Watery Mead

[Dizamn]

I have made a several batches of beer over the last couple years but this was my first mead/hydromel. I used Northern Brewers' Cherry Bomb! Hydromel. I originally got in the primary back on March 25th of this year, so its been almost 7 months. You can see below for the complete instructions. The only difference I made was adding an extra 1-2 lbs of honey and maybe another gallon of water or less when I added the first nutrition blend. I also prolonged everything: Primary for one month vs 2 weeks and Secondary for 6+ months vs 2.5 months. I just re-racked the hydromel into a Tertiary for clarity and another month or so for the aging since it pretty much was aging in the Secondary.

The OG measured at 1.034 (seemed low to me; instructions called for 1.056-1.060)
The SG measured at .996 in the Secondary


The issue I seem to have is that the hydromel tastes watery or thin. Again, I am very new to meads in general, much less making them. Did I do something wrong? Should I consider back-sweetening or added spices or is it too late for that? I do plan on kegging the hydromel and force carbonating and I read that alone might help. A lot of advice also seems to be to give it more time for most meads, but almost 7 months seems like enough time for a taste pallet for a hydromel. Again, the taste is NOT offensive or bad. It is slightly cherry and slightly honey but just seems weak in taste and body.

Any suggestions or advice would help. The wife isn't a big beer drinker but loves sparkling wines and cocktails. I figured she could add this to her champagnes or maybe even use it as a mixer if I can't get flavors into it.



http://www.northernbrewer.com/documentation/meadkits/CherryBombHydromel.pdf

http://www.northernbrewer.com/cherry-bomb-hydromel

 

[Double_D]

What kind of cherry puree did you use? Assuming you followed the directions, you should have been over their OG estimates.

 

[sniktaw]

Just guessing here, but I'd say the most likely scenario is that the hydromel is just thinner in body than what you expected. Hydromels have a higher water/honey ratio than standard meads, which can make it thinner. It will probably be fine once it is carbonated, just maybe not exactly what was expected. Maybe try a standard mead next and see if that is closer to what you'd hoped for? And I wouldn't stress too much over the low OG, probably a false reading due to the honey not mixing fully with the water.

 

[Dizamn]

Thanks for the input.

I used the canned puree that came with the package/recipe: 2 cans (each being 49 oz) of Vintner's Harvest Sweet Cherry Puree

And I agree. From everything I have read makes it seem like it may just be a true hydromel, which is pretty much a thinner and more water based mead.

I just found it odd with my added honey it the OG was so low, but it may have just been a bad reading like you said.

Either way, its not bad tasting. It just doesn't have a lot of taste. Kind of a tease. More a hint of good flavors. Part of me really wouldn't want to add anything or try back-sweeting because I just want more of that flavor that its hinting at.

Again, thanks for the thoughts. I may just wait for carbonation in another month to see how it turns out.

 

[Maylar]

Seems like 1.034 would be seriously lacking in honey.

 

[JJack887]

Your mead fermented dry. I suggest back-sweetening.

 

[Dizamn]

Seems like it may have fermented dry as suggested. I have also been trying to read up on how carbonating mead effects flavor. Again, our household tends to enjoy dry, brut champagne or sparkling wine. I was considering back-sweeting to give it a bit more sweetness and to offset any acidic flavors that may be added with the CO2, but I think I may just let it bottle age another month or two and force carbonate it in the kegerator. I like the idea more of a dry hydromel then accidentally messing it up or sweeting it too much. Honestly, this is taking a lot of will power as I tend to over-tinker and take something that is actually okay or pretty good and try to make it perfect but end up messing it up.

Thanks for all the advice and tips. I will report back as it progresses.

 

[bernardsmith]

The problem with an hydromel is that since all (or most) of the flavor is in the honey and since all (or most ) of fermentables are in the honey and since by definition an hydromel is a low alcohol mead then low alcohol = thin flavor. Moreover, mouthfeel requires that the liquid slide down your throat , coating your mouth with the liquid and not simply flow as if it were more like water. With little honey : water the viscosity of the final mead is not really going to be high enough to offer very much mouthfeel.
You can improve both the flavor and the mouthfeel by back sweetening the mead with honey. And some folk argue that adding glycerine also improves mouthfeel. While others argue that using DV10 for your yeast adds to the mouthfeel.

 

[Dr_Floyd]

I actually really dislike back-sweetening, every time I try I feel like the raw honey flavor isn't nearly as good as a Mead that lands at that sweetness by the time it's finished (just an opinion though). That being said I'm to understand that adding Raisons to your batch can significantly help you with mouth feel. As an added bonus the one time I added raisons to a fruit Mead the fermentation was supercharged! What types of raisons you choose is heavily dependent on your style. In addition Oaking can aid in mouth feel.