robodeath

Recipes 

I recently made my first batch of mead. It's got the sweet honey flavor i'm looking for, but it's not smooth. It's got a strange bite that almost makes it undrinkable.

Is this a common mistake? Should I have let it age longer than 4 months? Would any longer have made the bite go away? Could it have to do with the yeast (used williams brewing mead yeast)?

Boerderij_Kabouter

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What was the recipe? How much honey, what total volume, did you use energizer and nutrient, any fruit, spices, fruit juice, wort,....? Some details would help. Also, please post the original and final gravity if you have it.

My guess would be that your mead is still "hot" meaning the odd taste is alcohol. This will mellow with time.

Perhaps try explaining the "bite" a little more.

Mead takes a long time to mature, so I would guess you should RDWHAHB

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robodeath

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This is all I know about the "mead kit" i used:

"Includes dried yeast, yeast nutrient, spices, mead acid blend, and illustrated, brew-by-number instructions. An ideal way to get started in the ancient art of mead brewing. Alcohol approximately 11%."

I put in 15lbs of unprocessed honey, no special flavoring or fruits. Total was 5gallons with distilled water added.

Did not measure gravity, still new to this. I have the tools, but not sure how to use them.

I'm comparing my mead to chaucer's mead. I can drink that stuff like water, has no bite at all.

I let the mead sit in a plastic carboy for 2 months. Racked the mead. Let it sit for 2 more months, racked again, then bottled.

Boerderij_Kabouter

Recipes 

I would age in the bottles for another 6 months, then try it again. With that info I would wager that it is just the alcohol still being hot. Mead takes a long time. In the mean time read up on here and at gotmead.com to get some more info. I also suggest starting another mead soon so you have some int he hopper. A lot of people do 1 gallon mead batches, because they are quick easy, cheap, and you can do a lot of experimenting.

Welcome to the board!

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2P-Twent-E Simple Brew DITCHES 1 DITCHES 2 Fermentolagertaporator side-by-side ferm Twelve Hopostles Labels

robodeath

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Thanks so much for the info!

homebrewer_99

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Plus the higher the alcohol limit the longer it takes to smooth out.

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HB Bill

The Blow Leprechaun

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Did you taste before adding the acid blend as well? It could be too acidic, I dunno. Kits scare me because they try to take too much information away from the user... they're the Microsoft Windows of brewing!

BigKahuna

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I suspect that you just need to forget about it for 8 months or a year, then try it again.
It will get there...the "BITE" will fade.

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malkore

Recipes 

also don't use distilled water for all the water. its too nutrient deficient which the yeast don't appreciate.

unhappy yeast produce off flavors.

in your case, its just not enough aging. I'd give it at least 3 months before you sample it again.

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Malkore
Primary: English Mild
On tap: Pale Ale, Lancelot's Wheat, English Brown Ale, Steam Beer, HoovNuts IPA
Bottled: MOAM, Braggot, Raspberry Melomel, Merlot, Apfelwein, Pyment, Sweet mead, Cabernet
Gal in 2009: 27, Gal in 2010: 34, Gal in 2011: 13, Gal in 2012: 10