Old Brew - Still Safe

[Thomasaug]

Hey,

Three years ago I made some blackberry mead (real blackberries and juice). Then I got distracted by life.

I have it in the primary fermentor and never bottled it. The temperature has been stable in a closet in my home.

I know mead takes a long time to ferment but do you think three years is too long of a time to sit? I also have an oud bruin in the same position.

I finally have some free time this weekend and want to know if it is safe to bottle this mead now.

Thanks.

 

[AkTom]

Taste it. If not much air space at the neck. It may not e too oxidized. I'd try it for you. It might even be great. In fact you should start another batch and hide it. I think you might be on to something.
Cheers

 

[Bombo80]

I had two - 3 gallon meads that sat around for 4 years. I checked on them periodically, to make sure the airlocks still had sanitizer in them. After some time, I just put a solid bung in the carboy, and put a light weight on top, the carboy was in a box, and just let them sit.

I finally got around to doing something with one of them. I brewed up some strong hibiscus tea, with a bit of lemon juice, and blended that into the mead. I was going for an Egyptian Mead like they have at the local Renaissance Festival. It came out damn good. I even won a club contest with it.

Bottom line, if it tastes good, go with it. If not (hopefully not) blend it with something and experiment.

Good Luck

 

[gratus fermentatio]

One of the best melomels I ever made was bulk aged 4 yrs. As long as it didn't oxidize, you should be good. Really only 1 way to tell & that's to taste it. If it tastes like wet cardboard, it's oxidized; if not & it's tasty, I say bottle it & enjoy it.
Regards, GF.