# First rack question.



## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

What you're seeing is from the racking and it's normal. There's a slight oxygenation from racking (which reinvigorates the yeast as long as there's still some active fermentation), and the agitation also dislodges CO2 that was dissolved in solution. So typically it'll bubble for a half-hour or so, calm down for a bit, and then have a gently renewed off-gassing before settling back down.

Most of the yeast that has flocculated (settled to the bottom) is no longer actively fermenting much, so a too-early racking does little harm from that standpoint. The working yeast are still in suspension, making the mead cloudy. I think your timing was great. Stirring does little (though it has a large following based on long-held tradition), since when yeast flocculate it's because they're at that point in their life cycle and in the fermentation. Simply rousing them does not change the biological factors which precipitated their flocculation. That said, mechanical agitation _can_ invigorate yeast that are still working so a small extent, but it's not worth opening up the fermenter and risking contamination/aeration of the mead IMO. Stirring can be helpful later in the mead's life if done carefully (so as not to oxygenate); it reduces dissolved CO2 from the saturated mead so a still mead can be bottled without being/becoming _petillant_ (minimally sparkling or slightly carbonated) in the bottle, changing the character. Racking also degasses, and removes the mead from the yeastcake of primary fermentation.


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## Jim Williamson (Feb 16, 2006)

Well, there you have it. What Michael Bush is to the Beekeeping 101 forum, Ben Brewcat is to meadmaking. I learn something new everyday (sometimes I have to "re-learn" a thing or two). Is this a great forum or what!


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## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

Whoa there Jim, I'd have to get out my biggest bunnie slippers to try to fill them shoes


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