How to fix a watery flavour?

Déantóir · Jan 25, 2014

I can't tell you exactly the recipe or process for this one as it was something of a franken-mead that came together alongside a bunch of other things with bits and pieces thrown in along the way. It has the dregs of at least two other meads in it. The main fruit in it is a mix of red and purple berries.

It's been finished and ageing in a cool place for a couple of months. I tasted it the other day and while it was a nice tartness and interesting, almost spicy after taste the initial flavour is very thin and watery.

I was wondering if anyone could suggest a way to fix this? I was thinking of leaving it without an airlock to let some of the water evaporate out but I have no idea how oxidation would otherwise effect the flavour.

Thanks for any suggestions.

fatbloke · Jan 25, 2014

Now do you mean that it's limited in actual depth of taste like if you took some orange juice and added a load of water ?

Or do you mean that it's lacking "body" or viscosity ? a.k.a. "legs" which is where you swirl a little bit in a glass the rivulets run down the sides of the glass medium to slow or "good legs"....

The former is adding extra fruit into stabilised mead......

The later can be back sweetening, and extra acid if you over sweeten. You can use honey but might need to add findings to clear it as honey can cause a haze. You can also use grape concentrate as well.

If you think the sweetness and flavour depth but it still seems a bit lacking, you can also use small amounts of glycerin but it should be used with care as over doing it will leave a metallic sweet after taste. It's sold to add body like that you just have to be careful......

GntlKnigt1 · Jan 26, 2014

You could also add fruit juice concentrates....frozen ones in American or liquid ones if you are here in Europe. Remember that it will dilute the alcohol, and might affect the pH as well, and be sure to add stabilizer (sulfite and sorbate) to make sure you don't create 'bottle bombs'.

Chevette Girl · Jan 26, 2014

A little white grape concentrate can give some body, red grape concentrate might have that and some tannins, and you could always try a pinch of acid blend of a few drops of lemon juice to see if dropping the pH a little perks it up. Take a sample, try a bunch of stuff... backsweetening, fruit juices, acid addition, tannin, etc etc... see what works!

And let us know!

Déantóir · Feb 2, 2014

Thanks for the answers.

It's got legs but it tastes like it's been watered down. I don't have easy access to concentrates or anything else really so I'll try adding fruit. I currently have it in a cool place for ageing. Would you leave it that way or bring it up to room temperature. How long would you leave the fruit in?

skunkboy · Feb 2, 2014

That would depend on if it restarts fermenting when you put the fruit in, if so wait until it finishes. Otherwise wait a couple of days and taste it.

mannye · Feb 2, 2014

Oak? I don't know from experience, but this is what I have read. Seems like a good opportunity to find out!

Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G

Stasis · Feb 3, 2014

Is it possible this mead will get better through aging? I mean perhaps it needs more than just a couple of months?

Riverat · Feb 3, 2014

Stasis said:
Is it possible this mead will get better through aging? I mean perhaps it needs more than just a couple of months?

That would be very likely to be true, my experience is that aging starts to have the most impact after six months or so and I don't start fine tuning mine until a year or so.

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How to fix a watery flavour?

Déantóir

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fatbloke

good egg/snappy dresser.....

GntlKnigt1

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Chevette Girl

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Déantóir

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mannye

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Stasis

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Riverat

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