mead tastes terrible almost 2 years later

[WalleyeGuy]

I've got the second batch of mead I ever made aging for 2 years and it is still terrible. Burning, fuel, bad. Used joes quick grape mead recipe, but with peach mango mead juice instead of grape.

what I've learned since, made a bunch of mistakes.
No nutrients
Heated must to boil
Left a lot of headroom in secondary
Tasted bad, so instead of bottling transferred to another jug and put a twist cap on it....with a lot of headspace again.

What us the bad taste? Willl it age out? Or Should I dump?

I've never dumped anything, I'll bottle and age if it will get better. Just not sure if it's worth it with all the mistakes I made

 

[Pitman]

Mead is notorious for taking a long time to age, especially if best practices are not used. You may find that you open a bottle 6 months from now and it is wonderful or it may still be awful a year from now. Nothing to loose just waiting and seeing.

 

[Pitman]

Also, if you are saying it is not in bottles and the jug it is in has a lot of head space, then I would get it in bottles asap (add some sulphite). As long as it doesn't taste oxidized or vinegary then you may have a shot.

 

[WalleyeGuy]

Thanks for the responses.
Sulfite like campden tabs?
I had added campden and sorbate when I transferred to secondary and backsweetened about a year ago.

I don't think it's oxidized, but I've never tasted something oxidized before so I'm not sure.

Adding more should keep things from growing though, right?

 

[Pitman]

Yes, campden tabs. It helps prevent oxidation and infections. I always add the recommended amount into my bottling bucket before bottling. Usually the same amount that I had already put in during the racking process.

 

[Pitman]

If its got that "hot bite" taste (especially on the finish) then it's probably fusels produced during fermentation (for the reasons you noted) and will age out. May take a while. Bottling will speed this up.

 

[WalleyeGuy]

That all makes sense and sounds right.
I'll get it in bottles tomorrow and hide them in the cellar, lol.

 

[Pitman]

One last thing, I made a Peach/Mango mead using peach mango juice from Costco. It's almost two years old now. It is drinkable, but nothing great. Probably my least favorite melomel I have done. The flavor profile of the peach/mango is just not that good or they don't compliment each other very well. Now the mead I made from straight mango juice I also got from Costco is fantastic.

 

[WalleyeGuy]

Thanks Pitman for all your help.

It was peach/mango from costco. We did a couple grape batches that turned around real quick, and my wife wanted peach mango. I knew it wouldn't be as quick turnaround, but here we are 2 years later. haha.

Do you make a lot of melomel/mead from costco products? I've got a couple 1 gallon batches I started that are 100% costco(well, honey and juice at least). Not expecting to win any awards, but if I could make something drinkable it would sure be economical!