Ferment Temps

What temperature does a mead have to sit at. I want to make one, but my house is ~80 degrees.

I'm going to assume you are in a coastal area, and if such this may not help.

You can drop your fermentation temps by 5 or more degrees, by simply placing your fermenter (and that should be a carboy, for mead) in a larger bucket, filling that bucket up with water, and putting a towel or t-shirt over the fermenter. Coastal areas (Marina Del Rey, Venice, Long beach) have a higher relative humidity, and the damper air will hinder that cooling ability. (As does the swamp cooler, in my house!)

75 degrees is fine for Mead, if/when you can get it. (I've got a 2 month wait!) That is for the active part of fermentation, aging can be done at a higher (80-85) temp. (My february batch is still in the fermenter, and is starting to taste GREAT!)

steve

I don't let mine get above 76. As long as the yeast can handle it it should be okay but the high the temps the more likely it will produce the off flavors. I was keeping a fan blowing on mine all last month and ended up moving them into an upstairs bedroom and just keeping the door shut and a fan going and have had it go over about 74 now. Best range is 68-72 for most fruit addition meads and 65-70 for the traditionals. Also the colder the long it will take. If you use Lalvin D47 yeast it has a good temp range and doesn't throw off flavors at 78, done that a few times with both melomels and traditionals.