How long can I keep bottled mead? (Bottled just after daughters birth)

[zarniwoop]

Hi All,

I've been fermenting an ancient orange mead for the last 3 months and as our 2nd daughter was born on Monday I would like to bottle it over the next week or two and keep a bottle for as long as possible, question is how long will it keep for? I'd like 18 years but I have my doubts about this (330ml brown glass bottles if that helps)

(Oh and if you want to know what it's like to be under pressure try having your wife give birth at home 30 minutes after you both get back from a walk with the dogs and the two year old and 5 minutes before the first midwife arrives, I'd like to say I delivered the baby but I think 99% of the credit goes to my wife, I just grabbed warms towels and ran around a lot.... :lol


Cheers

Zarniwoop

 

[Airgead]

The answer is - it depends.

Meads, in theory can age well for a long time. Provided they aren't exposed to oxygen, are well brewed, have enough complexity in them to stand aging and that the style will benefit.

Its like a wine... a good big shiraz can stand a long aging and will get better and better. A lighter style shiraz may be better drunk young. Something like a savignion blanc is awful when aged. It looses all the fruit character that you want in that style.

In general, bigger, more complex wines, particularly when oaked, will stand and benefit from aging. Lighter, less complex wines or wines where you want a lot of forward fruit character are best drunk younger.

Put a bunch down, drink one every couple of years and see how it goes.

Cheers
Dave

Edit - oh.. and congrats on the new sprog. Sounds like you had a pretty interesting time.

 

[zarniwoop]

Thanks, yes it was an interesting experience. Now I can add child delivery to my daddy skills (Other than carrying 2 cups of coffee, a toddler and opening a baby gate with my foot simultaneously)

 

[philmud]

(Oh and if you want to know what it's like to be under pressure try having your wife give birth at home 30 minutes after you both get back from a walk with the dogs and the two year old and 5 minutes before the first midwife arrives, I'd like to say I delivered the baby but I think 99% of the credit goes to my wife, I just grabbed warms towels and ran around a lot.... :lol


Cheers

Zarniwoop

Top work mate (your 1%!), my partner had our little man at home & it was a lovely experience. We had our midwife there though, I'd have shat bricks! Hope your mead ages beautifully!