So I forgot about my mead...

[mosto]

So a few years ago, I decided I'd try my hand at making a mead. From memory, it was some locally sourced Orange Blossom Honey, water, and probably some US05 at a guess, all combined into a cleaned and sanitised 2L juice bottle, glad wrap over the opening and put up the back of a laundry cupboard where I used to keep my brew stuff in my K&K days. This would be at least 3/4 years ago.

Fast forward to present day and I went looking for some flip top bottles I remembered I stashed in the same cupboard some time ago. Low and behold, here's my mead sitting up the back of the cupboard. Looks ok, but I haven't brought myself to peel the glad wrap off and have a smell/taste yet, which will obviously be the test as to whether I bottle it or not, but just wondering what some more experienced mead makers thoughts maybe. My big concern, with it sitting on the cake for so long is autolysis. Either way, it's peaked my interest again, so I'll probably get some more honey from the local orchard that sells it here, and try again.

 

[Airgead]

My big concern would be oxidisation. Glad wrap isn't a good gas seal. Mind you its probbaly as good as a dried out airlock so regardless of your chosen stopper, it's likely to be a bit damaged. Plus autolysis.

Have a sniff. Have a taste. You my be lucky.

 

[GalBrew]

My big concern would be oxidisation. Glad wrap isn't a good gas seal. Mind you its probbaly as good as a dried out airlock so regardless of your chosen stopper, it's likely to be a bit damaged. Plus autolysis.

Have a sniff. Have a taste. You my be lucky.

Agreed, especially if the juice bottle is also plastic.

 

[mosto]

All fears justified and confirmed. Pulled it out last night and got a very strong whiff of paint thinner...straight onto the lawn. I'll have another crack, but may invest in a demijohn and airlock this time.

 

[TimT]

Sounds like a wild yeast attacked it.

What was the ABV?

 

[TimT]

Even in case of a wildy infection after primary fermentation I'd still feel like just bottling it and ageing it. The effects of age on meads are remarkable, and most meads require a few months or even years to come good anyway.