BaconManic

Recipes 

I have been very new to the whole "brewing" scene. I have made a few beers an am in the process of making an Apfelwein. I know I am bouncing all over but I am looking for something I will have the most fun doing.

I have tried to search for a real basic recipe something that I can use to make 2 gallons just to get my feet wet, but have been unsuccessful.
I was looking for some along the lines of honey, yeast, water. For a basic recipe. Maybe I am crazy to just try this, just looking for some guidance on this idea.

Also would I be able to use my old Mr. Beer fermentor to brew this? (this is for the size.)

Keep in mind I am just trying things out to see what I like to do the most, and that I have limited experience with these practices.

Maybe a few tips as well to make sure this turns out well.

Thank you

Bluespark

Recipes 

Try looking up joes ancient orange mead. Just need a gallon jug, a airlock and bung and a handful of ingredients you likely already have in your pantry.

maltzanc

Recipes 

If your going to do 2 gallons, I would suggest you do two different kinds of mead. Maybe do one that is just a plain honey and water mead and then try ancient orange as Bluespark suggested.

I would suggest trying 2-3 pounds of honey per gallon of water depending on the desired alcohol content. Make sure everything is sanitized and then have fun with it. Mead is quite resilient, so don't stress too much. Patience is probably the most important thing

__________________
Bottled: Plain Cider, Kiwi Melomel, Mint Metheglin

Up next: Pumpkin and Nutmeg Cider, Apple Pie Cider, Blue Berry Cider

dneubeck85

Recipes 

I made a really easy good mead....one gallon water one orange sliced up... Around twenty raisins and three pounds honey. Turned out great!! Just sucks waiting the six months for it to age

rstanavech

Recipes 

I just started a batch yesterday. 4lbs of honey to a gallon of water, juice from 4 Clementine oranges. When I pull off for secondary was thinking of throwing in some raspberry juice, may just leave it as it is.

Hmmm, wonder what it would taste like aged in an oak barrel?

BaconManic

Recipes 

Thanks everyone for the responses!

So it seems I would need 8 pounds of honey for 2 gallons of water and 2 oranges sliced. Yeast, the yeast nutrition, and patience.

Would the Mr beer fermentor be ok for the long haul,the whole 6 months?

jackfrost

Recipes 

I would go with 6 to 6 1/2 on the honey you dnt want of to be to high you mite get a slow ferment from stressing the yeasties. That can produce off flavors. Good luck BTW just my 2 cents

maltzanc

Recipes 

Yeah, 4 pounds per gallon is pretty high, especially for your first mead. If you really wanted that much, you could look into adding it in 2 different steps. To give you a general idea, 2 pds should give you around 8% and 3 pounds around 12%. That's just a rough estimate though, depends on the honey you use. Still best to use a hydrometer of course.

Forgot to mention this earlier, it is definitely important to add nutrients to your mead. Honey is very low in nutrients that will keep your yeast healthy.

__________________
Bottled: Plain Cider, Kiwi Melomel, Mint Metheglin

Up next: Pumpkin and Nutmeg Cider, Apple Pie Cider, Blue Berry Cider

BaconManic

Recipes 

Thanks for all the input.

Guess I will do 6 lbs of honey in 2 gallon of water.