First time mead-maker, what temp to bulk age?

[MaxStout]

I made my first mead in January, a 3-gallon batch using 10 lbs. of orange blossom honey. Just a straight-up mead, keeping it simple. I pitched K1V-1116, and did the staggered nutrients. After a month, racked to secondary, where it's been sitting in my house for the past 2 months in the mid-60s. The SG was 1.000 when I racked.

I have a crawl space in my basement that is a little cooler. It rarely gets above low 60s in the summer and it's hovering around 59-60F right now. My question: Is that a good temp for bulk-aging it, or does it need to be warmer? I'd like to move the carboy as the rest of the house will start getting much warmer when summer rolls around. I plan to let it age several more months before bottling.

I do have a small freezer ferm chamber, but I don't want to tie it up for months, as I brew beers as well.

 

[Arpolis]

I have yet to experiment around too much with temps and long term aging on mead but in my experiencing keeping the mead in the 70*F +-5*F does well and does not hurt the mead.

I have read someone talking about how higher temps speed up the aging process to a point in meads but I do not think there was anything concrete with that.

 

[MaxStout]

Then, to follow up, would bulk aging the mead in the crawl space at 60-62F be fine, or does it need to stay warmer?

 

[Yooper]

Aging happens faster at room temperature, and slowest at fridge temperatures. I find that for my wines and meads, once it's pretty good but needs to smooth out or some of the alcohol needs to mellow, that cellar temperatures (55) have been great. It takes longer, but it is no trouble for me that way.

I think your crawl space temps would be fine, depending on the mead now and why it needs to age.

 

[MaxStout]

Aging happens faster at room temperature, and slowest at fridge temperatures. I find that for my wines and meads, once it's pretty good but needs to smooth out or some of the alcohol needs to mellow, that cellar temperatures (55) have been great. It takes longer, but it is no trouble for me that way.

I think your crawl space temps would be fine, depending on the mead now and why it needs to age.

When I racked to secondary, the hydro sample tasted kind of harsh, as I expected. That hot, alcohol flavor. I'm in no hurry and plan to let it age at least until fall, then bottle.