First Mead

Hey I'm a first time home brewer making my first ever mead.

I got a starter kit from 247homebrew and began my first gallon batch. Only thing I didn't have was a hydrometer which I now realise is very beneficial after reading on here.( will be getting one on payday and will check levels when I rack) Just a few questions ( same as every other newbie probably but need to start somewhere)


I used for my recipe:

3lbs rowes honey
2L Scottish spring water
25-30 raisins
1 vanilla pod
2 oranges
1 lemon rind
Wine yeast sachet ( I have link to website for the yeast they supplied but it doesn't state specifics about it . http://www.247homebrew.com/super-wine-yeast-5-25l-939-p.asp )


I began on June 1 added my honey, water and yeast to glass demijohn. shook vigorously to oxygenate then added the fruit.

I attached airlock and put it to rest in living room cupboard (temp there within optimal range)

Within 12 hours it was bubbling away, roughly 1 bubble every half second smelling great. This has gradually slowed now after 23 days it's down to one bubble every minute - 90 seconds.

Questions : how long should I leave it before transferring to another glass demijohn?

I'm hoping to try a drink of it around boxing day which will be at the 6 month mark, will this 've doable?

If anyone has any thoughts or suggestions they would be. appreciated thanks guys.

Here's a picture showing my progress

Zeltar said:

Questions : how long should I leave it before transferring to another glass demijohn?

Click to expand...

I was planning on transferring my batch after 30 days to another demijohn. I don't know if there is an exact rule as to when the mead should be transferred.

If the fruit is for flavor you want to perhaps keep the fruit in the mead for a few weeks but if the fruit is for some other reason (compare the JAOM recipe) then you don't want to transfer the mead to another vessel until the fruit drops out of suspension. But JAOM asks that you use baking yeast and not a wine yeast. The baking yeast will not be able to ferment all the sugars in the honey before they die of alcohol poisoning. Wine yeast is far more alcohol tolerant. So if your plan was to make a sweet mead then you may be driving in the wrong direction. Still, all is not lost: once the mead has finished fermenting you can stabilize the wine and then add more honey to sweeten the mead. Stabilization will prevent any surviving yeast cells from a) reproducing and b) fermenting the added sugar BUT that outcome will only be realized if you slowly remove any active yeast cells and you do that by racking every couple of months. An active colony of yeast will neutralize the chemicals you use to stabilize the cells (K-meta and K-sorbate).

Had 0 time to post any updates here been so busy with work and kids but here goes.

Status- September 1st I racked off fruit and lees to new carboy. Back sweetened with 60g orange blossom honey as it seemed very dry.

I've noticed its went a bit hazy is that to do with the new honey or just due to getting maybe a bit splashed about during rack?

(Still not got my finger out and bought a hydrometer so still winging it a bit.)

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Well if you added new honey to sweeten a dry mead but did not make sure it is stabilized first, the yeast is busy turning the new honey into more alcohol. As benardsmith was discussing, adding sorbate and kmeta to the mead before any more honey is added.

Been a week now since first rack the haze is clearing up nicely and some extra flavour coming out.

Still a bit rocket fuel / over winey taste but it's mellowed a bit and I'm happy with its progress I'm using this as a learning brew before moving onto something bolder.

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