We made mead for the first time last year but because of the dragging covid renovation of the house we only got to them just now.
We had them racked from the 5L carboys into 2L bottles with a waterlock in a cool dark cabinet in the basement.
Some of the waterlocks have some white fluf in them but they have lost little fluid.
Our main question is if this experiment can continue or should they have been on airtight bottles sooner ?
It looks clear, smells like honey with a hint of soury yeast A bit darker than the cider.
okā¦ I have a different take: "white fluf " is a growth of some sort.
So, I would:
remove and clean out (with proper cleaner) the white fluff. if you are lucky a little sugar ended up in the waterlock and some bacteria from your basement went to town.
Try what you haveā¦ take a taste, and if it tastes skunkedā¦ that was wild yeast and you got what you got, it will not make you blinds, but it may not taste good.
Cork or put a cop on your meadā¦ yet it gets better with age, but after a year you are not producing any more co2, no need to keep the water lock
ā¦ if it takes good, drink. if it could use some time, leave it for another yearā¦ if if tastes badā¦ wait until your mother in-law comes over and serve it to her,.
I have little reference tastwise unfortunately. Most tasted āstrongā donāt know if itās on yeast, alcohol,ā¦ I can say that they tasted a little bit like that at first racking (but much stronger then).
I have them in corked bottles now, will see if they mellow.
Itās just that when I see some videos about drinkable mead after a month or so, I was like "what? did I buy the wrong āmead-yeastā, did I add to little air in first,ā¦ First rack tasted like shnothing at all
The ciders are much easier on the mouthā¦ (and nose)