nwaite

Recipes 

I'm just wondering around how long most meads need to age before there good ? Is it about the same as wine? I made a blackberry mead. Only a gallon of it. Sooo when I do drink it I want it to be friggen prime time.

Hazroth

Recipes 

Minimum default is 6 months but anything after a year will yield a much better potential (unless its very oily then wait 2)

lawpaw

Recipes 

It really depends on your yeast and fermentation management.

With a good deal of fruit and a cool fermentation it could be good in 6 months.

Too much time on the seeds, high fermentation temp, or using certain yeast could require more than a year.

nwaite

Recipes 

Can't remember the yeast ... Just some cheap one. As far as the temp it don't get over 70 in my house this time of year .

lawpaw

Recipes 

Fermentation produces heat so that the must probably fermented a few degrees warmer, but it can be a higher if fermented in a closed space or blanket.

nwaite

Recipes 

What so I should rap a blanket around it or its good at 70 being the highest ?

lawpaw

Recipes 

I wouldn't go higher than 70.

I'm doing a mead with 71v-1116 right now at 51 degrees.

Normally right around 65 is good.

nwaite

Recipes 

Oh wow... I mite move mine to a back room.

truckjohn

Recipes 

Really, the biggest thing for me is the alcohol content, intensity of the flavors, and the fusel alcohol character...

If you made a reasonably low alcohol mead (<10%) - then it will be more drinkable sooner...
If you added super intense flavors - then sometimes they need to age longer to mellow.... Say you used a LOT of blackberry and those blackberries were very acid - it might take a while to mellow... If you only used a little and they were fairly mild, it will be better sooner rather than later....

Really - the only way you will know is to take a sip once in a while...

6 months sounds like a number where if you take a snip - you will know if it needs to sit longer or it tastes great and is ready.

Thanks

BBBF

Recipes 

My meads are drinkable at 6 months, but even better at 12 months. If I were in your position, I'd start drinking some at 6 months, but save half for the full year. If you like what you're tasting at 6 months, start a new batch.