Is Pouring Your Mead Bad? A Reflective Test

[@theastronomer5800]

Cool video. If you're starting out and/or short on cash, you can just use a food-grade tube for $2-3 without the auto-siphon to rack. Give it some suction and off you go. The siphon with a bottling wand though makes the final step MUCH easier and much less messy!

[@carmelprayer3724]

Thank you for this test. I always wondered if pouring my meads affected the taste, now I know.

[@davidmcdonald4771]

Interesting to say the least. Never have had a reason to pour. When I was younger I learned about oxygenation by using wineskins overseas.

[@lazyplumber1616]

I have a spout on my 2 gallon small batch fermenter that I always rack my primary fermentation into secondary with that method. After that I auto siphon and use a bottle filler. I feel that adding a little oxygenation from primary to secondary helps to degas and mellow the mead quicker.

[@dexterne]

In proper triangle tests the participants shouldn't know the variable tested and definitely should not know that there are 2 with variable A, 1 with variable B. The point of triangle tests is to see if a difference can be perceived at all without any bias. It sounds like that wouldn't have been a problem here though.

[@chestergregg8668]

In this case, they may have been able to tell there was a difference between the 2v1, and grouped them correctly, but knowing that the group of 2 is theoretically better could bias them toward those samples.

[@dexterne]

@@chestergregg8668 Exactly. And if they didn't know that they were looking for oxidation, they might have focused on another factor. The sample size (and selection of participants) wasn't statistically significant either, but I don't think that MMM was going for pure scientific rigor here anyway. What we can say from this test is three mead makers can pick out the difference between poured and siphoned meads, when they know that is what they are looking for. 😉

[@Brandon-yq1tm]

Glad to know that this proves what we all have been told before, always use an auto siphon for less sediment and less oxygenation for a better tasting mead, especially when they can be so expensive to make. I have one cyser that I will sadly have to dump because the brewing bucket I made it in came with a lid that was defective and wasn't airtight, so that's all that 6 gallons of apple juice and honey down the drain

[@ManMadeMead]

You're right! We spend so much time and money on the mead, we should be investing the few bucks for an auto siphon and tubing to keep it from oxidizing!

[@Vykk_Draygo]

The lid doesn't need to be airtight for proper fermentation, you can ferment with an open container, if you really want (though I'd worry about flies and such). Is it infected? Did you leave it in the bucket for months? Really, if it was just in the bucket for the week it takes to ferment, there shouldn't be an issue at all.

[@Brandon-yq1tm]

@@Vykk_Draygo the lid wouldn't seal at all so I had to try to close it with saran wrap, and by then a pellicle formed quickly on it, it's definitely infected

[@Vykk_Draygo]

@@Brandon-yq1tm If it formed quickly, then I have doubts it is a pellicle. Pellicle formation usually takes quite a while, even with purposeful inoculation. My mixed culture sour mead took well over a month to form a pellicle. Same for the Oud Bruin I made. I had a mixed ferm cider go through primary recently, and it's in secondary on the yeast cake from the mead, and it still hasn't formed a pellicle.
You sure it isn't just yeast? They can clump and form structures that can be mistaken for a pellicle. Or mold, which isn't a pellicle either, but it should be obvious if it's mold (which is a definite dump). As long as it doesn't look like mold, and it doesn't stink to high heaven, I'd at least give it a taste to see if it seems like it's ok. 🤷‍♂
Edit: The lacto x kveik mixed culture sour I did formed a bit quicker, at just a couple weeks in, but that was a high temp ferment.

[@Brandon-yq1tm]

@@Vykk_Draygo it formed a small amount after 3 weeks, and then I transferred it to a glass one for a seal while it aged, and has been 4 months now and it still comes back. It is definitely infected, I'm not sure why you are trying to argue that it's not.

[@1014p]

I have free poured very gassed primary to degass. Works really well as so much co2 release occurs o2 is gone. Now this isn’t splashing pour but controlled. If you use a spout I’m not sure if you vessel will purge as easily in a pour. I dont do this unless there is major straining needed with ingredient mush situation.

[@javierchirinos28]

Some meads benefit from slight oxidation, gives them a sherry like flavor, but you still shouldn't pour your mead.

[@briant6669]

Isn't sherry intentionally given oxygen?

[@ManMadeMead]

That's true!

[@SM-cf7kv]

Super info dud 🏖

[@ManMadeMead]

Thank you!

[@Greez1337]

I generally don't pour because I rack to help clear. Any brew I've poured from a Gallon fermenter has been stabilized, and usually consumed within a year so I'm not sure how adversely impacted they've been.

[@MatoNupai]

Splashing wine or mead will add oxygen to the brew and causing off flavors or even activating acetobactors (SP) and cause the brew to turn to vinegar

[@mitchell9238]

In conclusion: I need an auto siphon

[@ManMadeMead]

You definitely do!

[@wyattoquinn8197]

Ah. Might have made a mistake then, but I was actually diluting to add more honey, there was too much spice, so I wonder how it will affect it.

[@ChooRoo]

Great test. Is it OK to pour if you are doing a secondary fermentation? A little bit of oxygen couldn't hurt right in that case right? Or is it just good practice to always syphon regardless of a secondary?

[@ManMadeMead]

I wouldn’t rack without an auto siphon at any stage, there’s no reason to risk any oxygenation if you can help it!

[@josephhernandez8004]

I don't like using funnels because I feel like it adds even more oxygen then just pouring straight from carboy.

[@ManMadeMead]

I ran it both ways and had the same result!

[@LauraJayne64]

Seems like if you are new it’s not that big of a deal

[@shoeman79]

Do you have any of these left to try after they aged? I've found that while it degasses the lower abv risks turning into vinegar

[@ManMadeMead]

I don't have any of them left unfortunately!

[@ryangatien6615]

It's a habit for me to pour. Everything otherwise tastes great

[@ManMadeMead]

I would caution you to use an auto siphon, I think there will be way less risk of oxidizing!

[@briant6669]

Interesting test(I am not at the end yet) I am curious to see if you can taste the difference. I am so paranoid I fill my bottles and kegs with CO2 before I rack.

[@shasboom5807]

I think you need to repeat this, pour 1st, and then siphon. Maybe the poured ones, because we they were done 2nd, had more yeast from the bottom.

[@ManMadeMead]

Definitely not going to repeat it but I see what you're saying!

[@BESHYSBEES]

I made three seperate meads in 55g barrels, poured two together one week into fermentation to free up a barrel.
Question is do you think this will affect the mead by oxygenation or does it really only affect the mead after fermentation has finished?

[@batorihunor]

Should not really affect. Earily in the fermentation you WANT to introduce oxygen becasuse yeast needs it to reproduce. This is what aeration is about in the first days. After that, especialy during ageing is a bad thing because then there are no active yeasts to consume the oxygen so it can oxidise the molecules which are provide the falvors.
The time frame when you should/can aerate at the beginning is vary and most of the time it's less then a week but it's still very young so considering how much co2 the yiest will produce during the fermentation anyway and also the fact that you should degas your young mead anyway I would say you will be okay. But also you can use some K-Meta to bound to oxygen and prevent it to oxidise your mead (after fermentation ended).
Please note that I'm not a professional just a hobbys so take all what I wrote woth a pinch of salt.

[@BESHYSBEES]

@@batorihunor cheers, I’ve made more since and researched down the rabbit hole

[@jayram9964]

I have a question what kind of filter did you use when poured?

[@ManMadeMead]

I didn't use a filter!

[@ShabLee]

Can you rack multiple times in one go to get out sediment?

[@ManMadeMead]

You would want to let it settle and let the sediment drop between racking!