Tastes Watery....

I just took a small sip of my latest batch (2nd batch, so still VERY newb!). It is really watery tasting.

I am attempting an apple cinnamon batch. I went with 15 lbs of honey, 1 gallon of apple juice and 3 cinnamon sticks.

I think the error, was in using more water than my first batch. I went with nearly a gallon more water, completely filled the 6 gallon bucket.

So with the error identified, do I have any options? Can I add another 3 or 4 lbs of honey and reset the clock? If I can do that, do I need to add more yeast?

Help me out here, I don't want to scrap the whole batch.

Dirt4dinner said:

I just took a small sip of my latest batch (2nd batch, so still VERY newb!). It is really watery tasting.

I am attempting an apple cinnamon batch. I went with 15 lbs of honey, 1 gallon of apple juice and 3 cinnamon sticks.

I think the error, was in using more water than my first batch. I went with nearly a gallon more water, completely filled the 6 gallon bucket.

So with the error identified, do I have any options? Can I add another 3 or 4 lbs of honey and reset the clock? If I can do that, do I need to add more yeast?

Help me out here, I don't want to scrap the whole batch.

Click to expand...

Bit more info ???

Has it finished fermenting so far ?

What yeast was used ?

That sort of thing really, you know, details.....

Watery can be relative, because if it's still lacking body once it's aged, cleared, stabilised, etc then that might be the time to do something to add more body.

When meads are ageing, not only can the flavour settle down, but as it ages and the alcohol is mellowing, then it can change to give a more viscous mouth feel.

regards

fatbloke

What size batch? 15 pounds of honey in a 3 gallon batch is far different than a 5 gallon batch.

Edit- just saw six gallons. Well, I guess that answers the question!

Sorry....like I said NEWB!

Here are the details on the batch...

11/14/10 - Mixed in a 6 gallon fermentation bucket....
15#s local raw honey
2.5 tsp. Acid Blend
2.5 tsp. Pectic Enzyme
2 tsp. Yeast Nutrient
3 crushed camden tablets
4.5 gallons H20

11/15/10
Added 2 packets yeast (D-47) and Tannin

11/27/10
Racked to 6 gallon jug and added...
1 gallon Pure apple juice
4 cinammon sticks

That brings us to today, 1/16/2011. I racked it to a new jug and tasted it. Tastes like hard A mixed with water. No honey taste, a little apple taste, a little cinnamon taste. Just watery badness though.

Aging it may allow more body to develop.

Stabilizing and backsweetening may also give it more body and honey character. If you don't want it sweet, adding a bit more honey and allowing the ABV to increase may give more body as well.

To sweeten it more starting now, do I just add more honey...or do I need other ingredients as well (yeast, nurtient, enzyme etc...)?

I am 100% that it needs to be sweetened, there is no way age is going to bring up the sweetness enough to make it taste good. It needs my help...and I need your help.

Help me...help the mead...

Dirt4dinner said:

Help me...help the mead...

Click to expand...

You could try adding ~3lbs more honey - that would get you up to what many consider a "base" amount of honey (3lb/gallon of volume).

Don't take this the wrong way - but have you had aged mead before? Maybe you're expecting something that you may not be able to achieve.

Something else to look into for more "depth" would be oak (chips, spirals, or cubes).

I have had a couple different good aged meads. And my 1st batch is actually really good and it's only been in bottles for 2 months. I made a couple really small bottles of it so I could check it out every couple months, and I just tried it. Nice and sweet, but not to sweet! Tastes fantastic.

I will add more honey and see what happens. I figure I have nothing to lose. This batch seriously tastes like alcohol and water. I am not being to picky, or unrealistic as to how mead should taste. I am new at making it, but I familiar with what it should taste like.

Thanks for the help! I will add the honey and then see if it starts to fermente again and how it looks over the next couple months.