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Mead

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  • 28-08-2011 12:39pm
    #1
    Shiny
    Registered Users Posts: 2,259 ✭✭✭


    20110828121534.jpg

    Was racking my 2nd Mead to secondary today and took a small sample to taste. I forgot to taste the first one when I was racking that.:o

    It is surprisingly nice, given that I constantly read that it needs the best part of a year to age! Its been 5 years since I was drinking Mead in a Metal festival in Germany so I have forgotten how it is supposed to taste. Its fairly bitter as if all moisture is extracted from your mouth when you drink it. I haven't bothered taking the gravity as I added water to fill the head space to prevent any potential oxidation.

    [EDIT] I decided feic it and racked the first one again so I got a sample this time. It has been ageing about a month longer than the other one so the difference in clarity is very noticeable. Taste is completely different than the other one! This one has loads of spices as per recipe but its much dryer and seems like borderline rocket fuel. I think this one will need ageing big time. All the spices seem to have contributed more to the aroma than taste.
    20110828125856.jpg


    Has anyone here made much Mead? All my batches are small 1 gallon batches as I don't have the balls to attempt a full brew in case its nasty.


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    #2
    irish_goat
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 5,787 Mod ✭✭✭✭irish_goat


    Was there much difference in recipe between the first and second? It seems easy enough stuff to make so I might give it a go. Don't really just want to end up with rocket fuel but I suppose it would do for college. :pac:


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    #3
    Shiny
    Registered Users Posts: 2,259 ✭✭✭Shiny


    The main difference was that I used ale yeast in one of them and champagne yeast in the other. The one with the ale yeast is much nicer. This is probably due to the inability of the yeast to ferment at higher alcohol concentrations.

    I'm thinking I wont be using the champagne yeast again. :o


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    #4
    Darkginger
    Registered Users Posts: 695 ✭✭✭Darkginger


    I agree about the champagne yeast - I think mead needs a little bit of sweetness, and it ferments out too much if you use the champagne yeast. My most recent attempt (1 gallon of elderflower) - though it was very effective (didn't measure SG, just drank it) was too dry for the floral flavour and left me with a head of death the next day. You live and learn :)


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