Toggle sidebar

Transferring mead from bottle to corny keg to force carbonate

  • PATRONS: Did you know we've a chat function for you now? Look to the bottom of the screen, you can chat, set up rooms, talk to each other individually or in groups! Click 'Chat' at the right side of the chat window to open the chat up.
  • 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.
Barrel Char Wood Products
A

Aqualab

Got Mead? Patron
GotMead Patron
Jun 21, 2012
89
2
8
upstate ny
Hi,

I have approximately 10 gallons of mead that was bottled for almost a year now and I want to transfer the mead from the bottles into 2 corny kegs so that I can force carbonate the mead. Anybody see any issues with my doing this? I did not have the kegs or the CO2 system when I initially bottled. I also bought a Wensel counter pressure bottle filler so that I will be able to fill some bottles directly from the kegs for longer aging.

Thanks,
Bill
 
Aqualab said:
Hi,

I have approximately 10 gallons of mead that was bottled for almost a year now and I want to transfer the mead from the bottles into 2 corny kegs so that I can force carbonate the mead. Anybody see any issues with my doing this? I did not have the kegs or the CO2 system when I initially bottled. I also bought a Wensel counter pressure bottle filler so that I will be able to fill some bottles directly from the kegs for longer aging.

Thanks,
Bill
Click to expand...

Medsen is absolutely your man on this issue..... He is here somewhere. Wait for his reply.
 
Aqualab said:
Hi,

I have approximately 10 gallons of mead that was bottled for almost a year now and I want to transfer the mead from the bottles into 2 corny kegs so that I can force carbonate the mead. Anybody see any issues with my doing this? I did not have the kegs or the CO2 system when I initially bottled. I also bought a Wensel counter pressure bottle filler so that I will be able to fill some bottles directly from the kegs for longer aging.

Thanks,
Bill
Click to expand...

What kind of mead is it? I have transferred traditional meads after they were bottled with no adverse affects. I suggest that you pour it down the side of the keg to minimize aeration, but I would not worry about it too much. Someone else may have better suggestions, but I am sure that you can do this. I am always as careful as I can be to minimize opportunities for oxidation, but a few experiments have convinced me that mead is more resistant to oxidation that beer and wine made from grapes.
 
It is just a traditional semi-dry mead. Your suggestion to pour it in carefully down the inside of the keg to minimize aeration is a good point. Going to give that some more thought, might be a better method to prevent splashing.
 
Yes, mead is WAY less prone to oxidation....but for carbonation issues, i know Medsen has seen ridiculous pressures in a corny keg. If you are already familiar with the equippment, you probably are already good to go!

Sent from my HTC Vision using Tapatalk 2
 
Use a funnel and a length of tubing that reaches to the bottom of the keg, you will have virtually zero splashing and you could go ahead and purge the keg with CO2 before hand as well, probably overkill but essentially free and effortless.
 
What did you mean ridiculous pressure in a corny keg?!

Forced carbonating is new to me. I have done quite a bit of research on it and I did stay at a holiday inn express so keeping my fingers crossed I don't screw it up. I have been sitting on this mead for a year now waiting for it to age while I assembled all the equipment to carbonate. Patience not being one of my strong points - getting antsy to have some sparkling mead during the holidays.

Now that I have the corny kegs I will most likely transfer from the secondary directly to the keg and age the mead in them and then force carbonate when ready? I am force carbonating in the kegs because I was not comfortable trying to naturally carbonate in bottles - gauging sweet mead/yeast vs. dry mead/yeast and how much further the yeast will continue to convert - the whole bottle bomb potential thing scared me.
 
I'm right there with you! Even though natural bottle conditioning does result in a more champagne-like bubble, I HATE sediment in a bottle. Force carbing is a quick and safe way to get your mead sparkling.

It took me a while to get over my beer-brewer oxidation phobia, but I remain convinced that a little caution can't hurt. If you have the keg and the CO2 tank at the ready, just do what has been advised. Purge with CO2, stick a long funnel that's been well sanitized as far down as it will go into the keg and pour it all in there. Get the keg nice and cold (40F) and bring the pressure up to about 11 PSI. That should get you a nice level of carbonation in around 2 days. I think slower results in a better bubble, but that's not science, just my opinion.

Just found this! It's for beer, but they also say 40 F, 11 psi and 48 hours.. (the fancy way to say two days) http://www.homebrew.com/articles/article12018101.shtml
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Barrel Char Wood Products

Viking Brew Vessels - Authentic Drinking Horns

Top Bottom