Chemical reactions: Rotting Requirements?

Question

We are making some homemade Mead, and we currently have it in an oxygen-less environment. The last time we tried, the fruit rotted, and we would like to avoid that. Is oxygen a requirement for rotting? Yes or no, i woudl like to know what elements are needed for rotting, and which woudl likely be present in our fermenting mead.

Answer 1

Spoilage during fermentation can come about from any one of several organisms, some aerobic and others anaerobic.

Using a fermentation lock is helpful in largely eliminating oxygen from the fermentation vessel. However, creating a clean environment and keeping it clean of undesirable organisms is key. Specifically:

-Thoroughly clean your primary fermentation vessel, all parts of the fermentation lock, and your hands before you prepare your primary. Some people use Sulfites and others use diluted bleach to do this.
- Inspect your fermentation lock regularly and refill the water in it when needed. Use a bleach-water solution in the lock, dilute enough to not damage the plastic.
- Thoroughly clean everything (bottles, hoses, locks, hands) when you transfer to your secondary and at each time you rack. If you suck on the tube to get the siphon started, dip the tube in a bit of bleach-water to clean it before you let the must come through.
- Keep a generally clean environment: avoid having anything around like old fruit, Sauerkraut, or pickles.

Answer 2

How exactly are you making your mead?
What kind of yeast did you use?
What do you have in your must besides the honey?

Just having an onxygen free environment is not enough. In fact, oxygen at the beginning of your ferment is essential for the yeast to multiply. Yes, oxygen is necessary for rot, so is bacteria and other contaminants...however, removing the surface oxygen does not remove *all* the oxygen. The idea is to get the yeast to multiply and essentially take over, muscling out (to paraphrase) any competing microorganisms. When the yeast runs out of oxygen, both on the surface and dissolved in your must it then starts consuming the sugars and producing alcohol and CO2.

Provided you have a vigorous fermentation occuring, it's likely you've precluded the elements that would cause it to rot. If you're not fermenting well, then the conditions present might be condusive to rotting instead.

Beyond that, without further information, it's hard to say whether it will rot or not.

Answer 3

By rotting, do you mean mold? Most molds, and all vinegar producing bacteria do need oxygen to work.

Mead is made from honey. About 13 to 18 pounds of it are needed for 5 gallons, to get the proper strength. Traditional mead does not use any fruit.

The fruit character (for a fruit mead) depends on how much you use, the sugar content and the strength of the mead. If you add the fruit before fermentation has started, and do not use enough yeast, you can encourage spoilage.

Adding fruit as a secondary ingredient (after the basic fermentation is done) will inhibit spoilage and restart fermentation, evacuating oxygen from the fermenter. This assumes a closed fermenter, with an airlock.

If you want to further inhibit spoilage you can add a sulfate, like campden tablets, and let the fruit and juice sit for a day or so before adding it to the fermenter. Be sure to use a wine or champagne yeast, if you do this, because they can still work with sulfites in solution.