Bitterness

[Turock]

This has ended up being a great discussion. As you already know, I'm a big fan of enough time in bulk aging. You might try aging these longer--maybe another 3-6 months in order to allow those bitter components to fall free of the wine. I've seen instructions for tannin to add 1/3 to 1/2 tsp per gallon. I think that can be too much at times. Especially if you're just using tannin for color stability.

Next time you make fruit wine, maybe you'd like to try it without tannin and see the results. If it lacks bitterness, then you can be sure the tannin was the reason for it.

I think it's interesting that your taste is off because of being sick----well, that sure is NOT the time to be evaluating your wine!!! That's the time to be evaluating a cup of TEA. If you ever figure this out I'd be interested to know what it is!

 

[the_rayway]

Lol @Turock, I meant that I had recently been sick! Can you imagine? *Hack, hack, cough, sip!* I more meant that my taste buds may have not fully recovered at that time, but thanks for the mental image!

 

[brottman]

Rayway, hopefully this makes you feel a lot better: I started a my first Mead about 3 months ago. Just last month it still tasted bitter as heck. I just tasted it again today and the bitterness is almost all but gone! It also tastes much more like Mead than last month. What a difference just a month made!

It still seems like it needs a bit more time because it's not great yet but I feel a ton better about it.