ugly color

[mala54]

I have my first attempt at mead

it is in a carboy with an airlock in place and it is bubbling nicely( been in the carboy about 3 weeks)
but it is an awful color kinda looks like dark chocolate milk, and doesn't seem to be clearing yet

is this normal??

 

[mmadmikes1]

Is it straight honey mead? did to caramelize or burn the honey? Did you add anything?

 

[mala54]

my recipe
12 lbs. honey
4 gal water
2 tsp yeast nutrient
1 tsp tannin
2 tbsp acid blend
1 campden tab.
2 pks lalvin K1-1116 yeast

beginnig SG 1.090

stayed in primary 14 days then racked to carboy

it's not clearing very well
it is ugly light brown color
is this normal will it eventually clear up?????

 

[mmadmikes1]

Its fine, mead takes even more patience than wine. Stuff does not de-gas easy and will not clear good until you de-gas it

 

[mala54]

thank you

 

[offdagrid]

How clear do you get your mead, this is mine after 6 months

 

[docanddeb]

It also depends if you used light or dark colored honey. Honey needs to sit AT LEAST a year before you bottle. It does not give instant gratification, as wine can. Well worth the wait, however!!

Debbie

 

[fatbloke]

if it's a straight traditional, then it should be clear enough to read a newspaper through it (in normal daylight).

Some "coloured" meads (where fruit has been used) can be harder to judge, as you may need to shine a torch/flashlight on the news print to read it, just depends on how much pigmentation has been retained from the original fruit colour......

 

[mala54]

thanks for all the interest and replies
my mead cleared up very nicely I am well pleased with how it looks and how it tastes!!! and I can read through it in good light
I'll be making another batch in the future

 

[CB750]

Normally I bulk age my mead for about 6 months and don't use any clarifiers as it cleans up on its own but I got a late start on my Christmas Sack Mead this batch tasted great for a young mead it was still cloudy.

The recommended cure is Bentonite in water. But after a few days it was still cloudy. I then hit it with a package of "Liquor Quik Super Clear K.C. (Kieselsol and Chitosan) according to package instructions 48 hours later the mead was crystal clear and ready to bottle.