Can I use the Mr. Beer 2 gallon fermenter for my first mead?

I would like to try making some mead, but I am afraid of making 5 gallons worth of the stuff. I remembered that I have a 2 Gallon Mr. Beer fermenter. Will this work?

Also, I'd love a recipe recommendation. I've only had 2 meads so far, and only liked Viking Blod. I would love to make something that wouldn't take too long. I am looking for something on the dryer side, with not too much sticky honey taste at the end.

Pixalated said:

I would like to try making some mead, but I am afraid of making 5 gallons worth of the stuff. I remembered that I have a 2 Gallon Mr. Beer fermenter. Will this work?

Also, I'd love a recipe recommendation. I've only had 2 meads so far, and only liked Viking Blod. I would love to make something that wouldn't take too long. I am looking for something on the dryer side, with not too much sticky honey taste at the end.

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I do this all the time. However, I use mead kits from www.beefolks.com which yields one gallon per kit. I like to make two at a time according to instruction. Then when it come time to rack, I just rack it right in to my Mr. Beer fermenter to bulk age it, and if you get the locking spigot and bottling wand from Mr. Beer, it serves as an excellent bottling bucket too!

Edit: The mead kits from bee folks are short meads and my first one took about 3 months, and if you want it to be on the dryer side, try using your own yeast, it might help.

Yipes, I looked up the prices on that web site!!! I pay $107 for 60# (5 gal) of honey, and they charge $240!!! The Mead kits have nothing in them but yeast and something to flavor. For a 1 gal batch, you could get frozen fruit from Walmart, get a recipe on here and make it for far less!!

Debbie

deb_rn said:

Yipes, I looked up the prices on that web site!!! I pay $107 for 60# (5 gal) of honey, and they charge $240!!! The Mead kits have nothing in them but yeast and something to flavor. For a 1 gal batch, you could get frozen fruit from Walmart, get a recipe on here and make it for far less!!

Debbie

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That's why I just get the kits and get my honey elsewhere. 9 bucks a pound is 2-3 times too much.

@deb_rn Where do you get your honey? best I've seen is 120 for 5 gal. That place had clove, sage, buckwheat and 2 or 3 others (orange maybe?)

I'm trying to picture the Mr. Beer fermenter in my mind. I think it'd be fine for primary, but not for secondary as I think the headspace is too wide. Two Carlo Rossi wine jugs would work great, though! The jugs take a #6 size stopper and you can use a regular airlock. That's what I'd do.

Yooper said:

I'm trying to picture the Mr. Beer fermenter in my mind. I think it'd be fine for primary, but not for secondary as I think the headspace is too wide. Two Carlo Rossi wine jugs would work great, though! The jugs take a #6 size stopper and you can use a regular airlock. That's what I'd do.

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Its not a problem for me because I make short meads. When it comes to regular meads then, I sincerely agree, that headspace would cause problems with oxidation during those aging months. Unless you make a 3 gallon batch which would fill it to the brim.

I don't want to bother racking to secondary. What is the longest time I can keep the mead on the yeast cake? I'd like to drink my mead this year, but I won't mind letting it ferment and then age in bottles for a few months.

I am planning to look for an apiary in Maryland and get some honey soon.

I think that a carboy works better but I have used the Mr. Beer keg for mead and it dose work.

Roger

I pick my honey up from the source. It's about 12 miles from my house! I just take the bucket in for refills and save the cost of the bucket over and over.
Shipping from anywhere is just so expensive!!

Debbie

deb_rn said:

I pick my honey up from the source. It's about 12 miles from my house! I just take the bucket in for refills and save the cost of the bucket over and over.
Shipping from anywhere is just so expensive!!

Debbie

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In what state?

@Deb_rn Well I've been thinking of looking local also.. but it is limiting...

On the other hand, if I use say Orange blossom honey for mead.... how different is that from adding orange zest? Plus I though I read that somewhere around 40 or 50% of your honey as a varital is all that is needed to get that varital to come out.

I found a few apiaries in MD, and it appears I may be able to pick up their honey from stores. Since I am only planning a 2 gallon batch, I am hoping it won't cost too much.

I'm in Wisconsin... it says that under our names.

Debbie

deb_rn said:

I'm in Wisconsin... it says that under our names.

Debbie

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It doesn't show that on my phone. Anyway, Go Pack.