Mead Bottles

[DecoJuicer]

Should bottles for mead be made out of dark glass, like beer, or does light effect mead differently.

I am going to be bottling my mead in a couple of months, and I want to start looking around for cool bottles, since I will be giving it out as Christmas presents to friends and family.

Thanks
Mike

[corkybstewart]

I used Modelo Negro bottles for my first mead. They're short, stubby and different looking so very few people I know had any idea where they came from. Or use brown bombers. Skunking shopudn't be a problem since there aren't any hops, but I'ld still use brown or at least green bottles.

[DecoJuicer]

Thanks Corky.

Here's another question that goes along with the first. How long should I let my mead age in the bottle? I had a 32 day primary fermentation it went into secondary fermentation on 3/3/06, and I have racked it a couple of times since. It is crystal clear right now.

I haven't tasted it yet, but I was just wondering if it needs a specific amount of time in the bottle before serving.

[corkybstewart]

I've only brewed one mead, my second one is in secondary right now. My first one fermented 6 months and then spent close to a year in secondary. I bottled it in 1998, I have 5 bottles left, and its still delicious, but I can't for the life of me remember ho long it was in the bottle before I stared drinking it. I know that it was a pale red color(prickly pear fruit) for the first year or so, and then it turned champagne colored. All I can tell you is that patience is great, but I probably went overboard.

[skorpion317]

mead is going to be my next endeavor, i'm planning on using 6 1500 mL wine bottles, and 12 750 mL wine bottles when I finally bottle it. I think it's a pretty classy way of presenting mead, and it should impress people. If you want to do some single servings, beer bottles should work fine.

[corkybstewart]

I have a beautiful ruby red prickly pear mead in secondary that I may put in champagne bottles next spring. After New Year's Eve I can dumpster dive and get plenty of champagne bottles. I think a sparkling red mead will look good in those bottles. My previous mead was a flat mead, no carbonation so it was more like wine.

[skorpion317]

i have to wait until the prickly pear fruits come into season again, I really want to make the recipe from Papazian's book.

[L.H.H.H.Brown]

My buddies keep their bottles for at least a year. I've kept one of theirs for 3 years. It was absolutely delish. I've always thought mead was more like wine , it takes a while. I can't recall any with carbonation. They use the 22oz bottles.

[corkybstewart]

I've had sparkling mead in Europe, it was really pretty nice.

[skorpion317]

does carbonating the mead have any effect on flavor?

[HogieWan]

I kept a bottle from Jolly Pumpkin's La Roja (http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/9897/19314). This was a big bottle that took a standard cap. I plan to put this year's Christmas beer in it to save for next year.

I mention this because they may work for your mead. It's a great sour brew also.

[corkybstewart]

Originally posted by skorpion317
does carbonating the mead have any effect on flavor?

About the same effect carbonation has on white wine-there are different sensations going on in your mouth, but the flavor is the same. Try carbonating a couple of bottles of your next mead and see if you like it.

[skorpion317]

Originally posted by corkybstewart
About the same effect carbonation has on white wine-there are different sensations going on in your mouth, but the flavor is the same. Try carbonating a couple of bottles of your next mead and see if you like it.

will do. I've always imagined mead as being carbonated, in tall drinking vessels held by vikings and stuff. I wonder if that was how it was traditionally done, or if carbonation was a later innovation.

[SoxyinMO]

Originally posted by DecoJuicer
I haven't tasted it yet, but I was just wondering if it needs a specific amount of time in the bottle before serving.

Deco, we bottled our mead the first week of this year and we've tried a few since June and everytime it gets better. Right now it is VERY drinkable, but the flavors just keep coming together. Our 30th Anniversary is in February & you can bet i'm putting some aside for that. I've also (shhhhh) tucked up two bottles for our 50th. Hope springs eternal & all that.

I know some of the guys here have meads they put up 25+ years ago.