im looking for some tips to open my meadery

Going Pro
1

hi all,

im looking to open my meadery, so i live outside USA so i have already all permision in my country, but there are some questions about equipment i have for going pro vs semi pro and small scale,

first are fermentors, do i need conical fermeters or regular wine viable capacity tanks should be ok?,
here are some question on the tanks, while wine tanks are cheaper the dont have ports or vales for racking, only a sampler and a bottom valve, so if im not wrong usually wine gets pumped so this wont be a problem on wines, but for mead, im not so sure, i do rack my mead on closed transfer with CO2 something i wont be able to do with wine tanks, but a cheaper tank may help me get more kegs or more tanks for aging as well, so im not so sure with route to go,
my idea its to get 10BBL conicals ot 1200L for wine tanks.
the tanks should not be jacked since im looking for a big cold room for fermentation, also i used mostly lutra kviek so, im not too into temperatured controlled tanks, still the cold room its a must.

the second doubt its about filtering, i do like crystal clear mead, so im no so sure about how to go in this, for example moslty my meads are backsweeted always so maybe i could stabilized on the fermentation tank then backsweet let it drop for about 2 weeks then filter it.

im looking to offer still and carbonated mead, so im still not sure what type of filter i sould get, lenticular or cartidge, also for this types of filter mead should be pumped? or vaccum it with a special racking tool?

2

These questions are probably better directed to a pro forum. If you become a BA member you’ll have access to a different forum. Probrewer.com is also out there and doesn’t require membership beyond the forum.

3

Sorry for late reply.  Model your new meadery like a winery, not a brewery.  We use flat bottom variable capacity tanks.  We use clarifiers and filters for clarity.  Again - standard winemaking techniques.  If you have a local winery, i would suggest speaking with them.  I apprenticed at a local grape winery, then made their first mead before opening our own place 4 years ago.

4

With all due respect, the first thing you should be thinking about is a business plan. More than making mead, you’re running a business. Maybe you already have that covered.