18 year old mead

[JawZziff]

Just wanted to share this with you guys. I'm not a big mead drinker, I tried brewing some a couple years back when I first got into brewing but was not very successful. I've since focused more on beer. But I know enough to appreciate this.

So I was at the in-laws this weekend and they've been decluttering there house. The father-in-law pulls out a bottle of mead he found under a pile of junk and figured they purchased it when they did a trip to England back in 1998!! They aren't big on mead either, didn't really know much about it even, he thought maybe it had gone bad. I was astounded and assured them it was just like wine, the older the better. So they gifted it to me with no interest in cracking it open.

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What do you think? Anyone know anything about this? I think I'm going to hold onto it for a special occasion!

 

[JawZziff]

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[Frognostic]

Sounds good to me.

I heard somewhere that mead peaks at five years but an eighteen year old mead is not something I'd sniff at.

Incidentally, Norfolk is my home county.

 

[JawZziff]

Someone also thought perhaps it was brewed in 1964 because of the number on the price tag but I find that unlikely.

 

[TeeJo]

Ya think?

What are the odds that in 1964, they would have put a label on saying "Since 1977..."

Just sayin'.

TeeJo

 

[JawZziff]

haha! ya you got a good point there.

 

[WVMJ]

Who says mead peaks at 5, maybe a hydromel or a light melomel, but a well made traditional, you better get long lasting corks for them. You going to open it up or what?


WVMJ

 

[jc5066]

Being it wasn't stored properly, it's probably bad.

When you tried making need did you let it age for 1-2 years? Makes a huge difference. My first batch of need took two years before it was good.

 

[TeeJo]

"Being it wasn't stored properly, it's probably bad."

Or it's not.

Only one way to find out.

FWIW, I was in England last year and the gift shops in pretty much every castle and old building of note sold 'mead' which pretty much wasn't. Shame really, as I would have been pretty happy to have got some decent Mead, but what they were selling was honey flavored....something, that I suppose was designed to taste like what the wandering masses think Mead tastes like, rather than actual Mead. The clerk described it as "very sweet", and that was the end of that particular ambition...

TeeJo

 

[loveofrose]

Drink that **** and give tasting notes!

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

Drink it or send it to me. Those are your choices.

 

[JawZziff]

Drink it or send it to me. Those are your choices.

ha! I have already made my choice. but in time. a bottle like that needs to be shared.

 

[JawZziff]

Ok ok. I've finally cracked into it. And not for any special occasion like I originally said. Just because it's the start of my weekend and I've got the house to myself... that's why.

I've never written tasting notes so bare with me.

My first thoughts are on the color. In a glass it looks great. I can't help but think of a white wine but the color of gold. Liquid gold. The nose is very floral. It really does smell like pollen. My mind goes straight to when I was traveling in Australia and I remember the honey there had a distinct smell to it, just like this. Different from the honey I'm used to. The taste is on the sweeter side. I almost think I get some fruity notes, almost strawberry like.

I'm not overly confident in my pallet, even when it comes to beer, which is my go-to. But this is an enjoyable mead. That smell! Once I caught it I kept going back to it. If this is what mead is supposed to taste like then I am going to have to take another stab at brewing some. The only downfall to this bottle is the cork disintegrated. Little bits in my glass, I guess it wasn't meant to stand up to 18 years.

Anyway, I'm going to have another glass. Enjoy your weekend!

 

[cdubbaya]

Ok ok. I've finally cracked into it. And not for any special occasion like I originally said. Just because it's the start of my weekend and I've got the house to myself... that's why.

I've never written tasting notes so bare with me.

My first thoughts are on the color. In a glass it looks great. I can't help but think of a white wine but the color of gold. Liquid gold. The nose is very floral. It really does smell like pollen. My mind goes straight to when I was traveling in Australia and I remember the honey there had a distinct smell to it, just like this. Different from the honey I'm used to. The taste is on the sweeter side. I almost think I get some fruity notes, almost strawberry like.

I'm not overly confident in my pallet, even when it comes to beer, which is my go-to. But this is an enjoyable mead. That smell! Once I caught it I kept going back to it. If this is what mead is supposed to taste like then I am going to have to take another stab at brewing some. The only downfall to this bottle is the cork disintegrated. Little bits in my glass, I guess it wasn't meant to stand up to 18 years.

Anyway, I'm going to have another glass. Enjoy your weekend!

Pics or it didn't happen!

 

[JawZziff]

Pics or it didn't happen!

fair enough. here you are.

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[JawZziff]

and I'm actually finding it too sweet to be quite honest. I like just a touch of sweetness and if this were on the dryer side I would proceed to a third glass. I'll have to save the rest for dessert someday I think.

 

[JJack887]

Sweet meads typically age the best (well, are able to be aged the longest...) This probably had a monster FG. What does it really tastes like, though?

 

[AlTheChemist]

Unlike red wine, mead is remarkably resilient!

Traditional Meads can age well over 18 years. Let us know how it was when you try it!!!

 

[Nate]

Unlike red wine, mead is remarkably resilient!

Traditional Meads can age well over 18 years. Let us know how it was when you try it!!!

Agree. I'm always amazed at how widespread that myth is about red wine. Most fine reds benefit from aging a few years, peak for a few years and then tend to fall off pretty quickly... and that's only when held at constant, vibration free cellar temperatures.

I'm only starting on the mead journey but it's my understanding that mead can hold up for much longer periods of time. We just did our first JAOM and loved it... plus it's sooooo much easier than beer (no plans to stop brewing though... ).

OP... congrats on that find. That's awesome!