Strawberry Melomel hazy

[cefleet]

I think I need some help. On my 2nd batch of mead I wanted to make a strawberry melomel.
I used 3 lbs of Honey and 4 lbs of Strawberries (split into 2 and 2 lbs) and cote des blacs yeast -


started on 12/15/2011 OG @ 1.068 (I dont think the SG took into account the strawberries)
Added the 2nd lb and racked it 01/03/2012
racked it off the Strawberries on 01/29/2012 took SG @ .992

on 03/01/2012 took another reading and it was still .992 but had not clarified to my liking and was not sweet enough for my wife.(really stinking dry)

So I added potassium Sorbate, Gelatin Finnings, and honey (1/4 cup dissolved into water) all at once (in the recommended amount on the package, and I know that was wrong and likely lead to my problem).

Well now it is cloudier and will not clarify at all and it seems to be getting cloudier.
In my impatience I decided to attempt to crash cool it, and it seems to be getting cloudier.
So my question is this. Besides being patient (which I will be from now on) should I leave it in the fridge, should I take it out, should i add something else to clarify it?

Thank you for any help.

 

[Loadnabox]

Give it several weeks to for the gelatin finings to work (up to a month)

If it still never clears, try a negatively charged fining such as bentonite

In between you may also try something like pectic enzyme to try and remove any cloudiness from the pectin in the strawberries

 

[cefleet]

Thanks Loadnabox for your reply.
I will wait a bit before I do anything else and try the pectic, then bentonite in a month. However in the meantime is it better for it to be in the fridge or out of the fridge. (the fridge it about 40 f)
Thank you again.

 

[Medsen Fey]

Welcome to GotMead!

As a general rule, cold helps drop particulate matter out faster so try leaving it in the fridge.

Did you heat the strawberries at all? That could create pectin haze.
You can test for pectin by adding methylated spirits (or isopropyl alcohol) to a small sample. If it has pectin, this will cause it to clump together. If you have pectin, treating with pectic enzyme will help.

Also, if you add sorbate, you really need to add some KMeta (Campden tablets). Without it, your fermentation may restart even with sorbate. What's more, lactic acid bacteria (which are often present on fruit) can chew up sorbate giving you a geranium odor that cannot be removed unless you suppress them with sulfites.

If time alone (which is the best clarifier) doesn't work, I'd give the Bentonite a try.

Good meading!
Medsen

 

[TAKeyser]

I've used Super-Kleer with some of my slow-clearing meads and it works great.

 

[cefleet]

Thank you all for the responses.

Did I heat the strawberries?

half yes half no.

So I will will try the pectin enzymes, I'm guessing just use it as soon as it comes in?

As per the suggestions here I will leave it in the fridge and alone for 2 months. (except for the pectin enzymes)
This was my cheese fridge but I have not made any cheese in a while so I can let the mead take up that space.

I forgot to mention that I added sodium Benzoate (in the recommended amount). I have not clue why I added both, but would those together have the same effect as a Campden tablet?

If all else fails and it taste really bad my brothers and I will have a chugging competition to see who doesn't gag.

It's funny because My other 5 batches of other meads seem to be clearing up fine. This is the one giving me problems.

Thanks for the help again.

 

[Medsen Fey]

I don't think the benzoate will suppress the bacteria. To be safe, I'd add the sulfite.

If you test for pectin, and decide you need pectic enzyme, I'd take it out of the fridge. The enzyme will not work at such a low temperature.

 

[cefleet]

So I added the tablet, and pectin enzymes and now it is clearing up very nicely Thanks!

However there are white specks that look kinda like grains of solid white sugar forming on the top and some seem to drop when I tap the carboy.

Is this likely supposed to be what is happening or is this something i need to concern myself with?

 

[Intheswamp]

cefleet, if you're still around, did you ever figure out what those white specks were? I'm having some appear in a 3-gallon batch of traditional...more like white flakes of coarsely ground pepper or maybe tiny paint chips...more flat than cube shaped.

Ed