5% quick mead

[filmguyuk]

I've been trying to hunt out a recipe to create a light 5% alcohol mead, which requires about 10 days to produce. I recently went to a food festival in London and had a lightly sparkling mead that was created in only a few days (admittedly using commercial equipment). Are there ways to replicate this using hobbyist kit? I'm a noob to these forums but want to really get motoring in my production. Cheers Matt.:rockin:

 

[Davemci]

If u can keg then 10 days is possible. About 1 pound if honey per gallon will give 5%. If you have temp control lager yeast is my favorite, but a liquid ale yeast works well. I would stay away from English strains, American yeast is generally cleaner but Belgian and said on yeasts can be interesting. The last one I made I brewed a "tea" with earl grey and chamomile and mashed some crystal malt and marries otter (2oz eacheck for 1 gallon). Used pilsner yeast and bottled 10 days later.

 

[Lefou]

Session mead. Low ABV, force carbonated and aged in a steel keg. It's a novel way of creating a quick sparkling mead.
The trick is retaining body without being too dry.

 

[madscientist451]

Check out the mead making podcasts on Basic Brewing Radio and The Mead House for tips on quick meads. I have made any quick mead, but adding the proper amount of yeast, nutrient additions and degassing are the most often discussed techniques.

 

[bernardsmith]

Session mead. ..
The trick is retaining body without being too dry.

and one possible solution is to use a yeast that produces significant glycerols because that would enhance the mouthfeel. That, and carbonation (IMO) provide a perception of greater body and viscosity. But the desire for or distaste of dryness is presumably a personal preference. But, true, the more residual sugar in a session mead, the more body that mead will be perceived to possess.

 

[mr_stout]

Use a yeast that ferments fast. You can probably use any mead recipe.
I recommend starting out simple.

• 2 lbs honey
• A fast fermenting yeast
• Water to fill jug to the 1 gallon mark
• Juice of one lemon

Start drinking it right away if it taste good.

I've been trying to hunt out a recipe to create a light 5% alcohol mead, which requires about 10 days to produce. I recently went to a food festival in London and had a lightly sparkling mead that was created in only a few days (admittedly using commercial equipment). Are there ways to replicate this using hobbyist kit? I'm a noob to these forums but want to really get motoring in my production. Cheers Matt.:rockin:

 

[bernardsmith]

"Use a yeast that ferments fast. You can probably use any mead recipe.
I recommend starting out simple.

2 lbs honey
A fast fermenting yeast
Water to fill jug to the 1 gallon mark
Juice of one lemon


Start drinking it right away if it taste good."

Except that 2lbs of honey in a gallon will create a mead that has about 9% alcohol by volume - almost twice the alcohol level wanted by the OP. The OP's mead can be quaffed by the pint. your mead, mr stout, needs to be sipped as if it's a wine and so drunk by the glass.

 

[bfgcdub]

I've been trying to hunt out a recipe to create a light 5% alcohol mead, which requires about 10 days to produce. I recently went to a food festival in London and had a lightly sparkling mead that was created in only a few days (admittedly using commercial equipment). Are there ways to replicate this using hobbyist kit? I'm a noob to these forums but want to really get motoring in my production. Cheers Matt.:rockin:

You should check out these. The first one sounds fairly close to what you want.

https://www.groennfell.com/recipes

 

[Peter D Day]

Has anyone tried the mead recipes at Groennfell?

 

[Peter D Day]

Has anyone tried the mead recipes at Groennfell?

 

[bernardsmith]

I have adopted their protocol but I make my own meads. Don't follow anyone's recipes.

 

[Peter D Day]

Thanks for responding bernardsmith. How did your mead turn out using their protocol and your recipe? Got one favorite you'd like to share?

 

[bernardsmith]

Hard to say which are my favorites but I have been making session meads - around 6% ABV, with varietal honeys that I have been bottling about 7 days after pitching! (but using WLP066 yeast and a warm water bath to up the temperature to upper 70s). Very drinkable. And I have a t'ej (although higher ABV than Groennfell's meads) that used D47 at a higher temperature (around 78F ) that I think is quite delicious.

 

[cooper]

Here’s one I saw on an episode of Chop&Brew that I’m wanting to try:

http://chopandbrew.com/recipes/orange-blossom-session-mead/

Recipe below for Orange Blossom Session Mead by Steve Fletty, two-time Meadmaker of the Year (2007 & 2017). Reprinted with his permission. See and hear more from Fletty in Chop & Brew – Episode 62.

Orange Blossom Session Mead
Ingredients
6 lbs orange blossom honey (plus another three pounds of orange blossom for back-sweetening)
4 gallons water
Lalvin 71B-1122 Narbonne yeast
yeast nutrient

Process:

Blend honey and water. Add nutrients. Rehydrate yeast in Go-Ferm, then pitch. The 71B will take this to dry.

Rack to secondary. Add potassium sorbate (follow instructions on label). Sorbate will prevent re-fermentation. (I would probably K-Sulfite, wait a day, then K-Sorbate)

After a day, add 3 lbs of the same honey to get the gravity up to ~1.024. Fine with Super Kleer, rack to keg and force carbonate

 

[Alan Massey]

I make a Quick Mead using honey, light malt and brown sugar as a nutrient. I use a mead yeast called Mangrove Jack 05. The brew can be ready to in 10 to 14 days. Get in contact if you want the recipe. Fruit can be added, the raspberry Rubamel is in the Australian East Coast National. ABV 6.5%

 

[SKBugs]

I make a Quick Mead using honey, light malt and brown sugar as a nutrient. I use a mead yeast called Mangrove Jack 05. The brew can be ready to in 10 to 14 days. Get in contact if you want the recipe. Fruit can be added, the raspberry Rubamel is in the Australian East Coast National. ABV 6.5%

I'd be very keen to give it a go. The male would be very interesting to add.
I've just brewed a couple of Groennfel meads so am interested to compare the two.
Thanks,
Steve

 

[bernardsmith]

Fascinated by Alan Massey's use of malt - Is this DME ? - as a source of nutrient. How much do you add/ gallon?

 

[GeneDaniels1963]

I make a Quick Mead using honey, light malt and brown sugar as a nutrient. I use a mead yeast called Mangrove Jack 05. The brew can be ready to in 10 to 14 days. Get in contact if you want the recipe. Fruit can be added, the raspberry Rubamel is in the Australian East Coast National. ABV 6.5%

Please post your recipe