Peach Mead

[ram6519]

Hey guys, started this Peach mead 16 weeks ago . It is a 2 gal test batch with 6 lbs of honey and about 3 lbs of peaches. The hydrometer reading at the start was showing 22% and it is right at 0. All the peaches settled to the bottom about 2 weeks ago. I tasted the sample when I tested it and it was pretty bland but had a rubbing alcohol taste also. Pretty hot. The guy at the brew store says just let it set as is for 9-12 months until clear then it’s ready but no one is going to drink this this bland. Need some suggestions please. I hate to throw away 16 weeks of waiting. Thanks in advance.

 

[madscientist451]

Your peaches fermented out and the flavor/aroma went out with the fermentation.
The "hot" alcohol note could be from a combination of factors.
Did you use staggered yeast nutrient additions? Did you de-gas the mead? Did you ferment at a low temperature? What yeast did you use?
1.5 lbs of peaches per gallon isn't a whole lot. So one of your options is to transfer the mead to another vessel and add more peaches. A bucket might work better than a carboy and using a BIAB bag to hold the fruit lets you get it out of there easier.
I'd also freeze the peaches for a few days after you chop them up and only use super-ripe peaches. Orchards and fruit stands usually have boxes of super ripe "seconds" they sell pretty cheap, these are great for making fruit wines. I've seen some wine makers go as high as 8-10 lbs of fruit per gallon.
Note that the yeast will kick off again when you add more peaches and when its done the second time, you'll still have to let it age a long time.
Another option is to rack the mead off to 1/2 gallon jugs, let it age/settle some more and then add peach flavoring when you bottle it.

 

[ram6519]

The yeast I used was Lalvin D47. Not sure what de-gas the mead means but there was an air lock on top of the carboy. I added all my peaches at the beginning not staggered. Temp of the room was about 68-70 under a ceiling fan. All I was told at the brew store was add it all together and in 9-12 months it would be ready to drink.

 

[madscientist451]

Check out the Meadmakr website, all the fine points of making mead in one place:

http://www.meadmakr.com/meadmakr-guide/part-iii-the-basic-recipe/

 

[SKBugs]

Also study the BOMM sticky above. And search TOSNA in this forum. There is so much good stuff on here.

 

[loveofrose]

Peach is a difficult flavor to capture without 6 lbs per gallon. Personally, I cheat and use peach extract to taste at bottling. I also find 1 vanilla bean per gallon helps accent the pear flavor. Oak aging (with Medium toast American oak cubes) is another tasty option. Lastly, your mead is bone dry. Backsweetening to off dry or sweet can also make the peach flavor pop a bit. Fruit without sweetness tends to throw the taste perception off.

 

[James Judd]

Hey guys, started this Peach mead 16 weeks ago . It is a 2 gal test batch with 6 lbs of honey and about 3 lbs of peaches. The hydrometer reading at the start was showing 22% and it is right at 0. All the peaches settled to the bottom about 2 weeks ago. I tasted the sample when I tested it and it was pretty bland but had a rubbing alcohol taste also. Pretty hot. The guy at the brew store says just let it set as is for 9-12 months until clear then it’s ready but no one is going to drink this this bland. Need some suggestions please. I hate to throw away 16 weeks of waiting. Thanks in advance.View attachment 586849View attachment 586850

I started a peach mead last weekend. I used some fresh peaches and also a local orchard by me has peaches in glass jars with water and honey in the jars. So I added a few of those jars as well. I also picked up some peach extract just in case I need it before bottling. I used 15 pounds of honey for a 5 gallon batch in Hope's of not having to back sweeten much. The idea of backsweetening and restarting fermentation while in bottles making bottle bombs scares me a bit. Lol. But I am new at this so my advice is worth less then 2 cents