Cedar Rapids Brewing Society

What are the risks of maturing mead in a 5-gallon bucket for months, if there is 1-2 gallons of head space in the bucket?

Are the risks pretty much the same as beer?

daryl wrote:What are the risks of maturing mead in a 5-gallon bucket for months, if there is 1-2 gallons of head space in the bucket?

Are the risks pretty much the same as beer?

I've got 3 - 5 gallon glass carboys I would love to get rid of for $20 each. I don't know if that would solve your head space problem.

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mjensen52402 wrote:

daryl wrote:What are the risks of maturing mead in a 5-gallon bucket for months, if there is 1-2 gallons of head space in the bucket?

Are the risks pretty much the same as beer?

I've got 3 - 5 gallon glass carboys I would love to get rid of for $20 each. I don't know if that would solve your head space problem.

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I would purge with c02 to help reduce the risk, that is if your mead is finished fermenting and not producing any c02 of its own after the transfer with that kind of headspace. But i would look into glass for long term storage of any homebrew (wine, beer, mead).

Yes, use glass for long-term ageing. Plastic is somewhat porous to gaseous oxygen and oxidation will occur.

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karl wrote:Yes, use glass for long-term ageing. Plastic is somewhat porous to gaseous oxygen and oxidation will occur.

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Plastic will definitely pass oxygen. Plastic is not suitable for long-term aging (regardless of headspace).

I do primary fermentation in plastic buckets with loose-fitting lids. So long as CO2 is being produced, an air-tight seal is not necessary.

After two or three weeks, I rack into glass carboys. I fill the carboy as far up in the neck as possible. I usually leave 1 or 2 inches of headspace between the product and the bottom of the bung.

Moderate doses of potassium metabisulfite (1/4 tsp in 5 or 6 gallons of product) can protect against oxidation. I always add a bit of sulfite when I rack.

The distinction between HDPE (white bucket) and PET (clear carboy) plastic is important. PET is almost as good as glass, and HDPE is closer to wood. There are various scientific studies and tables out there on google, but in summary:

I currently only use buckets for primary fermentation on stuff that isn't oxygen sensitive.

If you don't like glass due to safety concerns, the best compromise between glass vs. plastic is the clear PET carboys with a rubber stopper. PET is quite resistant to gasses, orders of magnitude better than the white HDPE buckets.

I bought a bunch of milk crates which I use for all of my carboys, both glass and PET (clear) plastic. Adds a little protection, and makes them safer and easier to move and store.

andrewmaixner wrote:I bought a bunch of milk crates which I use for all of my carboys, both glass and PET (clear) plastic. Adds a little protection, and makes them safer to move and store.

That's a good idea, that just might overcome my reluctance in using glass....which I really like using, except for the weight issue. But in a milk carton, I can use a two-wheel cart to help move it around.

Thanks Andrew.