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DrunkenBuffalo · 05-06-2010, 09:31 PM

Simple question. Once you open a bottle of your delicious home brewed mead, how long will it keep. Is it more like wine where you have a few days or more like liquor and doesn't go bad.

I am talking about still mead not sparkling. Thanks in advance.

TipsyDragon · 05-06-2010, 09:37 PM

its more like wine.

MedsenFey · 05-06-2010, 11:30 PM

It depends on the mead. Some fruit melomels will show oxidation within a couple of days in the fridge. With traditional meads, I've seen some last for a few weeks without significant oxidation. My non-scientifically-tested impression is that meads tend to be less prone to oxidation than similar white wines. However, they are not like liquor, and will deteriorate after being opened.

DrunkenBuffalo · 05-12-2010, 12:46 AM

Thanks guys. I'm thinking of doing my first mead soon as the weather remains in the 60 up here. Any thoughts for a recipe? I've been searching though the recipes on here and I'm torn between traditional meads and ones with fruit.

liquiditynerd · 05-12-2010, 01:05 AM

First of all. Way to rep B-lo! Second, it really depends, yes there is oxidization, but it really depends on how you bottle it. I have a bunch of sizes and i think (no research) that the larger sizes age better. I have flip tops and screw tops. pints, quarts, 40's, and 2.75 gals 40's are economical and if you get through a 40 of mead you wont have to worry about much of anything except where your sleeping. So I guess the questions back to you, what are you bottling in and why aren't you finishing what you started?

liquiditynerd · 05-12-2010, 01:14 AM

Sorry, I replied to the 1st and not the 2nd question.
That's the beauty of the ancient art of mead. You can pretty much make it with whatever you have available. There are a bunch of recipies on here but I usually make it as i go. I use local farmers markets so it changes with the seasons.

my latest is as follows
9 lbs orange blossom miel
4 lbs pure miel ( store bought)
9 OZ blue berries
3 peppermint sprigs
2 sticks of cinnamon
6 rosemary sprigs
1 large rose blossom
4 tspn enegizerlalvin d47 yeast rehydrated 24 hrs before

after 2 weeks i added 2 cups smashed (crushed in b-lo) blueberries

klcramer · 05-12-2010, 01:53 AM

Personally I am a fan of fruit meads. I know thats not the exact name for them but you all know what I mean. Right now I have a peach mead and a mixed berry mead that the first bottles were just opened and the rest need a bit more aging but were still excellent.

klcramer · 05-12-2010, 01:58 AM

Sorry I didn't answer the original question either. How long does it keep? I would go for bottles that are the size you know you will finish. I put mine in 20oz flip top growlers I believe they are called. They give things a nice look and there is only 20 oz at a time. That way If I want one type and someone else wants to try something else it's not a big deal. They are a bit more expensive but I never get asked if I want my bottles back it is just assumed I do. I haven't lost any bottles yet and have many batches of beer and a few batches of mead under my belt as well as a few batches of wine. That my 2 cents worth.

homebrewer_99 · 05-12-2010, 01:58 AM

In one of my mead books the author said he drank 50 year old mead...

klcramer · 05-12-2010, 01:59 AM

50 year old mead??? I can't get it to last that long. This must have been a long lost bottle. Lucky guy.