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Racking and Secondary Fermentation of Mead
The purpose of racking mead is to separate the must from the lees (the sediment
that forms during fermentation). Lees can influence the flavor and character of
the final product; this can be good or bad depending on the variety of yeast and
your personal tastes. Removing the sediment also improves the appearance of the
final product.
At least twenty-four hours before you plan to rack the mead, elevate the
fermentation chamber to a table or chair and raise one side of your fermentation
chamber so that it is sitting at an angle. This needs to be done ahead of time
so that any sediment stirred up has time to settle before racking. The elevation
is necessary so that gravity can be used to transfer the mead from the primary
to the secondary fermentation chamber. Sitting the chamber at an angle reduces
the amount of must left behind in the primary fermentation chamber. Once your
racking equipment has been cleaned and sterilized, you are ready to rack your
mead.
Lower one end of the tubing into the secondary fermentation chamber. The hose
should rest on or near the bottom of the fermenter because we do not want to
aerate the must during transfer. Slide a pinch-type hose clamp over your tubing
so that you can control the flow of must before attaching the auto-siphon.
Gently lower the auto-siphon into the must and aim for the lowest point possible
without disturbing the sediment. Pinch the clamp so that when you raise the
auto-siphon’s plunger, must is drawn into the column. Release the clamp and
slowly press down on the plunger. This will begin the transfer of must from the
primary to the secondary fermentation chamber. Use the clamp to control the
speed of the transfer and remember not to disturb the sediment.
I typically check the gravity after racking to see how the mead is progressing.
If there is excessive head
space, it is acceptable to add some spring water to
the must. Adding water will affect your gravity readings, so you should take
another reading to gauge the impact. Seal the fermenter with a sterilized air
lock and store it in a cool dark location. The length of secondary fermentation
varies, and it is okay to rack the must as many times as necessary to separate
the mead from the lees. When you are satisfied with your mead, it is time to
bottle.
Continue to 'Bottling and Aging of Mead'
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