OK, very noob question. The thing is that I actually don't have any cupboard, closet or anything like that which would be large enough for my carboy. The carboy itself is not see through, so would it be enough to cover it with something lika a dark coloured towel, to at least protect it from direct light?
How necessary is it to ferment mead in the dark?
- Thread starter Shahivann
- Start date
-
Love Gotmead and want to see it grow? Then consider supporting the site and becoming a Patron! If you're logged in, click on your username to the right of the menu to see how as little as $30/year can get you access to the patron areas and the patron Facebook group and to support Gotmead!
-
We now have a Patron-exclusive Facebook group! Patrons my join at The Gotmead Patron Group. You MUST answer the questions, providing your Patron membership, when you request to join so I can verify your Patron membership. If the questions aren't answered, the request will be turned down.
Keeping your carboy out of direct sunlight and out of strong fluorescent light should be fine esepcially if it's a translucent rather than transparent carboy, but if you're really concerned, warpping it with a dark towel should be enough.
I've never had a problem with using white plastic buckets, a week or two in the middle of the sunny kitchen never seemed to hurt anything, and my carboys sit under a countertop (equivalent to a cupboard with no doors), and my wine shelf is directly in a window so I've hung a tablecloth over the half of the window that might shine directly on the wine, but I've never bothered covering any of my carboys specifically. One of these days I'll split a batch and leave one in the sun to see what it does to the taste...
I've never had a problem with using white plastic buckets, a week or two in the middle of the sunny kitchen never seemed to hurt anything, and my carboys sit under a countertop (equivalent to a cupboard with no doors), and my wine shelf is directly in a window so I've hung a tablecloth over the half of the window that might shine directly on the wine, but I've never bothered covering any of my carboys specifically. One of these days I'll split a batch and leave one in the sun to see what it does to the taste...
That should be more than fine.
I'm brewing two small 1lb batches now, in glass "carboys" (jugs); I just wrap a towel around them, it keeps the light out, and they just sit on a countertop. My first batch worked beautifully like this.
I'm brewing two small 1lb batches now, in glass "carboys" (jugs); I just wrap a towel around them, it keeps the light out, and they just sit on a countertop. My first batch worked beautifully like this.
All my carboys wear sweatshirts. Helps maintain heat generated from fermentation as well as reducing possible light damage.
I saved the boxes that my carboys came in and set the carboys in them to keep out the direct light. Cut a door in one side to see in when I want and a small hole in the top to let the air lock stick out. I save the boxes from the cheap wine kits to use on 1 gallon fermentors.
WWW
WWW
Oh, man! I've gotta get one of those to wear the next time I make a batch of my Wolf Moon!
That's awesome, this thread somehow already made me think of Three Wolf Shirt even before that post, I can't believe someone else made the same nearly-random connection!
Your mead will be under an enchantment of unsurpassed excellence for 7 years if you wear that shirt whilst brewing.
I also just cover them with thick black garbage bags, sans trash.
Your mead will be under an enchantment of unsurpassed excellence for 7 years if you wear that shirt whilst brewing.
I also just cover them with thick black garbage bags, sans trash.
So...you have to wear it until fermentation is done, until it's clear, or until you can drink it? I'm pretty sure it'll smell like...
...even before 1/3 sugar break 
Oh, I have to get me one of them there, Three Wolf Tee Shirts.
Dang wife won't let me wear mine anymore.
Eureka!
So, from what I'm reading around here, wine likes to be in the dark to keep its color.
I'm guessing this is why red wines come in green bottles!
Betelgeuse will definitely be bottled in green.
So, from what I'm reading around here, wine likes to be in the dark to keep its color.
I'm guessing this is why red wines come in green bottles!
Betelgeuse will definitely be bottled in green.
It's also for safeguarding the taste and aroma, which is why better white wines tend to come in dark glass as well. I think the clear glass is purely to show off the product, because if I'm not mistaken whites are just as damageable by light as reds are? Maybe I'm remembering that wrong.
