oaked mead

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StevenM

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Just curious. I have 5 gallons of a blueberry mead at about 4 months old, recently stabalized and backsweetened. Im thinking about adjunct flavors. If I accidently add and leave on oak for too long, will the oak flavor age out any? Or do I have to thin out with some other mead? I haven't even added any to the mead yet, just looking at options right now.

Does anyone have any other ideas other than oak, or with the oak to flavor further, ie vanilla, ginger, oak...etc.
 
If it's overoaked, it will mellow out with some time. But it's still better to not overdo it in the beginning. Add your oak, and then taste weekly. When it's enough, or even just a tiny bit more than enough, rack off of the oak.

Oak is really interesting because different oaks give different flavors. As an example, a light toasted American oak with give flavors of vanilla with a hint of sweetness, but more aggressive oak flavor; while a dark toasted Hungarian oak is deeper, almost like cinnamon but not such an aggressive oak flavor. French oak chips are available also.

I'd probably go with a French medium oak chip if you're unsure if something aggressive would be over the top for your mead, especially since blueberry doesn't stand up that well to oaking anyway.
 
Since this is a blueberry batch, I highly recomend some lemon juice, a bit too late for lemon zest IMO. I have found that in a 6 gal batch 1-2 cups of lemon juice will bring the blueberry flavor to the fore. For lack of a better description the Lemon makes it taste more Blueberry. I have tried it both ways and by far adding that lemon juice makes all the difference in the world.

Also, vanilla will be good to.

Matrix
 
thanks you 2, loud and clear....yes oak will mellow over time, but don't use it in blueberry, yes use lemon juice and maybe vanilla....perfect, will do
 
thanks you 2, loud and clear....yes oak will mellow over time, but don't use it in blueberry, yes use lemon juice and maybe vanilla....perfect, will do

Actually you CAN use oak. I have had success with a Blueberry Vanilla that I did with lightly toasted oak chips for 1 month, it was a 6 gal batch. Smoothed it out nicely. But it is your choice.

Matrix
 
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