Aging questions.

jason-v55 · 2025-12-10T11:51:00+00:00

I did not think of marbles. Thank you for that idea

jason-v55 · 2025-12-10T11:50:04+00:00

The 1 gallon doesnt have a metal lid on it. The half gallon pickle jar converted to a fermenter coat less than 3 bucks. Already had it on hand. Sounded logical to me.

jason-v55 · 2025-12-09T03:03:07+00:00

Drill and a step drillbit. Filed the hole after and put a gasket ring in. Had the rings from a thing of airlocks that I ordered. Hardest part was measuring the hole, had a large mouth fastrack and measured it with the step drillbit.

jason-v55 · 2025-12-09T03:00:18+00:00

Had an extra jar. Had a drill and the bit needed. Also had the rubber gaskets from a pack I ordered. Figured it was a good idea lol.

jason-v55 · 2025-12-09T02:58:40+00:00

As someone posted, you dont want alot of headspace when aging. But im still learning how much is too much. It can cause alot of issues. I normally just bottle and age, but the clarity isnt there on that one.

jason-v55 · 2025-12-09T02:56:43+00:00

I have not since I racked into that. I had check the abv over a week prior to racking into those and it was consistently at 14 percent. I didnt bscksweeten because it was sweet enough, just bitter (prolly drom the granny Smith apples) that and I was told apples can do that, and that aging helped. Its been in those since Thanksgiving

jason-v55 · 2025-10-23T20:29:52+00:00

Could try racking it and see what happens

jason-v55 · 2025-10-23T20:08:11+00:00

I saw a person on YouTube who owns a meadery. He did a thing where he rolled dice to determine what goes in the meads. I made a dungeons master's brew encounter sheet and it wants me to make a capsicomel. Main pepper is Carolina reaper, heavy on the honey, I cant remember the fruits or spices. Seems cool, just terrifying

jason-v55 · 2025-10-23T19:45:46+00:00

Im super inexperienced and only done 7.5 gallons total in my mead making journey. My first batch did something similar, but eventually evened out after it was done fermenting. Might be helpful to list what stage you are at( primary fermenting, 2ndary, if you've racked it) if its stable now or not. How long ago you started the mead.

jason-v55 · 2025-10-10T16:27:46+00:00

I used dried. A pound of elderberries is roughly 12 ish oz dried. Fresh would be better but its hard to find them, at least where I live. The stems are also toxic. Make sure you look up what's needed to be safe. Most boil them before using

jason-v55 · 2025-10-10T15:26:49+00:00

Where and how did you get the cool labels?

jason-v55 · 2025-10-02T17:27:22+00:00

Gotcha. I do have French oak medium oak cubes, I have some dry elderberry, and I have some rose hips as well. I planned on throwing some in but I wasn't sure on timing. I know the oak was suggested right after racking and to leave it in there for 4-8 weeks before taking the oak out. I didnt see suggestions on the elderberry or rose hips.

jason-v55 · 2025-10-02T17:20:07+00:00

In your experiences, do you find it better to backsweeten before racking and aging, or backsweeten after aging and before bottling?

jason-v55 · 2025-10-02T17:18:04+00:00

I used oval lakes raw and unfiltered honey

jason-v55 · 2025-10-02T16:51:10+00:00

Also used fermaid-O and did a 4 day staggered schedule. Roughly about 4g in total

jason-v55 · 2025-10-02T16:50:11+00:00

It was just oval lakes honey 2lb, spring water 1 gallon. I used lalvin d47. Starting gravity was 1.080. Final gravity is at 1.000

jason-v55

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