Newbie making mead

[bushpilot]

That's what I get for correcting someone, talking beyond my knowledge.

I know nothing about beer brewing or distilling, I should have stayed in my wheelhouse.

I'll stick with mead, where it is a must.

 

[SpawnOfMirrodin]

Transfered two meads to new and clean vessels. One is already beginning to become clear, the strawberry one is still hazy.

Also made three new meads! One natural, one blackberries and one cherries! Will transfer these new ones in a week or 2-3 to new clean vessels

 

[DBhomebrew]

Pretty.

In the future, you may consider mixing 1.25G(traditional)-1.5G(fruit) for your primary in a 2G food safe bucket. Then rack a full gallon of green mead into the gallon jugs.

 

[SpawnOfMirrodin]

Hey all,

Back from transferring the mead to another vessel and I have a question. I tasted a couple of drops of one of the meads and I have to say it tastes absolute **** haha. Vinegary sour with hints of alcohol. I know I should let it age properly but expected more of it at this stage.

Is this normal? Did I do something wrong?

 

[MightyMosin]

Vinegar.. Not good.

 

[SpawnOfMirrodin]

Vinegar.. Not good.

That’s what I thought. What couldve caused this?

 

[DBhomebrew]

Is it clear? Yeasty mead tastes sour to me.

 

[bushpilot]

I am guessing it is not vinegar. Give it a little while, and recheck.

 

[SpawnOfMirrodin]

Is it clear? Yeasty mead tastes sour to me.

It is really clear! I am thinking I mightve added not enough honey. Someone told me really dry mead tastes sour too.

 

[DBhomebrew]

I am thinking I mightve added not enough honey. Someone told me really dry mead tastes sour too.

That is not my experience with super dry low-ABV (1lb/G) mead.

 

[SpawnOfMirrodin]

That is not my experience with super dry low-ABV (1lb/G) mead.

0,6 gallons and 1.1 pound (2,5L and 500gr) was used. First mead ever, since I have used way more honey on other attempts. Still need to rack those so no clue how they came out.

Only thing I can think of is that I added 2.5gr of tartaric acid. Only learned after the fact that you should add that after fermentation and only if needed.

 

[MightyMosin]

None of my dry meads have ever tasted of vinegar.

 

[bushpilot]

None of my dry meads have ever tasted of vinegar.

Agreed.

I think there may be a misidentification of a tart/acidic or "green" flavor, rather than actual vinegar/spoiled flavor. That is why I suggested letting it age a little before judging.

 

[malchizedec]

If it really tastes of light vinegar... it probably is... so relax and put it in a corner with plenty of air access to become a delicious honey vinegar. Keep in mind it will develop a MOV (mother) and continue to develop that flavour.

If it's a mischaracterised acid flavour you should leave it and revisit your brew after a month or two, then look at stabilising, backsweetening and balancing the acid.

To be honest though, if it tastes like ****, just cut it away and improve your process. Learning to make mead is hard as there are less great resources available than beer. I've also noticed people's opinion on what "good" is, Varies greatly. I learnt through a few online resources and a lot of trial and error.

 

[Davedrinksbeer]

I make a lot of mead. I typically go 15 pounds of honey to make a 5 gallon batch. Mead is pretty simple to make, just takes patience because after fermentation it needs time to sit and mellow. I start off 15 pounds of honey, then add spring water to get it to 5 gallons. Stir hard. Add tablespoon of yeast nutrient, stir and toss in yeast, usually I is EC1118 because it kicks ass and doesn’t affect flavor. After 3 days I’ll add another tablespoon of yeast nutrient and stir. Day 5 I’ll add another tablespoon of yeast nutrient and stir. Let sit for 2-3 weeks till it ferments out to 1.00 or less. Transfer mead to another carboy. Add potassium sulfite and potassium Metasulphite to kill off yeast and prohibit further fermentation. Stir and let sit a day. Then backsweeten by adding your fruit and more honey. I shoot for 1.020-1.030 to have a semi sweet to sweet mead. After a few more weeks do another transfer and add Super Kleer to drop remaining sediment that maybe in mead. Wait another couple weeks and bottle or keg. I make high octane mead 12-15% alcohol so it need to sit around 6+ to mellow out but it taste great