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First mead

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r.batifoulier

NewBee
Registered Member
Dec 4, 2016
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Hello, this is the first time I'm making mead and something went wrong. I just racked it after it fermented for two weeks and It tastes really bad. The taste is difficult to describe, but I think it reminds me of detergent with a hint of honey and a strong alcohol flavour. The mead is also very cloudy. It started with an OG of 1.112, the SG is now at 1.000. Here is my recipe: 1kg of wildflower honey, water, total volume: 2.5 L, yeast: Lalvin 71B, rehydrated with Go-Ferm, 13 g of Fermaid-O, temperature: 23 °C.
 
Well, if your SG readings are right, it is almost 15% alcohol. Also, a 2 week fermentation time is a little short. While it can be used in temps from 15 to 30C, lower temps make for a slower and better fermentation. You should have been fermenting at around 16.7C. Just because it's finished eating through the honey doesn't mean that it's ready to drink. The yeast and left over nutrients need to settle out, which could take another 2 to 4 weeks. And, because you say it has an alcohol flavor, it probably has fusels, so will need to age for several months (to a year) for them to age out.

People are always in a hurry to rack. You would have done better to keep the yeast in suspension (stirring a couple of times a week) for another 3 to 4 weeks, Cold crash, waiting for it to clear and then racking.

Read more and slow down.
 
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If an excess of Fermaid O is used can that not create off flavors? Some nutrients simply settle out when added in excess but others I think can create all kinds of compounds and so off flavors. Not sure if the nutrient mixes that create the off flavors tend to have more minerals in them than organic compounds...
 
I overdosed a batch with Fermaid O once. I felt that it all dropped out over time.
 
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