Done my first batch & on to the next one! Two questions

[Tw0fish]

Hi all.

Made a batch of JAOM with Lalvin D-47 (past history with ciders told me that bread yeast was not the way to go with anything fermented ever ) which turned out nicely. The only thing I'd do differently is only add one clove - the recipe says you can add two, but the stuff I ended up with had incredible clove-powered face kicking legs!

Which brings me to my first question - I'm trying to let it mellow, or the girlfriend won't drink it with me (I know, I could drink it myself but it was a joint project and it's a bit bracing even for me right now..) I have fridge space, and I have non-fridge space. Does temperature affect mead mellowing? Again, cider guy, I feel like stuff will 'drop out' more readily in the cold so that's where I've kept it.

Second, for my next batch I'm thinking I'll do about the same thing except 1) substitute some cheaper honey and b) skip the spices and add tea. Question two - When one adds tea, is it better brewed in water and dumped in or added as loose leaves?

Thanks in advance.

 

[nwaite]

I'm glad you asked about the tea thing I was thinking of trying that out my self....

 

[Tw0fish]

I've seen recipes asking for "a cup of strong tea" and "3 tbsp of strong tea" ya see and I'm quite curious how strong a tea would have to be that 3 tbsp of it (liquid) would do the trick

..or am I totally off base and tea is for tannin and not flavor? Harumph.