Beautiful disgusting raspberry batch

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nitasch

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ok....disgusting is a little harsh, but I hate it none the less.

I kind of followed a raspberry citrus batch recipe about a month ago, have racked it twice, fermentation is over...but yuck...the citrus is so strong it over powers the raspberry....it is actually sour. I hate sour.

It irritates me because this batch has a beautiful color and is clearing very fast......smells awesome tastes like cough syrup and lemonade.

Do you think aging is going to mellow this out...or maybe back sweetening would improve it? Or both?

I hate to dump it based on the taste right now, being so early on...but I am tempted.
 
mead's are best aged in years - not months.

bulk condition it for a least 3 more months - bottle, then wait at least six months before making any further judgement :mug:
 
mead's are best aged in years - not months.

bulk condition it for a least 3 more months - bottle, then wait at least six months before making any further judgement :mug:


what he said...:rockin:


if it doesn't taste infected, just rack it off for bulk aging or bottling and Fuggettabboutit for a few months. The only thing I've ever had that tasted great at Month one prior to completion is beer.
my Apfelwiens and ciders, and such usually are "OK" (as in not infected but not something I would drink if I have commercial brew in my fridge) to "good" (as in not infected and good enough to drink even if I have commercial brew in my fridge)

given at least 3 months of aging (mind you - I'm talking ciders and apfelwiens here - double that figgure for a mead) simply "OK" apfelwien becomes "Good", and what was "Good" at bottling time is now "GREAT"

my point here is, age will generally smooth out damn near anything
 
Every mead I've ever made tasted like rubbing alcohol infused with Robitussin (if fruit is involved) after a month in the fermenter. Let it age and the flavors will mellow out.
 
Thank you all for the input....hopefully it ages out...if not, I will be shipping you all some raspberry citrus mead next year!
 
Every mead I've ever made tasted like rubbing alcohol infused with Robitussin (if fruit is involved) after a month in the fermenter. Let it age and the flavors will mellow out.

:p YES! That is a better description of the taste...with a bit of lemon juice added for more nastiness!
 
They are all wrong, the mead is a write off and so you should go ahead and bottle it and send it to me to dispose of properly. It is the least I can do to support you. Send me a PM and I will get you my address.
 
They are all wrong, the mead is a write off and so you should go ahead and bottle it and send it to me to dispose of properly. It is the least I can do to support you. Send me a PM and I will get you my address.

Careful what you wish for...just might come true! ;)

I guess I was just spoiled by my first two mead batches...although one run away batch (abv wise...long story, already posted here) is refusing to give up the fermentation process...but tastes GREAT (well...it has major potential..would not drink it this early)...and another raspberry (no citrus) batch kicks butt....

I decided I can't dump it... it is already clearing on it's own and it is so pretty in color...I will let it ride. But I swear in eight months if it still tastes like those nasty sour candy things my kids love...all you all are getting some high octane bottles of sour patch mead. :tank:
 
Careful what you wish for...just might come true! ;)

I guess I was just spoiled by my first two mead batches...although one run away batch (abv wise...long story, already posted here) is refusing to give up the fermentation process...but tastes GREAT (well...it has major potential..would not drink it this early)...and another raspberry (no citrus) batch kicks butt....

I decided I can't dump it... it is already clearing on it's own and it is so pretty in color...I will let it ride. But I swear in eight months if it still tastes like those nasty sour candy things my kids love...all you all are getting some high octane bottles of sour patch mead. :tank:


Right on! I can't wait then. Quoting you so you can't go back and change your post later :D
 
How much lemon did you put in the Raspberry Mead? I recently (started in January of this year) made a raspberry with lemon juice and orange juice in it, and it is already drinkable and delicious!
 
How much lemon did you put in the Raspberry Mead? I recently (started in January of this year) made a raspberry with lemon juice and orange juice in it, and it is already drinkable and delicious!

Sorry, been super busy, have not logged on in a while.

I used the juice and zest of one lemon, one lime.... I kind of thought it was too much when I was adding it...since I am not a big citrus fan..
 
Hmmm...maybe the lemon zest has something to do with the overpowering citrus flavor. I used 6 Tablespoons of lemon juice (equal to 2 lemons) and 3/4 cup of orange juice (1 1/2 medium size oranges) and there is no noticeable citrus flavor in my raspberry. This was also in a 3 gallon batch. I haven't used any zest yet in a mead, but I understand that the zest is what really gives a mead the flavor of that citrus fruit. Maybe aging will help it mellow.
 
I agree with the zest being the overpowering part of the mix...I won't be doing that again!
 
I used the juice and zest of one lemon, one lime.... I kind of thought it was too much when I was adding it...since I am not a big citrus fan..

I shouldn't speak to this because I've yet to make my first batch of wine (fermenting buckets arrive today!!) BUT I just went through experimenting with making some Limoncello using Everclear and I can tell you your Lemon zest has got to be your culprit.

Most of the Limoncello recipes I looked at before I started called for zest from 10-15 lemons infused in (2) 750mL of Everclear for 2 weeks - that's not even a half gallon and I can tell you, for my taste that is WAY TOO MUCH lemon for my liking. MY final recipe for that ended up cutting that same recipe to a third (zest from 5 lemons infused in 500mL of Everclear) but for only 2 days - and it's still VERY strong in lemony flavor - so those zests can really put out the lemon oils into whatever they're soaking in, especially in alcohol. Add the same thing from 1 lime and I'd be willing to bet that was WAY too much. A little bit goes a long way when it comes to those lemons.
 
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