Cloudy mead
Calvin Armerding
Made my first batch of mead and as it is about eight months old decided to
try a bottle. REally enjoyed it BUT, when I hold the bottle up to the light
they are cloudy and full of floaty crap. I racked it three or four times
(can't remember off the top of my head) and it didn't seem to be getting any
better so I went ahead and bottled it. Refrigerating didn't help (that was
a suggestion in my mead book). Should I be adding gelatin like I do with my
beer? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Cutter
John Richardson
can almost see it clear before your eyes, but you have to let it sit
so the crap can solidify on the bottom of the carboy. It'll work,
though.
John
Yacko
> Made my first batch of mead and as it is about eight months old decided to
> try a bottle. REally enjoyed it BUT, when I hold the bottle up to the light
> they are cloudy and full of floaty crap. I racked it three or four times
> (can't remember off the top of my head) and it didn't seem to be getting any
> better so I went ahead and bottled it. Refrigerating didn't help (that was
> a suggestion in my mead book). Should I be adding gelatin like I do with my
> beer? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
I use 'Irish Moss' in my mead for clarification. I add it about 3
minutes before the end of my boil. Most of the solids it leaves behind
get removed when I put the wort into the carboy, that which doesn't
settles during primary and is removed at secondary racking time. I like
the clarity I get from IRish moss and it's a natural ingredient, whereas
some finings I would not want to put into my brews (personal preference,
please no flames please).
Good luck.
ps Irish moss is sometimes known as 'corpus crispus (sp?) ' in the world
of seaweed :)
georg
>
> I use 'Irish Moss' in my mead for clarification. I add it about 3
> minutes before the end of my boil. Most of the solids it leaves behind
> get removed when I put the wort into the carboy, that which doesn't
> settles during primary and is removed at secondary racking time. I like
> the clarity I get from IRish moss and it's a natural ingredient, whereas
> some finings I would not want to put into my brews (personal preference,
> please no flames please).
This is not a flame, or at least is not intended as such. I am firmly
in the Do Not Boil Honey For Mead camp, but will not take you to task
over that, or invoke a flame war for it. As you state, it is personal
preference.
That aside, why are you using Irish Moss in the boil for a mead? It
was my understanding that Irish Moss worked as a clarifier in boiling
beer wort because it helped the malt protein chains break and
precipitate in the boil. This should not be needed or helpful in
boiling honey, which has few proteins to act as nutrients for the
yeast (which have the potential of being removed by irish moss), and
does not have long protein chains to break.
To the original poster: the only clarifiers I have ever used are
gelatin (once) and bentonite (once). The rest I have allowed to clear
naturally over time- and yes it can take over a year to clarify. I do
not include pectic enzyme (which I swear by!) unless it's a fruit
mead.
-georg
non ani sunt permittendi
Andrew Lynch
>
>
> This is not a flame, or at least is not intended as such. I am firmly
> in the Do Not Boil Honey For Mead camp, but will not take you to task
> over that, or invoke a flame war for it. As you state, it is personal
> preference.
>
> That aside, why are you using Irish Moss in the boil for a mead? It
> was my understanding that Irish Moss worked as a clarifier in boiling
> beer wort because it helped the malt protein chains break and
> precipitate in the boil. This should not be needed or helpful in
> boiling honey, which has few proteins to act as nutrients for the
> yeast (which have the potential of being removed by irish moss), and
> does not have long protein chains to break.
>
> To the original poster: the only clarifiers I have ever used are
> gelatin (once) and bentonite (once). The rest I have allowed to clear
> naturally over time- and yes it can take over a year to clarify. I do
> not include pectic enzyme (which I swear by!) unless it's a fruit
> mead.
>
> -georg
> non ani sunt permittendi
What is the proper use of pectic enzyme? I assume it is to aid in the
removal of pectins which are in fruit. When do you add? Thanks!
ampl
--
Andrew Lynch / Animation Technology / DreamWorks SKG /
am...@anim.dreamworks.com
Shun Yan Cheung
My understanding of this is that Irish moss encourages protein in
beer wort to coagulate which makes clearer beer. What I'm missing
here is the fact that honey does not have much if any protein...
(that's why we have to add yeast nutrient to ferment). Hence,
why would Irish moss help clear mead ???
--
`The reasonable man adapt himself to the world, the unreasonable man adapts
the world to himself. Therefore, progress is made by the unreasonable man.'
- B. Shaw
Yacko
>
> Yacko wrote:
> >
> > I use 'Irish Moss' in my mead for clarification. I add it about 3
> > minutes before the end of my boil. Most of the solids it leaves behind
> This is not a flame, or at least is not intended as such. I am firmly
> in the Do Not Boil Honey For Mead camp, but will not take you to task
> over that, or invoke a flame war for it. As you state, it is personal
> preference.
Not taken as a flame, thanks for the way in which you presented it..
you say simmer, I say boil, either way, let's try each other's mead and
tell each otehr they're great :)
> That aside, why are you using Irish Moss in the boil for a mead? It
> was my understanding that Irish Moss worked as a clarifier in boiling
For the reason, I was looking for a substitute for 'sparkalloid' which
, while it worked nicely, I could not find out what it was made of, and
thus , didn't want it in my brew. I tried irish moss on a brew I did and
it cleared very nicely... I kept using it and since then, it's helped
clear it. Whether it's using some of the solid bits as a coagulant or
some thing, or possibly the kerageenan which may or may not exist in the
moss (seaweed, kerageenan, it's in your ice cream!) is causing a similar
reaction as would gelatin stuff is unknown (to me). My experience has
told me to use it, solely by trying it on a whim. Wanted substitute,
tried it, it worked. Reasoned scientifically? I dunno how it works. But
it works for me. Maybe I'm all wrong. Perhaps when I get to the point of
deciding just how I like my mead as far as yeasts and lbs honey/gal,
I'll look at the other things. Until then, I've got too much going to
change the moss part of the equation.
(Basically, I'm in the 'let's see what happens when....' stage of
brewing mead, with the main factors being honey type, lbs/gal honey and
yeast type - when I've nailed down these three items as far as my
preferences, I'll start looking at the finer points of flavor and
secondary characteristics, of which I consider color and clarity both to
be secondary - it's the taste that's of first importance :) $.02,
YMMV.
-yacko
NOSPAM in address, remove to reply
go...@montana.com
<cutt...@memes.com> wrote:
>Hi,
>
>Made my first batch of mead and as it is about eight months old decided to
>try a bottle. REally enjoyed it BUT, when I hold the bottle up to the light
>they are cloudy and full of floaty crap. I racked it three or four times
>(can't remember off the top of my head) and it didn't seem to be getting any
>better so I went ahead and bottled it. Refrigerating didn't help (that was
>a suggestion in my mead book). Should I be adding gelatin like I do with my
>beer? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
>
>Cutter
>
I've gotten good results with sparkaloid. Gelatin won't do much,
because there's not alot of protein in honey. Personally, I don't
think it's possible to get a clear anything without finings.
georg
>
> georg wrote:
> >
> > Yacko wrote:
> > >
> > > I use 'Irish Moss' in my mead for clarification. I add it about 3
> > > minutes before the end of my boil. Most of the solids it leaves behind
>
> > This is not a flame, or at least is not intended as such. I am firmly
> > in the Do Not Boil Honey For Mead camp, but will not take you to task
> > over that, or invoke a flame war for it. As you state, it is personal
> > preference.
> Not taken as a flame, thanks for the way in which you presented it..
> you say simmer, I say boil, either way, let's try each other's mead and
> tell each otehr they're great :)
Actually I only heat the water enough to dissolve in the honey. I
don't even heat it to boiling temperature, and I only heat about one
gallon of water. I heat it enough to where I can see steam- but there
usually are no bubbles *at all* in the bottom of the pan- and then I
turn the heat off before adding honey. So I don't even simmer.
> > That aside, why are you using Irish Moss in the boil for a mead? It
> > was my understanding that Irish Moss worked as a clarifier in boiling
> For the reason, I was looking for a substitute for 'sparkalloid' which
> , while it worked nicely, I could not find out what it was made of, and
> thus , didn't want it in my brew.
I use Irish moss in beer, because I boil it. Sparkaloid is a plastic,
and I'm not keen on that either.
> (Basically, I'm in the 'let's see what happens when....' stage of
> brewing mead, with the main factors being honey type, lbs/gal honey and
> yeast type - when I've nailed down these three items as far as my
> preferences, I'll start looking at the finer points of flavor and
> secondary characteristics, of which I consider color and clarity both to
> be secondary - it's the taste that's of first importance :)
I tend to use 16 lbs of honey for 5 gallons, and blasting it (adding
more). I have used 20 lbs before. I also prefer champagne yeast. It
works for me.
-georg
non ani sunt permittendi
.
georg
>
>
> What is the proper use of pectic enzyme? I assume it is to aid in the
> removal of pectins which are in fruit. When do you add? Thanks!
You are correct in your assumption. I add it for 24 hours before
pitching the yeast. (IE. heat water, dissolve honey, pour over fruit.
Wait for it to get close to room tamp and then add pectic enzyme.
Airlock. Wait 24 hours. Pitch yeast. Let work) I always use the amount
recommended by the manufacturer.
georg
>
>
> I've gotten good results with sparkaloid. Gelatin won't do much,
> because there's not alot of protein in honey. Personally, I don't
> think it's possible to get a clear anything without finings.
You are welcome to explore my wine rack, which is full of various
things that cleared naturally over time.
You are also entitled to use what you will and retain your own
opinions.
go...@montana.com
wrote:
Ok, so maybe I'm a little impatient. :)
Jeff Spurlin
>>
>> Yacko wrote:
>> >
>> > I use 'Irish Moss' in my mead for clarification. I add it about 3
>> > minutes before the end of my boil. Most of the solids it leaves behind
>
>> This is not a flame, or at least is not intended as such. I am firmly
>> in the Do Not Boil Honey For Mead camp, but will not take you to task
>> over that, or invoke a flame war for it. As you state, it is personal
>> preference.
>Not taken as a flame, thanks for the way in which you presented it..
>you say simmer, I say boil, either way, let's try each other's mead and
>tell each otehr they're great :)
>
>> was my understanding that Irish Moss worked as a clarifier in boiling
>For the reason, I was looking for a substitute for 'sparkalloid' which
>, while it worked nicely, I could not find out what it was made of, and
>it cleared very nicely... I kept using it and since then, it's helped
>clear it. Whether it's using some of the solid bits as a coagulant or
>some thing, or possibly the kerageenan which may or may not exist in the
>moss (seaweed, kerageenan, it's in your ice cream!) is causing a similar
>reaction as would gelatin stuff is unknown (to me). My experience has
>told me to use it, solely by trying it on a whim. Wanted substitute,
>tried it, it worked. Reasoned scientifically? I dunno how it works. But
>it works for me. Maybe I'm all wrong. Perhaps when I get to the point of
>deciding just how I like my mead as far as yeasts and lbs honey/gal,
>I'll look at the other things. Until then, I've got too much going to
>change the moss part of the equation.
>
>brewing mead, with the main factors being honey type, lbs/gal honey and
>yeast type - when I've nailed down these three items as far as my
>preferences, I'll start looking at the finer points of flavor and
>secondary characteristics, of which I consider color and clarity both to
>YMMV.
>
>-yacko
>NOSPAM in address, remove to reply
Excuse me for butting in here, but have you tried adding
Grape tannin. about a tablespoon of grape tannin will clear
5 gallons of mead in about 48 hours.
ttfn,
Jeff
Jeff Spurlin
>beer wort to coagulate which makes clearer beer. What I'm missing
>here is the fact that honey does not have much if any protein...
>(that's why we have to add yeast nutrient to ferment). Hence,
>why would Irish moss help clear mead ???
>
what Tannin will pull out and I can clear a mead in 24-48
hours with a tablespoon of grape tannin.
ttfn,
Jeff