5 Gal Batch Mead (cheap)

[vevenson]

So I have been thinking about making the following mead:

• 4kg Cheap GV Honey
• 2kg Raw Wildflower Honey
• Champagne Yeast
• Yeast Nutrient
• Topped up with water

Do you think this will make a good mead? Or will it be too flavorless?

 

[Burquebrewer]

It'll make a decent mead, but using cheap honey is like using cheap ingredients in a beer (or anywhere else) it won't be nearly as good as if you used locally source honey.

However, if you are new to making mead, cheap is the way to go until you learn the nuances of the craft.

I have read that cheap honey can make a considerably nice Bochet though...

 

[Drewed]

Doing some quick mental math, you are at about 13.3 lbs of honey. Divide that by 5(gallons) and you are at about 2.6 lbs per gallon. Not bad, but perhaps a tad light. I would shy away from the champagne yeasts as they tend to rather aggressive in their ferment and will blow flavors right out the air lock. I like to use ale yeasts, but others use something more like lalvin d47 or 71b.

 

[bernardsmith]

Doing some quick mental math, you are at about 13.3 lbs of honey. Divide that by 5(gallons) and you are at about 2.6 lbs per gallon. Not bad, but perhaps a tad light. I would shy away from the champagne yeasts as they tend to rather aggressive in their ferment and will blow flavors right out the air lock. I like to use ale yeasts, but others use something more like lalvin d47 or 71b.

I agree with much of what Drewed writes but you can make a honey wine or a lower alcohol session mead. The honey wine will have about 11% ABV. Session meads - much like beers or cider will have about half that alcohol content. The challenge is to make a mead that is full of flavor where the source of the flavor is the honey (and so the less honey you use , the less flavor is in the mead) and the way to meet that challenge is to look for quality honey and /or varietal honey (tupelo or orange blossom) or a "wild flower" honey that is made and sold locally from local acreage filled with wonderful flowers...

 

[vevenson]

Thanks guys, I know it won't make the best mead. I think I might want to add another Kilogram of honey, I just prefer a dry mead. I definitely want to try to make a Bochet, I am glad that I don't have to buy expensive honey for that.

But it was great to have your guys' input, Thanks.