Best first book for mead making?

[LittleRiver]

What is your recommendation for a book on how to make mead?

 

[Kent88]

The Complete Guide to Making Mead, by Piatz

 

[koniowsky717]

I agree with Piatz's book.. between that book and this forum, my first batch of the mead seems to be doing great and have many batches planned for the future. However, i have noticed that alot of Piatz recipes call for a certain amount of honey for a 5gal batch to reach a certain gravity. the amount he states will not reach the given gravity for a 5gal batch.

 

[LittleRiver]

Thanks guys, I ordered the Piatz book.

 

[buzzerj]

Don't forget "The Compleat Meadmaker" by Ken Schramm. It's an excellent book. Also I would reference Bray Denard's thread on Bray's One Month Mead here on Homebrewtalk and Bray's website Denardbrewing.com.

 

[Kent88]

I would like to see a copy of Schramm's book someday. Wasn't it published in the late 90s or early 00s? Considering the progress it seems like the elite home meadmakers have made over the past decade, and everything they've shared, I'd like to see how relevant it still is.

 

[mr_stout]

Whatever they have at the library because it is FREE!

What is your recommendation for a book on how to make mead?

 

[bernardsmith]

I would like to see a copy of Schramm's book someday. Wasn't it published in the late 90s or early 00s? Considering the progress it seems like the elite home meadmakers have made over the past decade, and everything they've shared, I'd like to see how relevant it still is.

It's more relevant and useful than 95% of self published nonsense touted on the web.

 

[Kent88]

@bernardsmith I didn't mean to imply that Schramm's book was no longer useful. I just remember when I was looking into buying a meadmaking book and its publication date wasn't exactly recent, and it feels like some of the practices that make mead drinkable at such a young age have come about in the last 8-10 years.

I could be very wrong about that. My statement about wanting to take a look at Schramm's book was genuine.

 

[bernardsmith]

No no. I understand but despite the fact that the book was published as long ago as it was it is still head and shoulders above what passes for sound information in most youtube videos and other forums. Absolutely true that it does not discuss some of the more current nutrient regimens but Schramm is now a commercial mead maker and his meads sell at premium prices... He would (and does) argue that the most important factor is the quality of the ingredients.

 

[Kent88]

Interestingly, I was watching an episode of C&B featuring Steve Fletty and he says that he really doesn't even do the staggered nutrient additions much anymore.

I've been hearing and reading that just degasing and mixing up the must frequently helps keep the yeast active and the must a uniform consistency, leading to a healthier, faster fermentation even if you "front-load" the nutrients. So mixing in nutrients by the staggered addition method might just have great side effects.

Sounds like something that would work well in a @Brulosopher experiment, if they did mead experiments. One with the staggered nutrient addition method, and another with the nutrients added all at the beginning but the must being mixed up like it would be with the staggered method.

 

[Lefou]

Beer drinkers aren't usually noted for their patience and outside of certain styles, most beer isn't brewed to keep and age like wine or mead.

 

[Kent88]

Except for many lagers (obviously bocks and doppelbocks), barleywine, strong stouts, belgian strong ale, biere de garde, Flanders Red / Oud Bruin, lambic, gueuze...

Gosh, there are actually a lot of beer styles that age well.

 

[ginkgo]

is Schramm's book still the best to start with?

 

[Kent88]

I stand by my first recommendation. Piatz's book is good.

 

[bushpilot]

I stand by my first recommendation. Piatz's book is good.

I have read most of them that might be named here, and agree with your assessment.