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When to switch from bulk aging to bottle aging?

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M

Msarro

NewBee
Registered Member
Jul 30, 2012
16
0
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Pretty much what the title says!
A year ago I kicked off a 5 gallon sack mead for my honeymoon (which is in October). A month later, I kicked off a similar sack mead for a friend's wedding (not until april).

This past weekend I stole a taste of each one. Our sack mead still tastes a bit hot, also, I may add oak cubes again (the ones I had put in didn't seem to add a lot). But since it's for us, I'm not too worried.

The other mead is *perfect.* I never bothered to take out the oak cubes, and instead of making it tannin-y, it lended a beautiful vanilla taste to the sweetness of the mead. It tastes almost like milk and honey.

Both of them are crystal clear.

I'm considering bottling the second mead this weekend. But, i want to make sure that I'm not jumping the gun, especially since it has until april. Any thoughts? When do you make the switch from bulk aging to bottle aging?
 
Bulk ageing is suggested, because it offers us consistency of batch, because making at home can cause variations in result from bottle to bottle.

We don't usually have the facility to store for aging in consistent climate controlled storage like a lot of the professional makers do. And we don't have the space issues caused by large scale production.

My suggestion is that as its only you who has decided which batch is which, if your do is sooner, but batch 2 is pretty good, bottle that when you can and use it for your do, at the same time get some more oak in batch one so it's more likely ready next year for your friends do.....
 
If they've been in the carboy for a year, I'd say you can bottle it anytime you want. Especially if it's perfect.

Personally, I tend to bottle things when I need the carboy for the next batch :rolleyes: For me, this is usually after at least a year in the carboy.
 
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