My key lime mead from hell.

[midwestvintage]

This might end up being the first batch I ever dump in 8 years. I used the key lime concentrate from Coloma. It said one bottle to a gallon so I made my traditional first and added in secondary. Huge mistake using the entire bottle. I had already used lactose and had graham crackers. So tart. I back sweetened. Still makes you pucker up. I am playing with the idea of making a 2 gallon tradition and adding some of this mess into it. Now however the problem is this stuff is so hazy you can't see through it. I had added bentonite in primary, I added sparkolloid, I cold crashed. Nothing. So it looks terrible and for now the name is pucker up sucker because it is so tart. Might be able to make a mixed drink with some. I have it in my back room and plan on just ignoring it forever maybe but any suggestions to get this mess to clear? I don't need crystal clear but seriously, this is soupy looking. Just when you think after all these years you have this mead making down pat along comes the mead from hell.

 

[CKuhns]

LOL - I feel ya. Have had a few as well.

As you mentioned. I would either add a couple gallons traditional on top of it and or let it sit to clear. Unfortunately I dont think time will mellow the sour. I had the same issue with a lime mead. (5 gallon) It did eventually clear then i mixed some if it in some vodka that turned our pretty well for mixed drinks. Ended up filtering the remainder to 0.45 microns. Then blended some into a traditional and a chocolate mole bochet that both turned out pretty well. The last gallon i sweetened with FAJC to about 1.035 the sugar and apple flavor really helped cut the sour. I think sugar more than the apple juice.

Good luck - would be interested in gearing what you do with it.

 

[midwestvintage]

I have over 4 pounds of honey invested in this batch so really don't want to dump it. I keep playing with how to save it. I think I will try sugar next and I have a friend who is a cocktail master at our local brewery I am going to pull a jar for to see if he can make some type of drinkable mixed drink with it. If so I might gift him the batch rather then keep pouring money into it. It sounded so good in my head when I decided to try it. I have some traditional mead I keep around for blending so might open a bottle and put a small amount into it to see if that will salvage it. I did a lemon I had some issue with originally but eventually I got it blended correctly and time did mellow it out.

 

[Rish]

I think you're on the right track with blending with traditional. Maybe try different ratios of blending in a glass, sweeten if needed to see if you can hit the right mix. I'd hate to dump it; I'm a real cheapskate! Good luck!

 

[midwestvintage]

Update. This mead didn't go in the drain and isn't going to waste. It makes a perfect mix for gimlets and other drinks like that so for people who like mixed drinks, I am not a mixed drink person they have been thrilled with it.

 

[Johnny2]

Next time use potassium carbonate. You can buy potassium bicarbonate and heat it in stove or oven to make it. That's the correct way to balance too acidic mead or a wine, when it's undrinkable.

 

[bkboiler]

Chitosan and kieselsol come to mind.
Sorry to hear about the tartness, but the idea of subbing in for lime juice in cocktails makes a lot of sense!

 

[nxc3441]

Next time, enhance your mead by adding Monin Key Lime Pie Syrup along with the honey as a backsweetener. Test the sweetness level in a small glass to ensure it's just right. For a green tint, incorporate the peel of one medium-sized lime per gallon at the start of fermentation.

 

[Johnny2]

Sweetness wont remove the heartburn.