My first BOMM

[Redpappy]

i just finished bottleing my first mead this morning. It was finished 1 week ago, but I got tied up so didn’t get to bottleing it. So when I got done, I had enough for a half bottle. So I took that one through it the fridge for a few hours. I have never tried mead before, so this is the first for me. OG was 1.090, finished at 00. My alterations - I used clover honey, and after the third break I started to add a little bit of the honey that was left ( roughly 3 tablespoons).

I don’t get any real honey smell. When I take a drink it is dry ( which is expected) no real honey flavor, with a heavy alcohol after taste.

1. If I leave it be, will the alcohol after taste mellow out?
2. Will anymore honey flavor come out with age?
3. Would I be able to add a little bit of honey to a glass, stir with a spoon to back sweeten it?

Thanks for any and all advice. My next batch I am thinking of trying it with a different batch of honey ( local)

 

[Seamonkey84]

I’m fairly new to this myself, but I’ve done extensive reading. I’m finishing up my first few BOMMs myself, and I can still smell honey in from the bucket/carboys. Mind you, I’m using a wildflower honey so it’s got a stronger smell and taste than clover. Also, my fermentation is done is a room that has been between 67-73, and lower temps are said to keep aromas and flavors better. Clover is one of the more neutral honeys, usually used in Recipes where the honey isn’t the main attraction like Melomels. I’m about to start my first orange blossom BOMM to see the differences.

 

[Blacksmith1]

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes, and you can also backsweeten the whole batch and bottle.

 

[Redpappy]

Thanks for the info seamonkey84... I did forget about my temps, temp in my freezer was at 67 +/-1 degree. I really don’t know much about honey, so that may explain the lack of smell/taste. Hopefully my next batch will be better.

 

[Redpappy]

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes, and you can also backsweeten the whole batch and bottle.

From your experience, when should I try my next bottle?

 

[Blacksmith1]

My step son makes meads, adds honey and drinks them right away. I finally convinced him to let some age. At 2 months they are good, at three better. None have gotten older than that yet. Reading on this forum it would seem 6 months or longer for best results.

 

[Seamonkey84]

Ah, nice to have a temp controlled chamber. I might be looking for a small fridge to rig up. as summer approaches, I’m not sure if I’m comfortable or ambitious enough to clean a section of my basement to brew in.
You can always sweeten it with some really nice honey and then let it age a bit. Of course, make sure to stabilize it first or it’ll continue fermenting, and you step feed till you reach alcohol tolerance, which is apparently 15-19% for 1388 using BOMM method. Although, using it the same protocols in my fruit wines, I just had a batch drop from 1.130 to 1.000 in 10 days.... I was aiming for it to stop at about 1.010 since I didn’t want to use any Sulfites at the end.

 

[MMM2]

My step son makes meads, adds honey and drinks them right away. I finally convinced him to let some age. At 2 months they are good, at three better. None have gotten older than that yet. Reading on this forum it would seem 6 months or longer for best results.

Or you do as I did with my very first mead many years ago:
Couldn’t get myself to drink it, it was so bad. Forgot about it for many years (14 or 15 years)... and it became better than anything you could imagine!
If you do not like your mead try to stash it away, forget about it, get back to it after some years.

 

[NeverDie]

The more drinkable inventory I have, the easier it is to wait for aging. Best is to make, say, a 5 gallon batch in separate gallon bottles, and designate one of them for sampling along the way and keep the other four untouched. That way you can have your cake and eat it too! It leaves plenty for both near-term and long-term enjoyment.

 

[Seamonkey84]

Or you do as I did with my very first mead many years ago:
Couldn’t get myself to drink it, it was so bad. Forgot about it for many years (14 or 15 years)... and it became better than anything you could imagine!
If you do not like your mead try to stash it away, forget about it, get back to it after some years.

I forgot about the JAOM I made The first time I dabbled in winemaking, left it on the lees for 6 years. At least I had a air tight stopper on it. I just bottled it last month, tastes like a dry white wine to me, fairly smooth. Adding honey a little at a time to one bottle and letting it sit for a week between tasting, so far I like it.