what should I do with all this mead! :D

[Ceedubya]

So I was cleaning out my brew closet and came across the 5 gallons of mead I brewed a year and 9 months ago (March of 2009). I had racked it the first couple of times and then kind of forgot about it

It has since been bulk aging in a corny keg in the closet. Every once in awhile I would remember it, then soon forget it again.

I set it up on the counter last night and pulled the release, of course there was zero pressure so I was concerned about oxidization. Although, it is a champagne mead.

I just pulled a sample off, and I gotta say its pretty dang good!! clear, clean, little honey flavor, and LOTS of booze smell and you can definitly tell its in there! :rockin:

there may be a little off flavor, but I'm not sure..... It may require additional testing!

My plan has always been to force carb cuz I like it bubbly. I plan to rack to a clean corny this evening and force carb. I am wondering if I should add some cranberry, or other "dry" juice, to cover up any potential off flavors and add some additional depth to the drink?

What to you all think?

 

[truckjohn]

Or let it sit another year....

 

[Vlax79]

+1
I'd leave it alone, and let the mead age some more.

 

[Ceedubya]

I can do that.... but should I rack off the lees and put some gas on it?

 

[HexKrak]

I'd say purge the O2 but don't pressurize.

 

[truckjohn]

Honestly, almost 2 years is pretty good for bulk aging.... you could bottle it and stash it away for a while....

 

[Mike_Fox]

WOW you guys have a lot of patience,my meads or ciders usualy don't last over 5-6 months(exept a few experimental bottles for 1 year) so I would consider it cruel to keep a 2 year one hidden away.

 

[Ceedubya]

thanks for all the advice! So here is what I decided to do: I bottled off about a gallon of it just as is and took the rest and experimented little. I put a gallon of 100% cranberry / pomegranate juice in a clean keg and racked about 4 gallons of the mead on top of it. I did a little test sample in a glass first to see if I like it. I think it tastes awesome!

I think I like it mixed a lot more than just straight.

I purged the O2 and will let it sit for another couple months and then

this stuff is potent, thats for sure! I did keep one bottle of the mixed version for me for New Years.