On this thread over in the general area, viewtopic.php?f=1&t=115370 I made a recommendation of bulk aging most meads for minimum 6 months before bottling. I got a response that acted like I was spreading misinformation. I’m not interested in starting an argument (which is why I moved the discussion over here) I’m just genuinely curious. Do “top mead makers” really not age their meads? Have I been doing something wrong? Because mine have never been fit to drink without aging.
Unless I do some testing to disprove someone’s statement, I have to give them the benefit of the doubt that what they say is true, for them.
But in the end, it’s what works for me that is my truth. I can only share my thoughts and let you decide what you want to do.
It seems strange to have any alcohol product to be really ready to drink in 10 days.
I would not cinsider myself a “top mead maker” by no means. But, I have won several BOS’s in national and international mead cups and age all of my meads before consuming and entering into comps. Any mead that contains a stronger flavored honey such as buckwheat will need additional time.
What time frame do you use Baratone?
For 12% meads on the low end of semi-sweet: 1st racking @ 1.025, 2nd @ finish of fermentation, 3rd racking to bottling bucket to bottle when cleared. I bottle age for 3-6 months minimum for weaker vatieties of honey 6-12months minimum for stronger varieties.
Hey Baratone - SWMBO would like me to try a pomegranate mead, my first mead. After moving to kegs, I ditched almost all my bottles. I told her it would a be 5-8 month wait on it - can I rack as you’ve suggested and age (and later force carb) in the keg?
Thanks
As long as it is cleared before kegging and you purge the headspace with gas, should work fine.
