Tasted three 5 month old melomels to see if adjustments are needed to enhance sweetness. They were made with 9 year old gallberry honey. Each got fruit puree from frozen fruit. A black berry, a raspberry and a mixed berry were added to a secondary and the one month old mead was added on top and mixed well. After another month in the secondary they were racked into corny kegs to age.
Now at five months they are well carbonated with a slight honey aroma and sweetness. The tartness of the gallberry nectar has subsided yet I want a slight more sweetness in the finished product. Anticipating the need to increase sweetness and honey aroma and flavor, I procured a couple quarts of raw orange blossom honey and fresh Camden tablets, potassium sorbate and potassium metabisulphite.
At 3 months old they were tasted and determined to be NFT {not going tasty} as my wife described them. But now at 5 months old their aromas have brightened with nice honey and fruit on the nose. The taste of honey and berries come thru with a slight sweetness. Knowing melomels sweeten and mellow with age I am left perplexed. Do I add the orange blossom honey and knock out the remaining yeast or wait it out and see if it hits the mark? Or should I divide them and adjust half and leave half for mother nature to perfect semi dry?
The photo is the raspberry at 3 most old before going into the corny.