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After searching around for all the ingredients I needed (the honey was the hardest to find -- go figure), I finally got everything I required last week to start brewing my first mead. On Saturday, I had cobbled together a basic recipe, which I hope will work out in the end. My ingredients...

Sorry to get off-topic, but would that kind of thing work with apples, as well? I've ended up with a bushel of apples that aren't going to get eaten, and I'm suddenly wondering if they'd make a suitable addition to a mead? Chris

I finally opened the first bottle this afternoon, and it's ... not bad. Some of that citrus-y flavour is still evident, but it's mellowed a fair bit. I think I'll put some of it away to age to see what happens to the taste in a few weeks' (or months') time. The rest, I'll drink ... and share...

That's beautiful, man. :eek: And here I was thinking I just wanted a little bar in my next house. Now I'm thinking I want a basement pub. Thanks a lot. :D Chris

Mmm... I like Hobgoblin, but I've only ever seen the bottles. Is there much of a taste difference between the bottle and can? Chris

Not really, no. ;) I figured I'd let them sit for two full weeks before touching them. But this Friday, I'll be opening up at least one to give it a taste. :) Chris

So far, a week in the bottle and no glass grenades. I'm taking that as a good sign. ;) Chris

Phew! So that's a normal taste at this stage, eh? Well, I'm breathing a sigh of relief, then. Next up is another extract kit for a blonde, but I'm also collecting what I need to try my hand at mead (just need to find a local supplier of honey). I've been bitten by the brewing bug. :) Chris

I guess I just felt like sharing. A little over three weeks ago, I spent an evening brewing up an extract kit -- my first time homebrewing. I'm absolutely positive I made a few mistakes along the way, but I had a lot of fun making my "soup" and slowly starting to get a few ideas about the...

While all the math is probably more helpful, I like the idea of this process better. My girlfriend, however, will hate me (and you for suggesting such a thing). ;) Thanks for your responses, everybody. I appreciate it. Lesson learned: Figure out how to use the hydrometer properly first...

No, no, I appreciate it. I'll just have to fiddle with the hydrometer a bit and actually learn how to read it properly. The alternative is never actually knowing the ABV levels of my beers (probably not a good thing). ;) Chris

Exactly why I love watching An Evening With Kevin Smith and its sequel over and over again. :D Chris

Or crushing it. ;) Chris

Gut feeling. After putting everything into the fermenter (except the yeast), I put the hydrometer in. With a bit of foam on top and me not really understanding all that well how hydrometers are to be read, I'm just pretty sure I read it wrong. It was the Thomas Coopers Brewmaster Selection...

I brewed my first batch of beer (extract-based) a couple of weeks ago, and the only thing I could think about the whole time was how bad I was likely to screw it up. A gift to brewing? Me? Hell, no, I'll be lucky if it's not poison. ;) Chris

For the first batch of extract beer I made two weeks ago, I'm positive I slipped up on the hydrometer reading. If I really did screw it up, is there any way for me to tell what the ABV is of the beer after it's finished fermenting? Chris

I found this site by Googling "homebrew discussion forum" and this came up first. Chris

Thanks, everyone. I think I'll aim to give this a try very soon. I think there's a place not too far from me that sells natural honey, so I'll have to stop in and see what they have. Thanks again. :) Chris

Thanks to both of you. It seems recipes call for a varying amount of honey per batch. For a five-gallon batch, with the idea of trying to make the mead semi-sweet, how much honey should I be looking at adding? Chris

Thanks, Brad. :D If making wine is dull but quick, well ... I suppose at least it's quick. ;) Chris