15 Sep
2003
15 Sep
'03
8:14 a.m.
Thanks Steve for your words of wisdom. I'm always ready to try an old beverage.
Unfortunately, all I have in the mead department is three batches of new stuff. The good
thing is that it gets old at the same time.
Thanks again for your input.
Your mature Perz
Rick O
>> "Steve Weiland"
<sweiland(a)usfamily.net> 09/14/03 07:33PM >>>
No preservatives needed,
IMNSHO! :)
I am with Al on this one, since I've got a couple of "old" batches of mead
3+ years old and they are not showing anything resembling contamination. If
anything, they have improved with age.
For me, clean bottles, good Oxybarrier caps, and a high alcohol content in
the mead makes for a beverage with the legs to go a loooong distance in
storage.
Anyone for a sample of an old mead from an aging microbiologist?
Cheers,
Steve
-----Original Message-----
From: allan.boyce(a)usbank.com <allan.boyce(a)usbank.com>
To: mba(a)thebarn.com <mba(a)thebarn.com>
Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2003 2:32 PM
Subject: Re: bottling mead
The only times I'll use sulfite or sorbate is if I'm trying to stop any
further bottle fermentation - usually in ciders. After sitting in a carboy
for a year, most of my meads don't have any sugar left to speak of. I may
also add a little more sweetener if I'm hoping to sparkle the mead. I
don't have any ancient meads, but I have a few 3-4 years old, and they
don't seem to be suffering any ill effects from NOT sulfiting or sorbating.
- Al
"Christopher
Hadden" To: fletty(a)umn.edu
<chris(a)chadden.c cc:
mark(a)glewwe-castle.com,
mba(a)thebarn.com
om>
Subject: Re: bottling mead
Sent by:
mba-bounce@theba
rn.com
09/10/2003 02:19
PM
I use both sorbate and sulfites and I think it helps. My SO2 level in
the bottle is 50-100 ppm which I believe is far less than what most
wineries use.
Here are a few links related to sulfite calculators:
http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/8280/winecalc.html
http://winemakermag.com/sulfitecalculator/
Chris
On Wednesday, September 10, 2003, at 01:48 PM, mark(a)glewwe-castle.com
wrote:
------ http://USFamily.Net/info - Unlimited Internet - From $8.99/mo! ------
It does not hurt - unless there is enough to
trigger allergic
reactions by some folk. There are ways to measure the amount in
solution, but I seem to remember them being expensive. Also, I am not
worried about the long term storage as much as making sure no pesky
stuff gets into your mead and survives the bottling procedure. At
this time of year, I would pitch a few camden tablets. In winter,
probably not.
Other issues. How long has it been in the carboy? Is it clarified
enough to bottle. My first mead was wonderful, but it ended up with a
1/2 inch of sediment in the bottle - which makes travel hopeless. So
I just drink it at home. Not a bad solution. ;-)
IMHO,
Mark
> I'll be bottling my first mead soon.
>
> Do I need to add sulfite and potasium sorbate for long term storage?