When storing the opened mead in a pantry, make sure you have tightened the seal to the bottle as much as possible to keep it from oxidizing. The two different mead, light mead and classic mead have other refrigeration expiry dates. This is because the fermenting process is different, and a lighter mead contains less alcohol making its expiry date a lot longer. Unopened bottles of mead are not usually stored in the fridge. The unopened bottle is better in a dark area away from light.
Typically fridges have a light source making it unfavorable conditions for mead. Opened bottles of light mead should be stored in the fridge. Opened bottles of classic mead can be stored in the pantry or fridge. If stored in the refrigerator, it is still drinkable for up to 8 months. Mead should not be stored in the freezer because it can ruin the flavors of the alcohol. Like any other alcoholic beverage, you can store your mead in the freezer if you choose to.
If the mead is stored in the freezer in an unopened bottle, it can be stored for an indefinite amount of time. The freezer helps to eliminate the expiring process and keeps the alcohol fresh. But the taste will change and become diluted if left in the freezer.
An opened bottle of mead can also be stored in the freezer. If you choose to freeze your mead to make it usable longer, it can be stored in the freezer but make sure it is in an expandable bottle, so it does not explode in your freezer.
The best way to store mead is in your pantry because it keeps your mead from becoming oxidized and damaged by sunlight. If you choose to store it in the fridge or freezer, it may lose its taste faster and become undrinkable. Mead does not go rancid quickly, but it is typically because of an infection of homemade mead. If you want to know if your mead is still usable, you can check the following things. Smell: One of the best ways to know if the mead has gone wrong is if it smells rancid and bitter.
The scent will immediately hit your nose, and it should be quite overwhelming. Fresh mead will have a pleasant aromatic smell of the spices used in the alcohol. Appearance: If the mead has gone wrong, it will look cloudy and lose its rich auburn color.
It may begin to look white or clear and can be hard to see through. Fresh mead will maintain its color and not be cloudy. It is important to note that sediment can be in the bottom of your mead, but that is a normal part of the appearance. Taste: Bad mead will taste too bitter. This is because the oxidation process may have caused the spices to turn rancid.
Mead should taste fresh and full of flavor instead of bitter. Unopened Bottle: When storing an unopened bottle of mead, keep it in a pantry away from sunlight.
Mead brewed at home , however, is more likely to go bad. It takes yeast to ferment mead and it is actually possible for the drink to get infected. Like many foods and drinks, it can also grow mold. Homemade mead should be kept in an airtight container. The more you open it, the sooner you can reasonably expect it to go bad — either in taste or safe-drinking.
Storing mead properly , whether the bottle has been opened or not, will help to ensure a maximum shelf-life for your drink. Classic meads that come in a bottle with a natural cork can get better as they age. If you are going to age classic mead, make sure to store it sideways.
This will prevent the cork from drying out. Note that not all meads that come with a natural cork are good for aging. If the cork is not good enough and the bottle is not designed for aging, your attempt to age classic mead may turn out to be a fail. If the mead is not suitable for aging, you will end up with the opposite effect. The quality of the drink will deteriorate over time.
You will open the bottle to only find out that the mead tastes worse than it initially did. If you want mead that will maintain its best flavor for many months and even years, buy a classic mead with an alcohol content of 15 to 20 percent. Lighter meads are good if you are someone that finishes a bottle within a few days after opening it. Unopened classic meads are very shelf-stable. If you store classic mead properly, it can last 5 years or longer.
After you have opened a bottle of classic mead, use it within 6 months if you are storing it in the pantry and within 8 months if you are storing it in the fridge. For the best flavor experience, drink the mead as soon as possible.
Once opened, the flavor of the drink gradually degrades whether you store it in the fridge or at room temperature. Lighter meads have a shorter shelf-life. Unopened light mead lasts only 6 months past the printed date. After opening the bottle of light mead, we recommend drinking it as soon as possible.
With some brands, you should drink the mead within a day or it will lose its flavor qualities. In general, however, you can drink light meads within 7 days after opening the bottle. Do you know anything about what's in it? It may sound like a silly question, but the name "Maple mead" makes me wonder.
I have seen stuff labelled as mead that was made from nothing more than maple syrup. If that is the case, I have no answer for you, as I know very little about maple syrup.
If on the other hand it is proper mead, made from honey and somehow flavoured with maple, there should be no problems.
Unless human error is involved. As a general rule, mead does not have a "best before" date. Technically, mead has a near unlimited shelf life. So much so in fact, that the largest commercial producer of mead in Denmark, clearly states that their products which has no preservatives or additives will never spoil.
And that says a lot in a country with perhaps the strictest food safety laws in the world. A general rule of thumb for storage, is to keep it sealed and protected from sunlight. Golddiggie Well-Known Member. As long as they were stored at least semi-properly, the 'mead' should be fine. It really depends on how good a job HE did with making them. Every time I vent the keg its resting in, it smells divine. Joined Mar 27, Messages 1, Reaction score Location spokane.
If it doesn't smell offensive it will be fine to taste, if it tastes ok, it will be fine to drink. If it has survived 14 years of uhknown storage conditions, it should be fantastic. Tantalus Well-Known Member. I've seen threads about 21 year meads before. Honey is one of the few foods that doesn't spoil, and the high ABV of most meads should discourage bacteria or other infections. Give it a shot, if it tastes bad you can always dump it.
I wish I had 14 year old mead. Mine never seems to get past 4. Joined Feb 6, Messages Reaction score 2. Drink it and tell us if it's good! Pics please lol. I made a mead in when I graduated from college. I still have a couple bottles of it, and I drink one every few years.
Stuff was harsh and nasty the first year or two, but now it's really good. Very much like a white wine, obviously with some honey flavor to it. As others have said: if it was made and stored well, it should be good. I'll get some pics up tomorrow. When I pour it in a glass it kind of has a musky smell to it.
I'll have to try some more so I can give you all an accurate description of what it taste like. He had one of those covers over the cork so you couldn't see it. Illuveatar Well-Known Member. Golddiggie said:. Wonder how long that will take before it becomes truly great.
It might need even more time after that for aging. I have some that is and 6 years old My true meads seem more stable and less prone to bad things happening to DPB. Illuveatar said:. Sounds like something that you'll have aging for the next decade or so.
Not fortified at all just going to use WLP and add honey as it ferments. Was active for over three months before it finally finished. I plan to start adding the flavoring elements after my coming move. Its going to be at least a few months going through the additions. Its my mocha madness mkII batch. J3conn Member. It may be the best thing you've ever tasted! I've heard of 25 year old meads found in basements, but no such luck on my part.
Just drink the stuff and tell us already!!!!!! Here is some pics. I would of tried it today but I just put cream of 3 crops with black cherries on tap and man is it good.
I have two boxes of this mead. Anyone close by windber, pa is welcome to try some. May be willing to ship if that's legal for you guys to try. I would of tried it today but I just put cream of three crop with black cherries on tap and man was it goooood If anyone lives near windber, pa they are welcome to try this mead. I have two boxes of this.
So taste it already! I've read about other using the WLP yeast you can't get white labs stuff here - only wyeast, in a few places, as far as I know.
Surprised to learn that they list it as an ale yeast!
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