Gift Mead Aging

[nitack]

How do you handle aging when you want to give some one a bottle of your mead? Do you age it yourself and then give it? Do you give it with instructions that the longer they wait the more they will enjoy it? What if you don't think you'll see the person any time soon or near when the mead is ready?

Mead being mead, if you give it to some one while it is still hot and it is their first experience, I'm not thinking they will become a fan. Who is actually going to wait or even take the home brewed mead seriously if you tell them "you should wait to open this for a few months" (or years)?

I am heading out to visit my family across the country and just bottled two gallons of bochet and two gallons of acerglyn. The bochet is ready to go. Smooth, with a smokey-sweet flavor. The acerglyn is not. It's got some maple flavors to it and some floral honey flavors, but hasn't quite come together yet like I think it will. I'll probably bring some bochet and keep the acerglyn till it is ready, but curious if anyone else has had a similar situation. Given some one a bottle of mead before aging and regretted it?

 

[saramc]

I have been known to include an 'ok to drink after mm/yy' blurb on the label if I am gifting something which still needs some time in the bottle (even if it is a 3 month wait period to adjust from bottling). I tend to give a gentle reminder that if they choose to pop the cork sooner I am pleading the 5th & I tell them WHY I prefer they give it some to age. It is always a great idea to provide something they can consume sooner, for that instant gratification they may be seeking, along with the bottle/bottles to put away to age. Make sure they know how to store the mead (bottle position, storage temp, etc)...nothing like improper storage to ruin those bottles they patiently waited to open. You know your friends/family and you know the ones that take an interest in your craft and really want to try it when you think it will start reaching the zone, so they listen, they talk and ask questions...I just try to ignore the naysaying-I'm here just to get trashed off your free booze-'loved ones' & love to remind them 'I told you..."

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

Yeah, I'd age it yourself if you can. You have no control over your product once it goes to your friend. They might age it 2 years... in a hot nasty very sunny room.