backsweetening - probably because I did not mix the chems with water and likely didn't get the treatment well dispersed in solution. I retreated and that seemed to end fermentation.
Anyone ever done the 'gas release' thing - and if so, was it just a matter of monitoring and uncapping for a couple of days?
On a positive - both of these are delicious (especially the blueberry-vanilla melomel)!
So, I moved my split mead batch (half sweet mead, half blueberry-vanilla melomel) into two 3 gallon carboys with airlock. I also moved them into the fridge. After a couple weeks of no/minimal airlock activity, I went ahead yesterday and bottled in new widemouth Ball canning jars. 24 hours later, there was a little pressure on the lids (one of the benefits of putting it in canning jars is I can tell just with a press on a lid whether any gas is being produced). I released each lid and put them back in the fridge. I figure I can just keep doing this for a bit until there's no perceptible gas being produced. I'm hoping that the transfer to the canning jars just got things going slightly and that they'll calm down in a couple of days.
I'm also wondering if I'll have to do this again after I end the cold crash in a month or two as any remaining yeast warm and wake up. Just as a reminder, I did treat with both K-meta and sorbate (but had fermentation restart again after backsweetening - probably because I did not mix the chems with water and likely didn't get the treatment well dispersed in solution. I retreated and that seemed to end fermentation.
Anyone ever done the 'gas release' thing - and if so, was it just a matter of monitoring and uncapping for a couple of days?
On a positive - both of these are delicious (especially the blueberry-vanilla melomel)!
If I deliberately degas I pull the CO2 with a small vacuum (about 22 inches). This may take a few hours but all the CO2 absorbed in the wine is pulled out. It helps to degas in higher ambient temperatures (in the 70s) Typically, though, if you age your meads or wines long enough in a carboy the CO2 will dissipate over time.
I may try degassing in the carboy next time...I'm just wondering if anyone has tried to manage it by opening up bottles after bottling and if that was an effective way of managing without returning to the carboy (which I'm not interested in doing)?
Be careful lest you end up with a bomb on your hands.
Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
Yeah - that's what I'm trying to avoid 
I am going to open every jar for the next 3-4 days and see how it goes...
I am going to open every jar for the next 3-4 days and see how it goes...3 days of uncapping to release pressure. Anyone tried this? I'm a little concerned about exposing the mead to more air every day, but short of putting it all back in carboys don't know of any other option. Hoping before too much longer it stabilizes?
You're not in too much danger of exposing the mead to air since the Co2 is sort of blanketing it and providing a barrier. It's heavier than air remember so it will stay in the bottle.
Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
Yes, I've done it, yes it will work eventually, but no, it's not the best method. Every time I've done it, I've wished I'd just chucked it back in a carboy.
And a long as you're getting any kind of pressure release, you're not exposing the mead to oxygen by cracking the seal. It's releasing carbon dioxide which gives it some amount of protection, unless you're opening the jars wide open.
Ha! Ninja strikes again! HeeyaaAAA!
Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
Thanks to you both - makes sense. This is one time pain for a newbie mazer. I consider it my penance for mistakes made while back sweetening !
Just wanted to follow-up and say 'Thanks!' for the input. My first batch of sweet mead and the blueberry/vanilla bean melomel are terrific. I already have another 5 gallon batch going with 12 lbs of my own honey. The homemade blueberry melomel is really something special. Excited to spread my mazer wings down the road and get a little adventurous.
