I was reading on the gotmead.com site (tons of information) and one thing caught my eye:
First off, based on the above, I take it that mead is not an instant gratification kind of thing. I'll probably still try making a batch, but is the above accurate? At least a couple of years aging?
Second, I always find this interesting with wine/mead/beer making, just pointing it out as an aside, it's mentioned as advice often, but: by occasional sampling, the only way you can know it is at its best is when it starts getting worse, in which case you know you missed the peak of goodness or, at best, had one sample of the beer/wine/mead at its best.
Rick
The amount of time needed for the Mead to mature is subjective. Some people enjoy drinking it young, while others prefer to let it sit for many years. A rule of thumb seems to be that at least 1 to 2 years is fine. Sample the Mead every few months or so until you feel that it is at its best, then bottle and drink away.
First off, based on the above, I take it that mead is not an instant gratification kind of thing. I'll probably still try making a batch, but is the above accurate? At least a couple of years aging?
Second, I always find this interesting with wine/mead/beer making, just pointing it out as an aside, it's mentioned as advice often, but: by occasional sampling, the only way you can know it is at its best is when it starts getting worse, in which case you know you missed the peak of goodness or, at best, had one sample of the beer/wine/mead at its best.
Rick