How Long Should It Take to Make a Best of Show Mead?

[dmtaylor]

Fairly simple question. How long should it take to make an outstanding simple mead, no adjuncts, no fuss, from must to mouth, with a chance at winning a Best of Show? Lets say starting gravity is 1.090 to 1.120. Any honey. Your favorite yeast (feel free to specify). No other flavorings.

I am not new to mead. I have made about 10 batches in 20 years and will be making lots more. I make great mead. It almost seems too easy. One of them took a BOS out of like 28 entries. I just sincerely want to hear what all the self-proclaimed experts have to say on this topic. I will reveal my own answer much later in this thread.

Thank you!

 

[Yooper]

Generally, about four to six months for me. BUT......I don't have any meads with particularly complex flavors so maybe that makes a big difference to the melding and mellowing of flavors. Of course, it ages well and will still be great in a couple of years, but not necessarily much "better".

I think, like with wine, adding oak or certain spices or complex ingredients would increase the time the mead needs to come together well. Some of my lighter oaked wines are pretty darn good at 6 months as well, though.

 

[dmtaylor]

I think, like with wine, adding oak or certain spices or complex ingredients would increase the time the mead needs to come together well.

The multiple variables with additional ingredients is precisely why I phrased the thread regarding simple meads. I tend to make pretty simple ones as well, not always but often. I like the character of honey alone. Really good mead doesn't need other stuff.

Thanks.

 

[Maylar]

In general - about 3 weeks to ferment, a month to clear, and a few months of aging. But there are too many variables to put a time line on it. Some people do a pitch-and-forget and allow a year before it's ready, others do the latest organic TOSNA protocol and filter their meads and have award winning mead in a couple months.

None of mine have yet taken a medal, so maybe I'm not the guy to ask.

 

[CKuhns]

21 - 30 days primary using aeration and TOSNA, 30 days secondary racking whenever I can't stand seeing the lee's and 45 - 90 days tertiary depending upon how long it takes to clear. Then bottle and what I would consider very good to excellent 6 months later. With that said, I have never had one judged by anyone other than myself, friends and family and as we all know we are all somewhat biased when it comes to something we have created...

Agree completely any addition fruit, spices, hops and or even oak will require additional time. After the amount of time I have spent making what i consider pretty darned good mead and the age I'm at (old) I have gotten a lot more specific in what I consider a "darned good" mead to be.

In this case, quality Water, Honey and Yeast and yeast stress really matter and can be the difference between so-so, good and great.