I have advanced aging questions without using stabilizers. Will adding yeast nutrients hurt?

[Oksu112]

I want my mead to last decades! I've always used a yeast nutrient with food grade urea and dap(diamonium phosphate). Raw honey, yeast, and water are the only other ingredients. Will this bring any negative aging issues? My corks are Flor quality with good temperature and humidity.
I've heard melomels are past their prime after a few years, however is it possible to preserve fruit mead for longer without chemicals? My batch of blueberry orange has fresh juice in primary with dap, and 2.5 as the original gravity, and the yeast will go to about 15%. Would you drink this after 10 or 20 years assuming I rack it clear and add nothing else? Is primary better to add fruit than secondary when you're after longevity?
Seperately my original batch of plain mead is a year old with janky corks and I was considering rebottling possibly onto fresh juice. How much faster will it spoil this way than if I just replaced the corks?
Your opinions are greatly appreciated!

 

[Dan_K]

Why do you refuse to use sorbate and sulfite to stabilize your mead?
You are already adding Urea and DAP, which in my opinion is worse for flavor and health than sorbate and sulfite.
I would switch to a DAP-free method and use sorbate and sulfite. It'll last much longer if you can add some of the oxygen-scavenging properties of the sulfites to your mead.

 

[MaxTheSpy]

Ive heard that adding yeast nutrient after about 12% ABV could add some off flavors and wont really do much for you.

Just my .02

 

[Oksu112]

Why do you refuse to use sorbate and sulfite to stabilize your mead?
You are already adding Urea and DAP, which in my opinion is worse for flavor and health than sorbate and sulfite.
I would switch to a DAP-free method and use sorbate and sulfite. It'll last much longer if you can add some of the oxygen-scavenging properties of the sulfites to your mead.

Thanks Dan, in the future I'll make changes. My late friend, who the batch was intended for, told me sulfites gave him headaches. My hope was that the nutrient would settle out with the lees. l wasn't aware of any negative effects, and I wasn't sure if I'd be sacrificing any probiotics by sulfiting since I used raw honey.

 

[a_merryk_hunt]

Regarding sulfites:
https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/healthy-eating/myths-about-sulfites-and-wine

Found that article through Scientific American:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/myths-about-sulfites-and-wine/

 

[CKuhns]

I never add sorbate or sulfite to any of my meads including melomels. I have a significant reaction to sulfites or Sulphur compounds in general somewhere over 30 or 40 PPM when consumed in large enough quantities.

I have some melomels that have been in storage > 6 years. (Opened a strawberry one a month or so ago.) Yes they do continue to change as they age. All IMO do get better with age. I do think Melomels for some reason when fruit or juice is added in secondary tend to "Peak" at 2 - 3 Years.

With that said, most (not all) have at least to my relatively untrained pallet do not degraded significantly after that. BUT a few have. Could those few be due to not stabilizing? Maybe...

 

[Steveruch]

I have one bottle left from a 16 year old batch of cherry mead that was still really good the last time I tried one (last year).
I used only honey, yeast nutrients, yeast, and water.