Questions about aging mead

[bushman101]

Didn't get much from the General forum...

I had 2 different batches of mead turn a year old, just a bit ago. Both batches tasted the same at bottling.
The first batch had improved a lot over the past year. The 2nd batch tastes practically the same since I bottled it.

Can batches or even individual bottles age differently? What external factors can affect taste during the aging process?

thanks

 

[RPh_Guy]

Yes, different batches and different bottles can age differently. Lots of factors come into play.

Some external factors in no particular order:
Temperature.
Light exposure.
Bottle size / amount of headspace.
Closure type.
Humidity and orientation (for corks in particular).

Internal factors could also explain differences that present after bottling:
Sulfite level.
Wild microbes.
Amount of sediment (if any).
PH level.
Tannins and other properties of the mead.

 

[Seamonkey84]

Over time, using cork, bottles from the same batch will take on slightly different notes based on the cork itself. Even from the same batch, corks will vary over time when exposed to the wine/mead

 

[bushman101]

hmmm....interesting.
I'll have to pop another bottle to see if it tastes the same.
If it's the batch, I'll know I did something wrong. If it's just the bottle, I might have to look into it further

Thanks for the advice so far. Keep it up if you have more

 

[FunkyMunk]

How long did you age them before bottling? I try to bulk age for a while to avoid variation between bottles, but I've found that after splitting the same batch into multiple vessels for aging, even then there are differences between the vessels after aging.

 

[Blacksmith1]

I cannot speak to the reasons, but my bochet, which has been better with each bottle I opend up till now, has just given me a bottle that tastes as young as the first one I opend. All stored in the same cabinet, on their sides, using corks from the same bag. I told swmbo they must not have aged evenly, then found this post.
Good to know it's not just me.

 

[bushman101]

So, I popped another bottle for a taste test.....it also hasn't matured.
So I took a look at my recipe.
I used faucet water for this batch....hmmmm.

Also of note, I had some odd coloring on my cork and a 'ring' on the inside of my bottle. Kinda odd since I store my bottles on the side

Any advise?

 

[bushman101]

Here's a better pic of the bottle ring

 

[CKuhns]

Looks like it could be oxidation to me. (It does not have to leak to let oxygen in. Is it possible the corks had a flaw in them or poorly sealed? Open a bottle that tastes ok drink half and remove the stopper 20 to 30 minutes or so each day for about a week. See at the end of the week if tastes a little like the ones that appear young.