Lack of Body in Mead

[mmclean]

12 oz beer bottles, zip-lock baggies, newspaper and bubble wrap.

Worked for me.

 

[kudapucat]

So are we really going to have Mead and MEAD on this forum and expect newbees to no be confused?

Discussion works, I was aiming to include the shipping aspect. Delivery?

 

[kudapucat]

Cardboard box. Bubble wrap. Ensure no glass touches. Ensure everything is packed tight so nothing can move.

 

[joemirando]

I picked up a trick here in the forums that has helped me quite a bit as far as 'thin' taste. It's too late for your current batches, but you might want to consider it in the future... Try using 1 tsp of black tea, brewed and left to cool down, per gallon of mead. I have used as much as 2 teaspoons/gallon without seeing a corresponding increase in "depth". It starts out dark because of the tea, of course, but as fermentation goes on, it lightens up and you really can't tell that its there... except for a little bit of 'feel'.

There may well be reasons you wouldn't want to do this, but I haven't run into them (I know its a no-no where show meads are concerned, but I'm not interested in 'showing' them... yet).

For your current batches, perhaps a little additional time will bring out more character. I don't have any experience with the other things people have mentioned, but they sound like good options.

Good luck,
Joe

 

[kuri]

I picked up a trick here in the forums that has helped me quite a bit as far as 'thin' taste. It's too late for your current batches, but you might want to consider it in the future... Try using 1 tsp of black tea, brewed and left to cool down, per gallon of mead. I have used as much as 2 teaspoons/gallon without seeing a corresponding increase in "depth". It starts out dark because of the tea, of course, but as fermentation goes on, it lightens up and you really can't tell that its there... except for a little bit of 'feel'.

Joe

Joe, does that only work if you put it in in the beginning of the ferment? Also, at 1 tsp a gallon, does it really make a noticeable change in color? Is it just normal tea that you'd consider drinking, or is it 1tsp of liquid made from 1 tsp of black tea and 2 tsp of boiling water? I just had my first taste of my second BOMM (Alfalfa honey), OG 1.090, FG 0.989. It's only been about 6 weeks since I made it, and more time will I'm sure help this out a bit, but my wife and I both agreed upon our first taste that it is thin.

 

[loveofrose]

I thought of one more trick as I was drinking a glass of Redstone Traditional last night. An old trick used in liquors is to add a bit of food grade glycerol. Gives the liquor that thick mouthfeel.

Never tried it with mead personally, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the Redstone Traditional has it added!

 

[joemirando]

Joe, does that only work if you put it in in the beginning of the ferment? Also, at 1 tsp a gallon, does it really make a noticeable change in color? Is it just normal tea that you'd consider drinking, or is it 1tsp of liquid made from 1 tsp of black tea and 2 tsp of boiling water? I just had my first taste of my second BOMM (Alfalfa honey), OG 1.090, FG 0.989. It's only been about 6 weeks since I made it, and more time will I'm sure help this out a bit, but my wife and I both agreed upon our first taste that it is thin.

I can't attest to how it might work after the fact. It would seem to me, though, that the fermentation removes almost all of the 'tea' qualities except for the astringency.

I start out with a teaspoon of black tea. I don't think its necessary, but I start out with a teaspoon of very good loose tea, steep it in about a cup and a half of boiling water, let it cool to 'warm', add the liquid to the honey to help dissolve it, add more boiling water to the used tea leaves, let it sit and cool again, and add THAT tea to the honey and shake the who-ha out of it.

It does darken the must quite a bit. Some of mine have started out mud colored. Very nasty looking. But as fermentation progresses, the dark color disappears completely, as does anything definable as tea taste. It happens even with 2 tsp of tea, but I haven't found any real benefit to using 2 tsp/gallon over 1 tsp/gallon.

And don't put loose tea in your must... unless you want a mess. The CO2 will push the leaves up up up. I thought about grinding the dry leaves and tossing them in, but I've never done it.

You can't add tea to a show mead, so if you are planning on entering it in a contest somewhere, pass on the Tetley.

It may also happen that your mead's mouth feel 'fills in' as it ages. I haven't been making mead long enough to have experienced this myself. A couple that I've made that I classify as 'thin' are still aging. There are other options too, and some have mentioned them in this thread. Things like acid blend, certain fruit concentrates, oak, etc., but I haven't tried them so I can't comment. My advice as a newbee would be to listen to the voices of experience, do things in small increments, have patience, and get another batch started ASAP. <grin>

Good luck,
Joe

 

[Bob1016]

How old are these batches? At ~6mos you can guess what thr mead will be, but they don't really start to show they're true colors till about a year (some 9mos, others up to 24). After a few batches you'll get the hang of judging them.

 

[kuri]

I can't attest to how it might work after the fact. It would seem to me, though, that the fermentation removes almost all of the 'tea' qualities except for the astringency.

I start out with a teaspoon of black tea. I don't think its necessary, but I start out with a teaspoon of very good loose tea, steep it in about a cup and a half of boiling water, let it cool to 'warm', add the liquid to the honey to help dissolve it, add more boiling water to the used tea leaves, let it sit and cool again, and add THAT tea to the honey and shake the who-ha out of it.

It does darken the must quite a bit. Some of mine have started out mud colored. Very nasty looking. But as fermentation progresses, the dark color disappears completely, as does anything definable as tea taste. It happens even with 2 tsp of tea, but I haven't found any real benefit to using 2 tsp/gallon over 1 tsp/gallon.

And don't put loose tea in your must... unless you want a mess. The CO2 will push the leaves up up up. I thought about grinding the dry leaves and tossing them in, but I've never done it.

You can't add tea to a show mead, so if you are planning on entering it in a contest somewhere, pass on the Tetley.

It may also happen that your mead's mouth feel 'fills in' as it ages. I haven't been making mead long enough to have experienced this myself. A couple that I've made that I classify as 'thin' are still aging. There are other options too, and some have mentioned them in this thread. Things like acid blend, certain fruit concentrates, oak, etc., but I haven't tried them so I can't comment. My advice as a newbee would be to listen to the voices of experience, do things in small increments, have patience, and get another batch started ASAP. <grin>

Good luck,
Joe

Thanks for the details. I was thinking you meant 1 tsp of liquid rather than 1 tsp of tea leaves and was wondering how such a small amount could make much of a difference. 1 tsp of tea leaves, though, could make quite a difference. I haven't had an issue with thinness except for this one mead that started at 1.090, and I'm thinking I probably will stick with 1.100 and higher from here on out, so this might not be a problem in the long run, though it is definitely worth trying out to see what can be seen.

Just one more question. Has anyone tried Earl Gray in a mead? I ask because that's mostly what we drink at home, but I don't particularly see it as a good flavor to add to a mead. If the oil of Bergamot flavor disappears, however, it wouldn't be a bad thing.

 

[bazza]

How old are these batches? At ~6mos you can guess what thr mead will be, but they don't really start to show they're true colors till about a year (some 9mos, others up to 24). After a few batches you'll get the hang of judging them.

The first one is from Jan 2011 and the second one is Jan 2013 (I missed 2012 )

I think the oak and vanilla one will fill in over time. It's only a year old so it will be interesting to see where it is in another year.

I use black tea in my English ciders and the tannin does help with the mouthfeel there as well.

 

[joemirando]

Just one more question. Has anyone tried Earl Gray in a mead? I ask because that's mostly what we drink at home, but I don't particularly see it as a good flavor to add to a mead. If the oil of Bergamot flavor disappears, however, it wouldn't be a bad thing.

I wouldn't bet on the oil of bergamot disappearing. In JAOs, for instance, its not the meat of the orange that gives the flavor, its the peel which contains the oils. Oil of bergamot is the same... it comes from the peel. Most of these oils dissolve pretty well in alcohol, so it would probably be there for the duration, without the tea flavor or color.

I use a very VERY good tea for 'filling in' mead. It was voted best tea in the world by Time Magazine. It has its own citrus-y flavor, without the citrus. It makes an excellent cup of tea. I don't think its really necessary to use a 'high quality' tea, but to be honest I've got more of that than good ol' Red Rose decaf. <grin>

I'm also intrigued with the idea of using different types of fruit juices to not only sweeten but to 'thicken' the taste and, to quote Chevette Girl, "its on the list".

Be well,
Joe

 

[kudapucat]

My boss likes weak tea. So, one day where there was but one bag left, I decided we could share.
The result was, the second cup had much less flavour, but still a lot of tannins.
If you were wanting to add tannins, but not tea flavour, perhaps make yourself a cup whilst brewing, and use the 'spent' leaves in your must?

 

[Bob1016]

Depends on the tea. For oolong, I usually get 7 brews before the flavor turns (but I buy very good oolong). Some Sri Lankan teas can be very tannic and can loose flavor but not the bite by the 3-4 brew.

 

[Chevette Girl]

It depends on the tea... of course I'm a heathen and brew with loose tea in a travel mug and just try to use the right amount so the last mouthful of the first run is faintly bitter, then there's usually enough flavour to be worth drinking a second run... some teas will do more, but no matter how strong my hibiscus and rosehip tea is the first time, the second run might as well be dishwater... and my standard orange pekoe bagged tea (typhoo decaf because I never liked Red Rose and Tetley's decaf is occasionally described by my mother as limp dishwater) is good for two runs in a big mug as long as I don't steep it too long.

 

[mmclean]

Seems I remember a tread around here somewhere where some folks, maybe Medsen Fey and wayneb, were saying that tea tannins won't hold up for long. Maybe only a year.

Can't say first hand though.

 

[joemirando]

My boss likes weak tea. So, one day where there was but one bag left, I decided we could share.
The result was, the second cup had much less flavour, but still a lot of tannins.
If you were wanting to add tannins, but not tea flavour, perhaps make yourself a cup whilst brewing, and use the 'spent' leaves in your must?

That is an excellent idea! I'm going to write that one down and put it with the other tips and tricks I've garnered from this site.

Thanks,
Joe

 

[fuelish]

3. Steeping some caramel malt for some unfermentable sugars. This will make it a braggot though.

I've done this, although in a couple meads that had some some strong flavors goin' on ( an oaked habanero , and a cranberry ) ....dunno what flavor it might impart on it's own, but yeah, should give a bit o' mouthfeel