Low ABV??

[BigKahuna]

I've been trying to get some wine type beverages going that I could get into quickly. I made 1 wine and one Mead that both started at 1.030. I was hoping that a lower alcohol would help make them drinkable faster.
THEY ARE FUNKY!
It's Not like the light gasoline flavor of the cyser I just bottled that started at 1.090. It's just a yeast and gross water flavor. Will this age out or should I re-claim my bottles?

 

[Yooper]

Well, I'm not sure what to tell you. I would think they would improve, but I never made a wine less than about 11.5% ABV so I can't tell you for sure. I would not dump it for at least 6 months to a year. By that time it'll either be drinkable, or ready to spoil. So you'll know for sure by then.

the reason I make most of my wines 12% or so is to help preserve them, so they don't spoil as quickly.

 

[CBBaron]

Maybe this is why wines are almost always made to a higher ABV. Usually 10-15%.

I guessing there just isn't enough flavor in the wines to make it wine like. Instead you just have the basic hooch flavors of fermented sugar.

Give it some time, it might improve. In the mean time make some more wines around 10% and let them age for 6months to a year or more.

Craig

 

[BigKahuna]

Somewhere...maybe in the complete mead maker...I read about some chemical that yeast produces that is the precursor to fermentation, and it supposedly smells just like wet cardboard. That was my words exactly. I think the issue is that the yeast gets all dressed up to party...then there just isn't anything there for it to feed on, so that nasty smell and taste remains. We are only talking about a few bottles >10 anyway, and I got some great results with a 12% melomel...Turns out warm temps and Bread yeast produce grand Banana flavors too. I will be doing that again.

Thanks guys.