Sparkling wine/mead traditional method

[Cobrac]

Firstly, I’m new here so I don’t know if I’m in the right area, but I post my question.

I’m having a primary fermentation (mead) which I have started just recently. I have used qa23 yeast and rehydrated it with Go-Ferm and I will use Fermaid-O as yeast nutrition. I will use oak spirals in my primary fermentor. However I’m quite uncertain of how to proceed with my secondary when that day come. Should I use a fining agent and cold crash after fermentation is done and rack my mead to a new vessel and add my secondary yeast and sugar (honey) and then bottle it? I will use EC-1118 to carbonate. I will use a bidule and crown cap and let sit for a 6-12months before degorging. So my main question is if I should done my mead before adding my new yeast? I’m thinking of the competitive factor between my qa23 yeast and EC-1118.

 

[Cobrac]

I mean: if I should fine my mead before adding new yeast in my secondary? Should I use any Fermaid-O in my secondary fermentation in the bottle?

 

[MJD]

I bottle carbonate a session mead (~5% ABV) without the use of a second yeast, in the same manner as you would beer. You don't reference how much EC-1118 you are thinking of using, but I might suggest that it isn't necessarily vital to use the additional yeast...and if you do, use small quantities.

More to your question - I do not fine any of my sparkling mead and the bottle residue is almost nil, and the liquid itself is quite clear.

 

[BernardSmith]

Hi Cobrac - and welcome. I hear your question but I think the bigger issue is that you want to add your oak to the primary. The thing about oak is that you want to have complete control over how much the flavors (and tannins) the oak will provide and when you add this to the primary you have as much control over this as you would driving a self driving car while seated in the passenger seat. I think you want to add any oak far closer to bottling time and that means that you can remove the oak (determining when by taste) on a day by day basis. You also want the alcohol to extract flavor (and color?) rather than water: ethanol is a better solvent than water. But this is just my opinion and others with far more knowledge than I may disagree.

 

[Cobrac]

Thats something I have been considering, so perhaps I will use oak in the very last part of primary or completely after. I’m a bit worried about oxidation if I open and add oak in the last part of it. I won’t stabilize the beverage after dryness since I need to make a secondary fermentation. And the oak needs a couple of weeks to release wanted compounds. But if I add my oak together with my last Fermaid-O feeding at 1/3 sugar brake the yeast still assimilate the oxygen it’s exposed to. But my worries about oxidation is perhaps excessive?

 

[MJD]

I think your oxidation concern is way overblown. If your primary fermenter is already under airlock and fermentation is active, absent vigorous stirring by you, I can't see where you are going to oxidate it.

As for the oak, I'll echo Bernard's advice...do it in the secondary.