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Mead journal: Bianary Rockbitter Test
Sep. 23rd, 2009 02:27 pmI haven't racked them yet. I think it has been about 2 1/2 months since racking. It wasn't clearing. I think that I see a thick sediment in the bottom. Time to top rack and top off. I should be able to bottle it about 1 month after the racking. I plan on trying to cold crash it and then rack to my brewpot and then bottle.
Step 1, rack today both batches, take gravity readings
Step 2. Wait a month, cold crash it (definition at bottom) and then rack to brewpot. Bottle after 1/2 hr in brewpot to give a chance to settle a bit.
Step 2. Age at least six months and then check the diffrence in the oaked rockbitter and non-oaked rockbitter. I believe that the oaked will be MUCH better as it seemed the first time I racked it off of the oak.
I have been doing everything the same on each batch to see what the diffrence of oaking actually is. I used lightly toasted 1 pound of oak chips.
Oh, I also need to rack and bottle Hagrid's secret stash. This one took longer due to a couple of initial mistakes that needed to be corrected and it needed back sweetening and some back spicing. So some extra time for some doctoring took place. I am not going to crack this one til next fall. Sorry but this one needs the aging. I should have toasted the pumpkin before using it. Ah well. It still should have some subtle and complex flavors once the fusel alcohols get aged out.
Cold Crashing: This is the act of bringing the fluid down below 60 degrees or so, basically below the tollorance of the yeast sending it into hybernation and when it does it clumps together and sinks to the bottom of the carboy. This is said to be the fastest way to clear mead that is essentially ready to be bottled.
Step 1, rack today both batches, take gravity readings
Step 2. Wait a month, cold crash it (definition at bottom) and then rack to brewpot. Bottle after 1/2 hr in brewpot to give a chance to settle a bit.
Step 2. Age at least six months and then check the diffrence in the oaked rockbitter and non-oaked rockbitter. I believe that the oaked will be MUCH better as it seemed the first time I racked it off of the oak.
I have been doing everything the same on each batch to see what the diffrence of oaking actually is. I used lightly toasted 1 pound of oak chips.
Oh, I also need to rack and bottle Hagrid's secret stash. This one took longer due to a couple of initial mistakes that needed to be corrected and it needed back sweetening and some back spicing. So some extra time for some doctoring took place. I am not going to crack this one til next fall. Sorry but this one needs the aging. I should have toasted the pumpkin before using it. Ah well. It still should have some subtle and complex flavors once the fusel alcohols get aged out.
Cold Crashing: This is the act of bringing the fluid down below 60 degrees or so, basically below the tollorance of the yeast sending it into hybernation and when it does it clumps together and sinks to the bottom of the carboy. This is said to be the fastest way to clear mead that is essentially ready to be bottled.