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bottling age??

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andrewschwab

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Was wondering how long meadery's bulk age before bottling?
Average of course, say for there traditional meads.
At what do they release the bottles for sale?
 
andrewschwab said:
Was wondering how long meadery's bulk age before bottling?
Average of course, say for there traditional meads.
At what do they release the bottles for sale?
Click to expand...
Well I'd guess it depends on what it is that they're actually selling and how it's marketed.

For instance, last year I bought 4 half bottles of commercial mead. It seems that here in the UK, that there's little or no market for varietal meads/melomels/etc etc etc. Plus from my own personal "test" that they seem to think that because it's made from honey, it should all be really sweet and syrupy.

The 4 I tried, were all labelled as being 14% ABV, but when I checked the gravities of them, they all came out as being around the 1040 mark. Hence I'm guessing that they just made base recipes, fermented to dry and then back sweetened.

None of my own meads have ever been what I'd call brilliant, but damn, they've all been better than the commercial ones I've tried.

So I'd guess that they bulk age them long enough to loose any defect like "alcohol hotness" and then manipulate them into a form that they can sell.

I can't say anything else, as I've not tried anything commercial from the US. Others might have more informed views/opinions etc for stuff made commercially there.

regards

fatbloke
 
Andrew,

That's a loaded question. Mostly it will depend on how quickly they want to get their mead to market and onto the shelves. There are meaderies that use the same kind of fermentation practices we preach here (aeration, nutrient dosing, etc) coupled with fermentation that are able to get their mead bottled in less than three weeks from onset of fermentation to bottling, and it's really great mead. There are others who will do the pitch and pray and wait for a while, while others do something different.

Based on what I've seen it depends heavily on the meadmaking process they use, the inventory they have on hand, what their sales volume is and what the demand for their fastest mover is.

Great question, we should chase a few of the commercial folks into this forum so we can get the inside skinny.

Cheers, Oskaar
 
Of course, since Mead isn't that well known or sought after... Mead producers don't have to age their mead, as they'll probably sit on the shelf several years before somebody stumbles upon the dusty bottle at their local liquor store.

Wish it weren't so.

Cheers,
Wrathwilde
 
Here at Fox Hill we typically leave the meads in the secondary fermenter for about 6-12 months (varies based on mead). We use stainless fermenters and age with Stavin oak cubes on all meads. The oak used also varies in amount and type based on the mead.

After bottling, we further age the mead and simply taste until it is ready. :occasion14: In fact, I'll be trying out our Special Reserve today - not yet on our website. Was 12 months in secondary and 2 months and counting in the bottle. A 16% traditional made with a substantial % of buckwheat honey.

The bottle aging is typically anywhere between 1-6 months before sales begin. Of course, much of it ages longer as it is stored in inventory. In all cases, our policy is to not sell a single bottle until we consider it ready to drink. We don't want anyone to HAVE to age our mead when they buy it. Further aging strictly optional.

And fortunately, our mead is not collecting dust on the shelves! :) The reception here in the Asheville area has been tremendous and our mead is moving quite well.
 
WRATHWILDE said:
Of course, since Mead isn't that well known or sought after... Mead producers don't have to age their mead, as they'll probably sit on the shelf several years before somebody stumbles upon the dusty bottle at their local liquor store.

Wish it weren't so.

Cheers,
Wrathwilde
Click to expand...

I've had the misfortune of picking up a bottle that had probably been sitting on a shelf for a very long time. Quite oxidized; it was not good (at least I hope that wasn't what they were going for!). I should have brought it back to the store, but I was lazy.
 
akueck said:
I've had the misfortune of picking up a bottle that had probably been sitting on a shelf for a very long time. Quite oxidized; it was not good (at least I hope that wasn't what they were going for!). I should have brought it back to the store, but I was lazy.
Click to expand...

..I've seen a few dust covered bottles, nothing I've been inclined to purchase... Chaucer's is mainly what one runs across in your average smallish liquor store in the midwest... if they carry mead at all, and Chaucer's isn't meant for aging.

Cheers,
Wrathwilde
 
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