Honey flavored Rubbing Alcohol

Lanfox · 03-16-2008, 11:18 AM

Hey everyone,
My first batch of mead seemed to take a very long time to ferment.

5lbs honey
1gal distiled water.
chapagne yeast

After the first month I racked to secondary, and let ferment for another month, then i use potassium sorbate to kill the yeast at a gravity of 1.012, then i racked to a tird vessle for 6 months.

When I tasted it, the Mead was like honey flavored rubbing alcohol.
I bottled it and Im going to wait 3 more months before trying it again.

any advice?

GrantLee63 · 03-16-2008, 11:33 AM

Most meads require a fair amount of time before they mellow out - especially, the particular batch that you made. Champagne yeasts have alcohol tolerances up to 18-20% - and beyond, and, given the 5 pounds of honey you used in a one gallon batch, yours is probably pretty close to that. Did you take an initial gravity reading?

Any mead that I make these days bulk-ages for a minimum of 2 years before I decide to either bottle, or continue bulk-aging. I have a blueberry mel that was made in August of 2006 that has just recently 'turned the corner' and is really just now starting to shine. Also an Acerglyn I made in June of 2006 is just starting to be drinkable - it was very hot and harsh as recently as 3 months ago, but has toned down considerably when I sampled it this past Thursday. These are just a couple examples - I will tell you that any mead - including the so-called ' quick-meads ' will improve as they continue to age.

Patience, patience, patience and then more patience when it comes to mead - time is your friend !

- GL63

**Yooper** · 03-16-2008, 12:46 PM

Yes, I was going to say basically the same thing that grantlee said. I don't even bottle for at least a year.

Put the bottles away at a cool room temperature for at least 3 years. In 5 years, they'll taste like heaven!

malkore · 03-16-2008, 01:41 PM

and don't use distilled water for brewing. its too pure. no minerals. the yeast was pretty stressed since you had no nitrogen, no nutrients.

that equals slow fermentation and more off flavors...

I agree with Yooper...put these bottles away for at least another 12 months. its gonna take some major aging for this batch to come around.

njnear76 · 03-16-2008, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by malkore

and don't use distilled water for brewing. its too pure. no minerals. the yeast was pretty stressed since you had no nitrogen, no nutrients.

that equals slow fermentation and more off flavors...

I agree with Yooper...put these bottles away for at least another 12 months. its gonna take some major aging for this batch to come around.

I'm thinking of making my first mead and I got a couple of questions that you guys might be able to answer.

Is it necessary to use a secondary for mead?
Do I need a blowoff tube if I am making a 2 gallon mead in a 3 gallon carboy?

Thanks,
Mike

**Nurmey** · 03-16-2008, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by njnear76

I'm thinking of making my first mead and I got a couple of questions that you guys might be able to answer.

Is it necessary to use a secondary for mead?
Do I need a blowoff tube if I am making a 2 gallon mead in a 3 gallon carboy?

Thanks,
Mike

I believe our local mead guru, Malkore, once said he never uses a secondary. I have used a secondary but I'm not sure it's necessary. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
You should be fine with a 3 gallon carboy. I've never got much, if any, krausen (is it called that with mead?).

Lanfox · 03-16-2008, 06:31 PM

I dont rember what the OG was, i know it was high, I was going for a sweet mead, but then i found out that champagne yeast dosnt quit. so I killed it off quickly. And I don't know if this makes a differace but the water was reverce osmosis filtered, not distilled.