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In retrospect, maybe I was a bit too enthusiastic...

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My mead is racked now, but my concern persists. It racked at 1.002 on the hydrometer, measured at 60F. The concern is that it doesn't taste very good. Nothing like the sweetness I've experienced with meads I've tasted in the past. I'm reading up on oxidation, because I'm not sure exactly how that will affect it, or if I need to add something to sweeten it now that it's racked.

Also, according to my hydrometer the alcohol content is close to 0%. Is that accurate? If so, I may need to throw this whole batch out and waste the investment :mad:

Any advice?
 
That 0% is "potential alcohol". That means you've got as much alcohol ad possible from your must. To get an estimate, take your starting gravity and subtract your final gravity on your hydrometer. Or use the mead calculator. Again, this will be an estimate.

As to taste, don't throw it out! It'll get better with time. Wait a year, and be amazed. Also, I'd wait until then to backsweeten as well since sweetness can come back once the alcohol nellies out.
 
The "alcohol" scale on your hydrometer doesn't measure how much alcohol is in your mead, it is intended to tell you how much you could generate if the sugars in there now were fermented. It is a "potential alcohol" scale. To get the amount of alcohol you have in there, subtract the final reading (0 in your case) from the initial reading (>0).

Your mead is still very young, the perceived sweetness will come back with time, and the harsh flavors typical of young mead will disappear.

Oxidation brings flavors that can be nutty (think sherry) or cardboardy (think white wine left in the glass overnight). Unless you've left this one open to air for awhile, oxidation is probably not going to be a problem at this point.

Edit: Simultaneous post! Jinx!
 
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