Adding Flavors In Secondary Question

[Quicksilver]

My son is a soldier, about to deploy for 9 months. As he is a big mead fan he wants to start a 5 gallons batch of plain old mead before he leaves. I will tend it while he is gone. When he gets back it should be clear and bulk aging in a carboy.

My question is, at that point can he divide it up into gallons and flavor each one individually? Or is 9 months too late in the game for that?

I'm not a mead fan so I wouldn't know a well flavored mead from my elbow.

Thanks all.

 

[meadmaker1]

Your gona run out doing bench trials before deciding on a flavor mix worth committing 20% of the base.
But it will be quite an adventure. Better start sourcing flavorings now.

 

[Jericurl]

You can add things to secondary (or tertiary) at pretty much any time. I've added fruit, spices, etc, to bulk ageing meads that were over a year old.

Depending on where he deploys to, he may be able to pick up some interesting dried fruit and spices and bring it home for experimentation with mead.