Flavouring Meads

[Danmor1]

I'm impatient, so I tend do mostly make BOMMs, but this question should hold true for any mead.

Has anyone used flavouring in their meads that wasn't natural? I have access to a good quantity of Brewers Best flavours, and was wondering how meads might react to, say, banana nut, or peanut butter chocolate. It fits with the whole 'impatient' thing mentioned above.

I'm not looking for award-winning, just deliciously drinkable in a relatively short time.

If so, any advice on proportions? Would they vary between dry and sweet?

 

[Danmor1]

I did a quick proof on concept, but even a BOMM is truly atrocious at only 10 days. Still, it gave me enough hope to ask the question.

 

[loveofrose]

It's called one month mead for a reason. You are correct. 10 days is not great. Yeast are still floating and many chemical haven't been broken down by the yeast yet. Try when it's clear at 30 days and you will be shocked at the difference. I thought I was impatient...can't wait a month?!

To your original question, additives can be quite good if done right. You need to take a glass of finished mead and add a bit of additive until you like the flavor. Once you have the dose you like, add half. The flavor intensifies as the mead ages. I've had good luck with peach extract from brew shops. For my taste in sweet meads, 8 ml per liter is good. I also gave it a year to meld with the mead. Dry meads need a lot less.

 

[Danmor1]

It's called one month mead for a reason. You are correct. 10 days is not great. Yeast are still floating and many chemical haven't been broken down by the yeast yet. Try when it's clear at 30 days and you will be shocked at the difference. I thought I was impatient...can't wait a month?!

To your original question, additives can be quite good if done right. You need to take a glass of finished mead and add a bit of additive until you like the flavor. Once you have the dose you like, add half. The flavor intensifies as the mead ages. I've had good luck with peach extract from brew shops. For my taste in sweet meads, 8 ml per liter is good. I also gave it a year to meld with the mead. Dry meads need a lot less.

Thanks for the advice. I always value your opinion, not least because you let me have results to share with friends who I actually like every couple months. I have made four 1-g BOMMs prior to this, which I hope to be ready for the weekend before my birthday, early September. The ten-day mead was leftover from racking after ferment, and enough to start playing with flavours, but not enough to be worth trying to save past the day, so I figured 'why not?'