I am a new meadmaker who has made a few batches, including some melomels with peaches and strawberries. After thorough primary and secondary fermentation with clear mead, I usually add potassium sorbate 1/2 tsp/gallon to make sure fermentation is stopped, wait a few days, rack, then bottle. Everything looks clear at bottling, but some of my batches get a fine sediment; others get a darker sediment that suggests the mead has spoiled. I use sanitary techniques and don't know how to prevent this from happening. Any ideas? Thanks!
Sediment after bottling??
- Thread starter Beeman2
- Start date
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Thanks for that link - I have the exact same issue with my meads. Here, memorize this line:
"Natural variations are part of the beauty of this fine handcrafted product."
Tell your friends that most all handcrafted meads are that way and that if it doesn't have sediment, then it's either mass produced or made by an engineer with a 1/100 micron filter. Heck, in an industry where a type of mold can earn the name "Noble Rot" it becomes clear that people just want to feel like they are getting something special...and they are if they recieve your handcrafted meads as a gift!
"Natural variations are part of the beauty of this fine handcrafted product."
Tell your friends that most all handcrafted meads are that way and that if it doesn't have sediment, then it's either mass produced or made by an engineer with a 1/100 micron filter. Heck, in an industry where a type of mold can earn the name "Noble Rot" it becomes clear that people just want to feel like they are getting something special...and they are if they recieve your handcrafted meads as a gift!
You say this is after secondary, but that really gives little indication of how long you're letting these clear. I often think a mead is clear, then it gets clearer and clearer - how old are these at bottling?
Completely clear after only a couple of months generally means mostly "clear enough to see through" but still capable of producing more sediment. The best solution is more time in secondary, often with a racking from one bulk carboy into another (which hastens the chaining of proteins which eventually get heavy enough to fall out of solution). More patience is the best advice that I can give -- most meads that look clear after a certain amount of secondary time will often drop more sediment over the course of 6 to 9 more months. And they often taste better for that extended aging, as well!
Strawberries will drop color out of suspension for many years to come. Have some 20 year old wine that is almost light brown in color with lot's of sediment in the bottles. They started out perfectly clear. I never liked strawberry to begin with, so they just sat there on the shelf. Some day I should open one and see how bad they really are!
Since I hate strawberries, why would I make the wine you ask? Because they were free and plentiful, so I had to find something to use them for!
Since I hate strawberries, why would I make the wine you ask? Because they were free and plentiful, so I had to find something to use them for!
Strawberries will drop color out of suspension for many years to come. Have some 20 year old wine that is almost light brown in color with lot's of sediment in the bottles. They started out perfectly clear. I never liked strawberry to begin with, so they just sat there on the shelf. Some day I should open one and see how bad they really are!
Since I hate strawberries, why would I make the wine you ask? Because they were free and plentiful, so I had to find something to use them for!
Send them strawberries over here! My guy friends all think I'm the greatest because I make a quick and easy strawberry melomel (sweet and carbonated - you'll need a keg) that has earned the name, "The Girlfriend Magnet" - women generally like strawberries. Keep it in mind. You may thank me later.
I spent a while living in and around Houston. Lived in half a dozen places and ended up in Crosby the last few years. Got a lot up near Lake Livingston we always threatened to retire to. Some day I'd like to see if it is to overgrown yet. So who knows! I may take you up on bringing you some berries.
If you have a 20 year old strawberry wine just laying around, I don't think you'll need my help finding ladies who want to come over and drink it for you. But I'll still take the strawberries!
On a side note, Rudy's apiary up in Livingston has excelent mead making honey. Their spring harvest is wonderfully light and floral, low clover content, not smokey or musky at all, and their hives are in an area that's mostly free of pesticides.
On a side note, Rudy's apiary up in Livingston has excelent mead making honey. Their spring harvest is wonderfully light and floral, low clover content, not smokey or musky at all, and their hives are in an area that's mostly free of pesticides.
