Help-mead tastes off

[JAReeves]

So I am bulk aging in the glass secondary on oak cubes, a standard mead using AiH’s mead feeding packet/schedule. Approximately 15%. No other additives.

We tasted it last night and it has a minty toothpaste flavor.

Is that going to age out? Is it oxidation? It is an unexpected flavor, and not one that I want in my mead.

 

[PantherEnjoyer]

What was your entire recipe and method?

Did you rack? When did you notice the taste? How old is it?

Does it have a chemical / cleaning taste? Like eucalyptus?

 

[JAReeves]

I used 18# of honey, filtered H2O to 6 Gallons, OG 1.110. It was put into the fermenter 4/19/2020 and racked after 1 month in primary. The flavor for me is reminiscent of Crest or Colgate toothpaste, one of the reasons why I do not use those products; like a fake menthol/mint flavor. My sister was visiting this weekend, brought some of her mead, and one had the same flavor. It presents as an aftertaste, so not a dominant flavor, but the flavor that remains when the rest of the flavors fade. Her thought is that the yeast food/degassing may actually be the culprit, because the flavor did not present in the mead she basically put together and ignored. It did not taste like this at racking.

Here are my notes from my Brewer's Friend recipe:
"4/19/2020-Ended at .996, so this is actually 14.96%. I added K-Meta and K-Sorbate at the racking, 5/17/2020. I may back sweeten, but I am planning on carbonating the batch, after aging.

This will be fed using the AIH Traditional Mead Additive Kit. I am using the feeding schedule I have seen on the AHA website-which matches the kit from AIH.

DAY 1: Add honey to 110F water and KMETA (Pack #1). Mix thoroughly, let rest one day.
DAY 2: Temper yeast with Goferm (Pack #2) add to must and pitch. Add 1/2oz. Medium Toast Oak Cubes.
DAY 3: Feed with Pack #3. Degas, 60 stirs.
DAY 4: Degas, 60 stirs.
DAY 5: Feed with Pack #4, Degas with 60 Stirs.
DAY 6: Degas, 60 stirs.
DAY 7: Feed with Pack #5, Degas with 60 Stirs.
DAY 8: Degas, 60 stirs.
DAY 9: Feed with Pack #6, Degas with 60 Stirs.
DAY 10: Degas, 60 stirs.
DAY 11: Degas, 60 stirs.
DAY 12: Degas, 60 stirs.
5/17/2020: Rack and add Packs #7 & 8, K-Meta & K-Sorbate.
Aging with oak cubes."

Thank you for your insight!

 

[Yooper]

I don't get mint from sorbate, but I can definitely taste it even in small quantities, and dislike it. Could that be what you are tasting?

And don't forget that you don't want to use sorbate if you are carbonating, unless kegging it, because its purpose is to stop the yeast from reproducing (so you won't be able to carbonate it with sugar/honey).

 

[JAReeves]

Now that you mention it, it could be the sorbate.

I think that was a flavor I got from early tastes of the pear cider I made, I stopped the yeast with sorbate and back sweetened with more pear juice. It took about 5 months for it to age out. I force-carbonated that batch before bottling.

The mead will be kegged after aging; either force-carbonation before bottling or just enough pressure to push it out of the keg for bottling it still. Haven't fully decided yet.

Thank you!

 

[PantherEnjoyer]

Also, and I'm not sure if this is an old wives tale but kmeta and sorbate shouldn't be used together at the same time. I'm of the belief that you use kmeta, wait 24 hours then use sorbate.

 

[JAReeves]

Good to know. The instructions called for them both at the same time. I will dig into some of my winemaking books and see if anyone else suggests staggered additions.

 

[Seamonkey84]

Sulfite should be added first, but I didn’t think you need to wait 24 hours. that’s just before pitching yeast as the sulfite gets to dissipate by then. You should wait 24 hours and then sweeten, that gives the combo a chance to work on any yeast that’s left, before you add the sugars that would activate a fermentation.

 

[JAReeves]

After a lot of research, I am going to ignore my mead. It's going to bulk age until Thanksgiving. I think I can bottle it at that time for Christmas gifts, but it may not be ready to drink until after the 1-year mark.

 

[PantherEnjoyer]

that's a great idea. Mead and time are best friends (generally in general)

Like I said, kmeta and sorbate adding together is one of those old wives tales I heard and then just do

 

[Yooper]

Also, and I'm not sure if this is an old wives tale but kmeta and sorbate shouldn't be used together at the same time. I'm of the belief that you use kmeta, wait 24 hours then use sorbate.

No, when you stabilize you add them together, as sorbate works better in the presence of sulfite.

 

[PantherEnjoyer]

Well there you have it!

From now on I will add them together!