hist-brewing: Re: [SCA-dist2] berry mead recipe

[PBLoomis at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/30/99 8:14:18 PM EST, ceanntigern at yahoo.com writes:

<< ferment slowly, and need to be racked to another
 > clean carboy at two weeks, 
 > then again at three, six, and nine months before
 > being bottled at one year.
 
 i have never had one work for longer than 6 months.
 most stop at 3 or 4 and are completely free of
 fermentables. how do you get them to work so slowly.
 Do you close up the carboy when done and let them sit
 longer? Have been considering that. the locks only
 work if CO2 is being made.
  >>
	Good question.  Actually the airlock will work even if CO2 is no 
longer being manufactured.  I fill mine with sanitizing solution, some 
use vodka.  I think the problem you reference has to do with lack of
CO2 to drive out the oxygen left in the top of the carboy.  This can
be taken care of by topping the carboy up with cool boiled water to 
just below the stopper, after racking at six and nine months.  This 
also gives you a chance to add a teaspoon of acid blend if you feel 
the mead tastes too sweet at that point.
	Also, even though the mead is no longer working visibly, there 
is still CO2 being generated.  Great meads which I inadvisedly bottled 
in wine bottles after a year of aging in carboys with airlocks, still had 
enough CO2 to blow cork and contents clear across my son's living 
room, when stored on their side.
	Comments, anyone?
	Scotti

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