Looking for some insight into making my own traditional (honey, water, & yeast only) mead. This is something I use regularly and I'd prefer make it than buy it because of the personal level in which it is used in my life.
Much appreciated! If someone else has been through trial and error I'd much rather learn from their mistakes rather than my own.
before you drink some try going back and adding a bit of raw honey to the mix. Some of them this improves the taste, some it makes worse, but try just a small amount and see if you like it better. If you do this it will often start fermentation back so be careful about it breaking containers. I enjoy it when I drink it though I don't drink very much of anything anymore. I will be checking to see how it turns out for you so please post your progress. Thad.
My son does ours and all I do is what i'm told when we do it !! I do have some bottles that have a date on them from 1995,we cracked one open last time he was here and it has a really good kick to it . I think it gets sweeter the longer ya age it !!
I would like to make some with this chestnut honey -it looks good: The best honey in Italy comes from Lunigiana | Tuscany | ITALY Magazine Or maybe orange blossom honey or even some truffle honey. Mmmmmm!
I use clover honey with mine. I have used gooseberries, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and black currants. Black currant and gooseberries were the best. that black currant batch was a one off as I have never been able to duplicate the flavor of that one batch ( Gunny wipes tear.... )
Keep trying, and keep sipping. It will either make that tear go away, or flow like Niagra Falls. .... LOL
There was an article recently in Backwoodsman that covered Mead. Brewing is on my list of hobbies to pick up.
- Basic Mead Recipe Here is a very basic recipe for making Mead to get you started. You can also use this recipe as a base line for creating other styles of Mead later on. For 5 Gallons Of Mead: * 13 Pounds of Honey * 2 Tablespoons Yeast Energizer * 6 Tablespoons Acid Blend * 1 Teaspoon Wine Tannin * 5 Campden Tablets * Water To Total 5 Gallons * 1 Pkg. Lalvin ICV-D47 Yeast * NOTE: If unprocessed honey is being used, it would be best to first cut the honey with water then heat it on the stove to about 180 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 5 minutes. This is to allow the pollen, wax and bits of bee to float to the top so that you can skim them off before using the honey in a recipe. - Basic Process 1. Mix together all the ingredients listed above, EXCEPT for the yeast, in an open container (primary fermenter). Be sure to crush and dissolve the Campden Tablets. Cover with a light towel and let sit for 24 hour. 2. After 24 hours, add one package of Lalvin ICV-D47 Yeast and allow to ferment 4 to 5 days or until your hydrometer reads around 1.030 to 1.040 on the Specific Gravity scale. 3. After 4 or 5 days, carefully siphon the Mead into a Secondary Fermenter so as to leave most of the sediment behind. This is called "Racking". The Secondary Fermenter should be some type of food-grade container that allows you to attach an Air-Lock to it. 4. Allow the Mead to ferment another 2 to 3 weeks under air-lock, or until the hydrometer reads .998 or less on the Specific Gravity scale. Now the Mead needs to clear. This usually takes at least and additional 2 to 3 weeks, sometimes as long as 2 months. 5. Once the Mead has completely cleared, siphon it into a clean container and add a second dose of Campden Tablets at the rate of 1 tablet per gallon. It is then ready to be bottled and aged. For a little more information on the fermentation process and how to avoid any common pitfalls, see the article, "The Top 10 Reasons For Fermentation Failure" listed at the link below:<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /> "The Top 10 Reasons For Fermentation Failure" - More Mead Recipes . . . Cyser: * 9 Pounds of Honey * 2-1/2 Gallons of Apple Juice * 2 Tablespoons of Yeast Energizer * 4-1/2 Tablespoons of Acid Blend * 3/4 Teaspoon of Wine Tannin * 5 Campden Tablets * Water To Total Batch to 5 Gallons * 1 Pkg. Lalvin EC-1118 Yeast Blackberry Melomel: * 11 Pounds of Honey * 4 Pounds of Chopped Blackberries * 2 Tablespoons of Yeast Energizer * 4-1/2 Tablespoons of Acid Blend * 1/2 Teaspoon of Wine Tannin * 5 Campden Tablets * Water to Total Batch to 5 Gallons * 1 Pkg. Lalvin K1V-1116 Metheglyn: * 15 Pounds of Honey * 15 Cloves * 2-1/2 Ounces of Grated Ginger Root * 5 Ounces of Elderflower * 2 Tablespoons of Yeast Energizer * 5-1/2 Tablespoons of Acid Blend * 1/4 Teaspoon of Wine Tannin * 5 Campden Tablets * Water To Total Batch to 5 Gallons * 1 Pkg. Lalvin ICV-D47 Yeast - If You Like Your Mead Sweet . . . You can sweeten your Mead by adding more honey, or sugar. But, three things have to happen first: * 1. The fermentation needs to be completely finished and the Mead needs to have been given a couple of weeks to clear. The Mead should also be check with a hydrometer to verify that it is done. It should read between .995 and .998 on the Specific Gravity scale. * 2. You also need to carefully siphon the wine off any sediment into a clean container. Otherwise, this sediment will be stirred up again when you mix in your honey for sweetening. * 3. Potassium Sorbate needs to be added to the Mead as a stabilizer. Otherwise, the fermentation will eventually start up again when the additional honey is added. It is important that all three of the above happens before adding a sweetener of any kind, otherwise you may get sediment occurring in the bottom of you wine bottles, or worse yet, re-fermentation may start up in the bottles.
You big wuss. Go buy a six pack of 3.2 beer. Mean while ship me that bottle of Liquid apple pie. and don't pee in it.
