Hi everyone. Long time no posts. That's what renovating the whole
house will do to other parts of your life - put them all on hold. But
a half-made wine waits for no man. Here's my story:

Started an Orange Blossom show mead in mid-November. It's been on the
secondary since Nov. 29th. Typically, six weeks into the secondary
(now) I rack a wine off its sediments and stabilized. Yet, I'm seeing
a lot of activity in this carboy. Lots (and lots) of fine bubbles
coming off the carboy walls and some forming from within as well I
think. I'm used to seeing a very quite wine six weeks into the
secondary. Is this an unplanned MLF?

At any rate, I elected to leave it alone last night but here's my
dilemma: Several days from now we are leaving for a much deserved
vacation and will not be back until Feb 14th. My choices are to rack
within the next few days and halt the mysterious activity in this
wine. Or, I can can leave it alone until mid-Feb. My concern for the
latter choice is the length of time the wine sits on those sediments
(10-11 weeks). I'm worried about those dead yeasts imparting off
flavours after so long. I forget the term that describes that.
Thanks for any help.

Sorry for so many words. As Mark Twain sed, I'd have written a
shorter note but I didn't have time.

Jim

I'd say rack it. Just be sure your air lock is topped up before you leave.
Steve
"glad heart" > wrote in message
m...
> Hi everyone. Long time no posts. That's what renovating the whole
> house will do to other parts of your life - put them all on hold. But
> a half-made wine waits for no man. Here's my story:
>
> Started an Orange Blossom show mead in mid-November. It's been on the
> secondary since Nov. 29th. Typically, six weeks into the secondary
> (now) I rack a wine off its sediments and stabilized. Yet, I'm seeing
> a lot of activity in this carboy. Lots (and lots) of fine bubbles
> coming off the carboy walls and some forming from within as well I
> think. I'm used to seeing a very quite wine six weeks into the
> secondary. Is this an unplanned MLF?
>
> At any rate, I elected to leave it alone last night but here's my
> dilemma: Several days from now we are leaving for a much deserved
> vacation and will not be back until Feb 14th. My choices are to rack
> within the next few days and halt the mysterious activity in this
> wine. Or, I can can leave it alone until mid-Feb. My concern for the
> latter choice is the length of time the wine sits on those sediments
> (10-11 weeks). I'm worried about those dead yeasts imparting off
> flavours after so long. I forget the term that describes that.
> Thanks for any help.
>
> Sorry for so many words. As Mark Twain sed, I'd have written a
> shorter note but I didn't have time.
>
> Jim

I'd say rack it. Just be sure your air lock is topped up before you leave.
Steve
"glad heart" > wrote in message
m...
> Hi everyone. Long time no posts. That's what renovating the whole
> house will do to other parts of your life - put them all on hold. But
> a half-made wine waits for no man. Here's my story:
>
> Started an Orange Blossom show mead in mid-November. It's been on the
> secondary since Nov. 29th. Typically, six weeks into the secondary
> (now) I rack a wine off its sediments and stabilized. Yet, I'm seeing
> a lot of activity in this carboy. Lots (and lots) of fine bubbles
> coming off the carboy walls and some forming from within as well I
> think. I'm used to seeing a very quite wine six weeks into the
> secondary. Is this an unplanned MLF?
>
> At any rate, I elected to leave it alone last night but here's my
> dilemma: Several days from now we are leaving for a much deserved
> vacation and will not be back until Feb 14th. My choices are to rack
> within the next few days and halt the mysterious activity in this
> wine. Or, I can can leave it alone until mid-Feb. My concern for the
> latter choice is the length of time the wine sits on those sediments
> (10-11 weeks). I'm worried about those dead yeasts imparting off
> flavours after so long. I forget the term that describes that.
> Thanks for any help.
>
> Sorry for so many words. As Mark Twain sed, I'd have written a
> shorter note but I didn't have time.
>
> Jim

"glad heart" > wrote in message
m...
> Hi everyone. Long time no posts. That's what renovating the whole
> house will do to other parts of your life - put them all on hold. But
> a half-made wine waits for no man. Here's my story:
>
> Started an Orange Blossom show mead in mid-November. It's been on the
> secondary since Nov. 29th. Typically, six weeks into the secondary
> (now) I rack a wine off its sediments and stabilized. Yet, I'm seeing
> a lot of activity in this carboy. Lots (and lots) of fine bubbles
> coming off the carboy walls and some forming from within as well I
> think. I'm used to seeing a very quite wine six weeks into the
> secondary. Is this an unplanned MLF?
>
> At any rate, I elected to leave it alone last night but here's my
> dilemma: Several days from now we are leaving for a much deserved
> vacation and will not be back until Feb 14th. My choices are to rack
> within the next few days and halt the mysterious activity in this
> wine. Or, I can can leave it alone until mid-Feb. My concern for the
> latter choice is the length of time the wine sits on those sediments
> (10-11 weeks). I'm worried about those dead yeasts imparting off
> flavours after so long. I forget the term that describes that.
> Thanks for any help.
>
> Sorry for so many words. As Mark Twain sed, I'd have written a
> shorter note but I didn't have time.
>
> Jim

I would suggest that you leave it alone. If it is still bubbling, it is
still fermenting. If you rack it at this point you run a real risk of
having it stick. It will not hurt anything for it to sit on it's leas for
another month or two. After all, it is not unusual to hear of people having
meads ferment for 3 or 4 months.

Ray