I have to say this..... I hate the taste of a backsweetened mead

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Raw honey hits some receptor in the back of my tongue that gives it away every time.


Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.
 
Hmmmm you know when you eat a sweet pastry that has that nasty artificial flavor? Like off brand oreos? It's a corn syrup/karo syrup nastiness I just don't like.
 
Being new to this whole mead thing, I had my first real mead not long ago, way after I started making mead! Since my first taste, I have purchased a variety of meads from my liquor outlet, and I must say, I haven't found one I like yet. All were way too sweet for me. I actually prefer my January White that I started last January. It was made with D47, juice and zest from 5 oranges, a hand full of raisins, a few spices and 15 pounds of honey. We bottled it not long ago, and it tastes like what I would call a young white wine. Its very drinkable now served cold, but I think will get even better with time. It first hits you with just a bit of sweetness, and by the time it gets to the back of your mouth, its almost like a pinot grigio. Pretty much what I was hoping for. I do have some others I've done that came out very sweet, they're good with crackers and cheese, or something savory, but I wouldn't drink it with a meal. Now, my rosemary wine, that is something I would serve with a chicken dinner. Try dropping a sprig of rosemary into a bottle of chardonnay for a few days to get an idea of what it tastes like. It was made with white grape juice, honey and of course, the rosemary sprig.
 
... I know I usually like my meads at about the 1.010 sort of area, but I ferment dry and then add small amounts of honey, taking a taste after each addition and gravity check.

Perception of sweetness is individual to each of us. It could be that someone else would taste it as a bit dry whereas you taste it as over sweet.

Hence I make it to how I like it. If someone else doesn't think it's right, then ***k 'em. They can make their own.

Overall, it should be balanced..........

I have to agree with you, Fatbloke. I like my traditional meads right at 1.012. Having said that, a couple of my metheglins and melomels are actually better at 1.025-1.035 which is pretty sweet but the spices or fruits attenuate the sweetness quite a bit.
 
i got some stuff that will be a year old this summer, so ill give it another taste. Next few batches im goin to start trying to cold crash stuff at or about the ABV im shooting for, see if i like that process better.

I would like to hear how you find your aged backsweetened stuff compared with the new backsweetened stuff you don't seem to like.

I don't backsweeten often, I usually just take what the yeast give me and am happy with it. Or give it to my mother if it's way too dry.

And I generally like the results of the step-feeding I do. Really, I think I've only ever backsweetened two batches (chocolate pear and a mixed mead from three batches I threw together for a friend's memorial), the rest either stuck where I wanted them (like a JAO) or were step-fed in small increments.
 
I tend to prefer dry/semi-sweet meads, so I do not back sweeten very often, but the idea of the yeast favoring the simpler sugars and the higher concentation of the more complex sugars remaining tasting different from a backsweetened mead is an interesting idea. I am going to have to add this to my list of experiments.
 
I tend to prefer dry/semi-sweet meads, so I do not back sweeten very often, but the idea of the yeast favoring the simpler sugars and the higher concentation of the more complex sugars remaining tasting different from a backsweetened mead is an interesting idea. I am going to have to add this to my list of experiments.

after talking it out, it only makes sense. At least thats what my mind says ;)
 
Ok I have to admit I MIGHT be wrong. Opened two recently that I had backsweetened. Strawberry I wish I had actually sweetened more than I had and a Tupelo that was just a hint sweeter than I normally like but the oaking balances it well. I can still tell its raw honey but they both have blended well with time. Again guess I'm just too impatient.