first try at mead making

[richlindks]

i looked around on here didn't see it anywhere or i missed it. i know how to make wine. never tried mead. until now. i have a question. is stabilizing and clearing needed in mead?? potassium metabisulphite (for a preservative)does this need to be added? what about chitosan (or some clarifier) i know this is all added in sec. fermet.. going to start tonight, just wanted to know if i should or really need to add any this stuff. thanks

 

[biochemedic]

K meta is generally not needed for meadmaking unless you want to stabilize (after fermentation) to backsweeten. That would be about the only time it is mandatory, and you would also need to add potassium sorbate as well, though. As you know, sometimes people sulfite fresh pressed juice to suppress wild yeast, and some folks will still do this if making a pyment (grape mead) or cyser (apple mead) using grape juice or apple cider respectively. I can tell you this is unnecessary...if you have fresh juice/cider and pitch proper amounts of healthy brewing yeast, they will quickly overwhelm anything wild. I have made cyser with cider directly off the press and have had no issues.

Clarifying/fining agents are discretionary...If you wait long enough, almost any mead will clear naturally. That being said, I sometimes use Super Kleer KC (kieselsol and chitosan in sequence) if I'm otherwise ready to bottle and am just waiting for some residual haze.

 

[richlindks]

i didn't think it would be to different form making wine. checked it out on youtube not to many people stated if they added anything other than yeast nutrient.i figured i would go at it just like making wine. so far so good. thanks for the info.

 

[ErinRae]

Biochemedic I used the combo of kieselsol and chitosan just over 2 weeks ago and my mead is still hazy. Lots dropped down but def not clear. Do u recall how long it's taken to clarify using them?