Help. Experiment gone bad.

Ok, My first 4 try's at the mead was great, so I decieded to get creative. All this is in a 3 gallon jug.
Here is the reciepe:
1 Campden Tablet
20 raisins
2 Navel Oranges
3 Cloves
3 Cinnamon sticks (broke in half)

I let this set for 24 hrs then added the following:
½ tbs of Pectic Enzyme (1 hour prior to putting in the yeast)
½ tbs Tannin per gallon of Must
1 pck Cote des Blancs Yeast.
(if I read the hydrometer correctly)
SG: 1.146
Alch 19%
Sugars: 37%

There was activity in the air lock for almost a full month.

This was at the end of OCT.
Today I decieded to put into 3 one gallon jugs for secondary. Measurements were this:
SG: 1.012
Alch: 3%
Took a taste and uuuccckkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!

A small hint of orange but thats about it. The taste was disguesting.

So now where can I go from here. I was thinking about restarting in the three one gallon jugs?

Any suggestions?

Thanks for the help

Don "Ho"

I think the problem might be the tannin. I would use about 1/8 teaspoon for an entire batch. It looks like you've used significantly more.

Is it astringent and harsh?

The good news is that tannin mellows with age. The bad news is that it takes years to age out.

Umm.. Too much tannin. Figures. Thought I was doing it right for a change.
The taste is just harsh and maybe like it is spoiled? But my pallet(sp) is pretty bad too!!!

Well it still needs to clear up. Is there anything I can put in there that would add some flavor, or should I just let it clear and age? Or just throw it out and start fresh!!

Just forget about it for a while. As Yooper said, it *can* mellow out. Leaving it where it is to clear might give it a chance to mellow.

Tossing it wont... Just leave it and see if it gets better or worse. If it gets better, leave it some more. If it gets worse, then toss it.
-Me

You also might want to add honey next time. I didn't see it in your recipe.

Brandon O said:

You also might want to add honey next time. I didn't see it in your recipe.

Click to expand...

LOL I totally missed that.
Good catch.
-Me

Also, you appear to have a 16% very young mead (assuming there is honey haha) that won't taste particularly good for quite some time. Decently high alcohol, plus very young, plus a large amount of tannins, this will take quite some time to mellow indeed.

i have NEVER put tannin in any of my meads. its something you can add post fermentation...like acid blend.

add it after you know you need it...not before.

malkore said:

i have NEVER put tannin in any of my meads. its something you can add post fermentation...like acid blend.

add it after you know you need it...not before.

Click to expand...

I strongly second that point...

malkore said:

i have NEVER put tannin in any of my meads. its something you can add post fermentation...like acid blend.

add it after you know you need it...not before.

Click to expand...

I cant say i disagree about the addition of tannin but...Ive seen many recipes that call for it, maybe the ones that do are for fruit Melomel types?...hell, I dont know!

Hey "Ho",
Sorry I could not resist.
You already get enough tannins and nutrients from the raisins, that's what they are there for. I think you are in the danger zone of mixing very old recipes with newer science.

Case in point, Sir Digby said to mix the must until an egg floated 1/4'th above the surface. Thank you but I'll use a hydrometer and not put a nasty egg into my expensive must.

I would buy another fermenter, cut this batch in half and mix it with another batch of mead already in full fermentation with a healthy yeast starter. ( two packets of dry yeast going nuts for at least two days ).

From there, it depends on "ho" (how) it taste to you. (Sorry, I grew up in Hawaii and uncle Don always made "phun" of his name).

Best of luck, and welcome.

Honey?!?!?! You are suppose to use HONEY?
Yes, I used 10# of Clover honey..

Kahuna, I am liking that idea. Get started on that right after the new year..

As far as making phun of "Ho", I have been told that I have been a "Ho" all my life.
Never take the small stuff seriously..

Thanks guys.