Gassy Mead

[Andy H]

Hello,

I decided to try making a gallon of mead a year ago. It should be ready for bottling next month, except a couple of months ago it appeared to start fermenting again - fizzing rapidly and blowing the bung from it's demijohn. I put an airlock back in and let the bubbles die down. However, despite a crushed campden tablet, potassium sorbate and repeated attempts over several weeks to shake the gas out, it's still producing gas (pressure builds up if I stick a solid bung back in). There are no visible bubbles unless I shake it for 20-30 seconds, then they come up rapidly for a short while.

I'm concerned that there's no point bottling this batch, given that it's likely to blow the corks out. Is there anything else I can do to de-gas it ?

 

[kirton]

The only reason i can think of is that you've had a spout of secondary fermentaion (something to with lactic acid I think!) and from what I've heard this usually improves flavour. I would leave it little while until the bubbbles stop and then rack it, give it a good shake to degas it, wait a little while longer and bottle it.

Hope it all goes well for you

 

[shadow47]

Google... Malolactic fermenation

 

[Andy H]

Okay, that sounds like it might be the case. Many thanks.