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so the fam tried my first mead...

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capoeirista13

capoeirista13

Honey Master
Registered Member
Aug 17, 2008
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Philadelphia
and the consensus was... "Tastes a bit like beer, I'll stick to my red wine"

the recipe and all that is found at the link below
http://www.gotmead.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13131

alas, it was somewhat what I expected. I think when I remake this mead I will make it with a lot more blueberries, which I may juice, and probably some more honey too. It seemed to lack in flavor. I will probably oak the next version of it too. Plus this time around it won't be my first so I won't mess up racking it and topping off with just water, lol.
 
Next go round I'd suggest at minimum 3# of honey per gallon and 1# of blueberries per gallon. Also, you can kill the Irish Moss. Does anyone still use that?

It sounds like it turned out about like I figured it would when I first read the other thread.

We've all made batches that didn't turn out quite like we hoped they would. I'd be willing to bet you've learned a lot more about making mead since you started that last batch. Also, if you started this batch in August like the other thread says it's still pretty early on for tasting.

Just my .02 :cool:
Cheers :cheers:
 
Don't fret. This batch is still VERY young. Age it for another year or two and then see how it's changed. I'm sure the family will (eventually) come around. If they don't come around, bottle in splits.
 
thanks for the encouragement! I have indeed learned a lot since I started that batch. I was thinking 10 lbs of blueberries and 15 lbs of honey, so you were pretty close to what I was thinking sandman. As for the irish moss, I bought all my equipment/supplies at a homebrew store that is mostly dedicated to beer so it was natural for the owner to think I'd need the moss, and I didn't know any better. I also plan to not boil the remake and I can't wait to see the difference between the two!
 
Hello capoeirista13,

Kee is right, your mead is barely 3 MONTHS OLD!

It may never be a great mead (or even really good mead), but you are probably about a year from being able to know what it is going to taste like. The best way in the world to turn friends and family off with mead is to serve it really young. Meads that taste great really young are more the exception than the rule.

How long prior to serving it did you bottle it? Did it have time to get over the bottle shock, which can certainly mute the flavor?

Although your recipe may have things you want to change, place this mead in a dark, cool, quiet place for 6 -12 months and then reassess. It just might give you a big surprise.
 
capoeirista13 said:
and the consensus was... "Tastes a bit like beer, I'll stick to my red wine"

the recipe and all that is found at the link below
http://www.gotmead.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13131

alas, it was somewhat what I expected. I think when I remake this mead I will make it with a lot more blueberries, which I may juice, and probably some more honey too. It seemed to lack in flavor. I will probably oak the next version of it too. Plus this time around it won't be my first so I won't mess up racking it and topping off with just water, lol.
Click to expand...

Dude-

I really wouldn't fret about some people not digging your mead, especially when its so young. As someone who has been into craft beers for awhile, I can tell you that converting the Bud/Miller/Coors crowd that what you like is good can be a stretch. Many of my friends and family have learned to enjoy new beer, but giving them what I consider to be a good Double IPA or Imperial Stout usually elicits a big "Yuck".

You might want to check out this post from Medsen Fey on the "Wine Tastbudometer" and the survey thats attached:http://www.gotmead.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12952. Its a good guideline for what you or others may enjoy in wine or similar fermentables.

I've found that some people just won't like a wine or mead I make and thats fine - some don't want to drink anything that doesn't have Bud or Mike's Hard on the label, so its a waste of time giving them anything I make. At the same time, figuring out what people typically like (weak or aggressive beer/wine/coffee) might be a guide to the kinds of mead or other fermentables you should give them. If they don't like what you make - more for you!
 
and the consensus was... "Tastes a bit like beer, I'll stick to my red wine"
Click to expand...

I say just kill the philistines..... ;)

Ditto what others have said. I have made some seriously nasty stuff in my time, but I've also made some seriously awesome stuff (and that was before I learned all the tricks from the wise folks on this board).

- Brett
 
I was thinking I had some of my first meads around here somewhere. I could send one over your way for them to taste. After that, they might just think yours is pretty good.

Some things age can't improve.

Then again, they might just think all meads are bad and refuse to try any more. I probably should just save the postage.

My first breakthrough mead was a sweet gooseberry mead that my wife liked. I guess she didn't want to see me get a big head when she said it was OK. Later in a group of friends, she said it "was to die for". Whaaat?!? I looked at her to make sure she hadn't been replaced by aliens. She SEEMS OK but you never know.

Point is, you can't tell a lot from someone's initial reaction to your face. I also agree that it is too soon to pronounce it a failure.

BTW, for the red wine crew, you may want to include something with tannins in it like black currants, elderberries, crab-apples, etc on your next batch.
 
I agree with CarriageWorks. It's kind of funny what other people like. I can't say I've made a great mead yet. Things are bulk aging, so I don't really know if I've even made what I would consider a good one. I have a chocolate-mint 1 g that I apparently added WAY TOO MUCH mint extract to. It was so strong that the mint made my eyes water. Hubby happened to be standing right next to me as I considered dumping it and starting over. I just couldn't see the mint aging out. Well, he tried it and loved it. He said it was the best he's ever tried and wants me to make a 6 g with the exact same recipe. I'm not supposed to back off of the mint at all. Go figure.

So, Capoeirista, the question is how do you like what you've made?
 
Actually they tasted it directly after I bottled, only a few minutes after, actually. I had never seen the term bottle shock before, and don't know what it is actually.

As for my thoughts on the taste, I really didn't know what to expect when I made this. Personally, I think it is OK, nothing special but not terrible, and definitely drinkable. I can't taste the blueberries at all really, but I can taste the honey, though the flavor is a bit weak.
 
CarriageWorks said:
....snip....Some things age can't improve.

Then again, they might just think all meads are bad and refuse to try any more. I probably should just save the postage.

My first breakthrough mead was a sweet gooseberry mead that my wife liked. I guess she didn't want to see me get a big head when she said it was OK. Later in a group of friends, she said it "was to die for". Whaaat?!? I looked at her to make sure she hadn't been replaced by aliens. She SEEMS OK but you never know.

Point is, you can't tell a lot from someone's initial reaction to your face. I also agree that it is too soon to pronounce it a failure....snip...
Click to expand...

Amen to that, and well said.

Bottom line is once you get your meadification (my bastardization of vinification) process down, and a solid quiver-full of recipes down people will start to notice.

I have one guy in my brew club that absolutely hates honey (his mother force fed it on he and his brother while they were young as part of her "health food" kick, and he resented not being able to use sugar on cereal, etc.) I ran through a good 16-18 of my meads before I hit one that he liked. When I say liked, he actually stood up and said "Wow!" That's when you really get a buzz because you know this guy hates honey and ironically he bought into the one that is using a really big dark honey and was aged on Hungarian Oak.

So people's opinion will run the gamut on flavor and preference. As mentioned by CW above people's initial reactions aren't totally trustworthy because most people are ignorant of what mead is and the many styles, flavors and characters of mead. The most common one I run into is "Mead is made from honey, ooh, that's too sweet for me." I just kind of cock my head to one side, smile and start the explanation, then follow it up with some bone dry traditional or dark fruit melomel. In no time they're asking how much more I brought with me.
 
Kee said:
I agree with CarriageWorks. It's kind of funny what other people like. I can't say I've made a great mead yet. Things are bulk aging, so I don't really know if I've even made what I would consider a good one. I have a chocolate-mint 1 g that I apparently added WAY TOO MUCH mint extract to. It was so strong that the mint made my eyes water. Hubby happened to be standing right next to me as I considered dumping it and starting over. I just couldn't see the mint aging out. Well, he tried it and loved it. He said it was the best he's ever tried and wants me to make a 6 g with the exact same recipe. I'm not supposed to back off of the mint at all. Go figure.

So, Capoeirista, the question is how do you like what you've made?
Click to expand...

I have also heard that many people that get a bad batch with something like this and dilute it with another mead and blending it. To soften it or complementary flavors that wouldn't really work together when it is fermenting or brewing. They do it as a matter of practice for Brandy. It is called blending. Just some ideas for the future.
 
Well, apparently everyone really does have different tastes. I brought it to a party and let a bunch of people try it and 50% said it was OK 50% said it was really good. Some people were like "you made this? no way! you didn't make this..." lol
 
capoeirista13 said:
Well, apparently everyone really does have different tastes. I brought it to a party and let a bunch of people try it and 50% said it was OK 50% said it was really good. Some people were like "you made this? no way! you didn't make this..." lol
Click to expand...

Ha! Glad to hear!!
 
capoeirista13 said:
and the consensus was... "Tastes a bit like beer"
Click to expand...

I think a lot of people think mead tastes like beer because they associate mead making with beer brewing even though there may not be a single related ingredient in a particular batch of mead that they may be tasting. At least that's my theory .....

-GL63
 
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