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Author Topic: Tannin's in Mead  (Read 1849 times)

Offline saintsbrew

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Tannin's in Mead
« on: July 31, 2012, 07:21:31 AM »
I just recieved my scoresheets from NHC '12 regarding my sack, semi-sweet, Trad. Mead, I scored a 38, first round and 32in the secon.  This was my first mead and I was very happy with how it turned out.  In no way am I arguing the comments I think they are spot on but, I had comments regarding the dryness of the mead and tannins.  I did try to dry the mead out so that it would not be too sweet as other homebrewed examples I had were too sweet for my preference.

My question is where would tannins come from?  When I think tannins, grape skins come to mind but I did not add these.

Thanks, just looking to make better mead.
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Mike Saint Pierre
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Bottles: '11 & '12 Trad. Meads, Blueberry Melomel

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Tannin's in Mead
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2012, 07:40:44 AM »
Did you add an acid blend? those will have some tannin I believe. drying out a sack mead though seems counterproductive. aren't they supposed to be sweet?
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Offline saintsbrew

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Re: Tannin's in Mead
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2012, 09:35:26 AM »
Quote from: morticaixavier on July 31, 2012, 07:40:44 AM
Did you add an acid blend? those will have some tannin I believe. drying out a sack mead though seems counterproductive. aren't they supposed to be sweet?
I did add 1/8th of a tsp of acid blend.  In hindsight, I probably should have left the acid blend out, next time.  I suppose I'm using the term dry loosely since it is relative to OG.

Anyways I just picked up 15# of wild raspberry honey for this years mead!
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Mike Saint Pierre
Maine Ale & Libation Tasters (MALT)
BJCP Beer Judge
[719.4, 74.1] AR
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On Tap: EIPA
Fermenting: New England Amber, Flanders Red
Conditioning: Burbon Barrel-Aged Old Ale (MALT Collaboration), Raspberry Melomel, Barrel-Aged Barleywine (MALT Collaboration), Oktoberfest
Bottles: '11 & '12 Trad. Meads, Blueberry Melomel

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Tannin's in Mead
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2012, 09:36:47 AM »
you don't have to leave it out, it's good for balancing sweetness and tartness so the mead is not to one dimensional. I think best practice is to add it post ferment to taste. draw a sample and dose with drops of disolved acid blend until the flavour is where you want it then scale up to the full batch.
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"Creativity is the residue of wasted time" - A. Einstein
"Is that a sssssstraight jacket?" - That weird guy on Oddities
On Tap:
2 Beers 1 recipe:
  American Pale Ale (WLP001)
  Belgian Pale Ale (WLP545)
In Bottles:
Tipsy Santa stout
2011 Sweet William BW
2011 Rumble Fish - Rumble barrel aged BW
2012 Belgian Wheat Wine with coconut sugar
2012 Sweet William maple BW
2012 All Munich BW

Offline The Professor

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Re: Tannin's in Mead
« Reply #4 on: July 31, 2012, 10:10:29 AM »
Quote from: morticaixavier on July 31, 2012, 09:36:47 AM
you don't have to leave it out, it's good for balancing sweetness and tartness so the mead is not to one dimensional. I think best practice is to add it post ferment to taste. draw a sample and dose with drops of disolved acid blend until the flavour is where you want it then scale up to the full batch.

I agree with this.  I always add some acid blend to my meads because I feel it really helps to balance things out.  Meads without a very slight touch of that acid tartness are, to me, definitely lacking.  Of course, traditionally it wouldn't be added, but the drink definitely benefits from the addition...at least according to my taste.

With regard  to sack mead, I was always under the impression that the term referred to a higher ABV, and that sack mead could be sweet, semi-sweet, or even on the dry side. 
Maybe there's a mead expert among us that can weigh in with more authoritative info with regard to that...
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Tannin's in Mead
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2012, 09:45:53 PM »
Yes, sack refers to the strength of the mead.  You can have a dry sack mead.
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Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Tannin's in Mead
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2012, 11:22:03 PM »
I stand corrected
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"Creativity is the residue of wasted time" - A. Einstein
"Is that a sssssstraight jacket?" - That weird guy on Oddities
On Tap:
2 Beers 1 recipe:
  American Pale Ale (WLP001)
  Belgian Pale Ale (WLP545)
In Bottles:
Tipsy Santa stout
2011 Sweet William BW
2011 Rumble Fish - Rumble barrel aged BW
2012 Belgian Wheat Wine with coconut sugar
2012 Sweet William maple BW
2012 All Munich BW

Offline realbeerguy

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Re: Tannin's in Mead
« Reply #7 on: August 03, 2012, 08:34:47 PM »
Tannin will come from addition of oak. chips, cubes, sporal, stave, barrel.   Tannin will balance out acid & sweetness making it more complex.  A slight addtion of  grape tannin will also suffice.  Your mead will shine if it has a balace of acid & tannins added.  this is why you'll see people adding some oak for a week or two.
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Online mtnrockhopper

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Re: Tannin's in Mead
« Reply #8 on: August 12, 2012, 05:24:43 PM »
Quote from: morticaixavier on July 31, 2012, 07:40:44 AM
Did you add an acid blend? those will have some tannin I believe. drying out a sack mead though seems counterproductive. aren't they supposed to be sweet?

Acid blend has no tannin, just - you know - acid.
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Offline jamminbrew

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Re: Tannin's in Mead
« Reply #9 on: August 12, 2012, 06:23:25 PM »
Quote from: tschmidlin on July 31, 2012, 09:45:53 PM
You can have a dry sack.
*giggles*  Yes, I am still an immature boy at heart...
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Tannin's in Mead
« Reply #10 on: August 13, 2012, 12:05:54 AM »
Quote from: theantipunk on August 12, 2012, 06:23:25 PM
Quote from: tschmidlin on July 31, 2012, 09:45:53 PM
You can have a dry sack.
*giggles*  Yes, I am still an immature boy at heart...
;D

No fair, you moved the period!
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