Oh Wifey!!! What does mead taste like?

[miss_thenorth]

We will be done our batch of wine soon, and while we got the stuff upstairs, I was thinking about mead. What's it taste like, (better question--will hubby like it.) he's not much of a wine drinker, so I was wondering if mead might be up his alley. we are anti -liquor store people over here--too much of the money goes to taxes, so we'd really prefer to make our own. Just wondering if it would be something he might like. And any info you could provide would be appreciated.

 

[me&thegals]

I don't drink alcohol at all, and yet as a beekeeper it has me intrigued, too I wish I could sample some to decide if it's something I would want to make.

What are you making your wine from?

 

[FarmerChick]

we made peach wine
WOW--it turned into white lightening literally---stuff will kill you

I am interested to make "good liquor" truly.

the stuff we made was just rot gut but I guess it gets the job done.
good for antispetic purposes also I guess..lol

 

[reinbeau]

Mead is variable, depending on the yeast you use. If you use the right one, it can be very strong and clear tasting - I had some at our bee club picnic a couple of years ago and it was almost boozy! Rocket fuel! I don't think it tastes much like wine at all. It has its own flavor. It tastes like mead!

 

[miss_thenorth]

I don't drink alcohol at all, and yet as a beekeeper it has me intrigued, too I wish I could sample some to decide if it's something I would want to make.

What are you making your wine from?

We're cheating this time and making a kit. It kiwi pear. It'll be ready in time for Christmas, in case we have company over.



Would a beer drinker be more inclined to like mead? Hubby likes beer, but we don't like buying from the Beer Store, the rebels tht we are. He's not keen on kit beers either. I find mead intriguing also.

 

[me&thegals]

Say, isn't mead what they were always drinking in Harry Potter?

 

[Wifezilla]

No...they drank pumpkin juice

Hee hee hee


Mead flavor, eh?

It can vary so much, but basically it should taste like a strong, dry wine. The honey flavor is usually there but can be masked by the flavors of other ingredients.

Type of honey can also change flavor. I use a local clover honey.

If it tastes like rocket fuel, you haven't let it mellow long enough. Those "industrial" flavors disappear over time....like a year or more!

My batches seem to taste best when I add orange peel and cinnamon. The flavor on these additives isn't strong, it just seems to round out the flavor better.

This is my first year making pyment (mead with grapes) and I made it too thick. Fortunately that can be fixed. Mead takes a long time, but it is very forgiving and you can usually correct issues along the way.

 

[me&thegals]

No...they drank pumpkin juice Hee hee hee

Oh, that's right! And hot buttered rum...

 

[SKR8PN]

Mead is the nectar of the Gods.
Mead can be sweet or it can dry, depending on what yeast you use and how much honey you use. I like to use Lalvin wine yeast. I used the K1-V1116 on the last batch I made. I also prefer my wine sweet so I load it up on the honey. Last batch I also mixed in some homemade maple syrup with the honey


Like wine making, cleanliness is critical to making good Mead, otherwise you end up with vinegar.

 

[noobiechickenlady]