Allow me to first preface this with a simple fact. I treated this mead terribly and with shameful neglect, I'm a monster and given the chance I'd probably steal candy for a baby (p.s I ate most of my son's halloween candy)
So I just dumped two different batches of mead due to a overpowering vinegar smell/taste (yeah, I tasted it even though I smelled it first).
These are both batches from around 2012 that have been sitting in carboys bulk aging, because I've been so busy with my son and work I just never got around to it.
Neither batch had excessive headroom, however I know at least once both batches had the airlocks run dry which could have allowed oxygen in. Both batches were on their third racking so while there was minimal sediment in the bottom, neither were on their yeast cake.
I suspect both were caused by exposure to oxygen via the dry airlocks, but I'm not sure what other factors could have contributed to this as I typically brew beer which has a much faster turnover time.
As I don't want to repeat this failure with future batches, what's typically the longest I should consider bulk aging in the carboy?
So I just dumped two different batches of mead due to a overpowering vinegar smell/taste (yeah, I tasted it even though I smelled it first).
These are both batches from around 2012 that have been sitting in carboys bulk aging, because I've been so busy with my son and work I just never got around to it.
Neither batch had excessive headroom, however I know at least once both batches had the airlocks run dry which could have allowed oxygen in. Both batches were on their third racking so while there was minimal sediment in the bottom, neither were on their yeast cake.
I suspect both were caused by exposure to oxygen via the dry airlocks, but I'm not sure what other factors could have contributed to this as I typically brew beer which has a much faster turnover time.
As I don't want to repeat this failure with future batches, what's typically the longest I should consider bulk aging in the carboy?