difference between Hydromel and Mead

[Sagatho]

Hello fellas

right now im trying to find "My" recipe and im experimenting with new ingredients like peppermint, mint, ginger, lemon zest, ETC.

but i have a big question, right now my recipes start with 1.055 SG so the ABV is between 5-6%; my Show sparkling dry "mead or hydromel" is amazing, you can taste the honey on it.

but what i brew is mead or hydromel? what i need to do to make my Hydromel a mead? more ABV adding more Honey?

im planing to make a 10% ABV show "mead?"

im confused.

 

[FrodeM]

Technically "hydromel" is an old term for mead in general, but these days its english use generally refers to a mead of less than 8-9% ABV. So if you were to enter a competition with your meads, those would be entered as hydromels yeah.

It's interesting to note that an old english definition from 1913, defines hydromel as unfermented mead.

 

[JJack887]

Most meads are made to wine strengths, but hydromels are still meads.

 

[Sagatho]

this weekend i will scale up my show mead recipe to get 9-10% ABV i need to hurry before the weather become more hot.

i also will try a new dry hop mead in a gallon jug.

 

[fuelish]

But...but...what is it if it's fruit bomb melomel that clocks in as a melomel (7%-ish...) Hydro-melomel??? Only half kidding, been doing a bunch of these, as my wife loves 'em, and they're damn fine by me...and ready to drink in a more timely fashion...which is not to say that I don''t have 25 gallons of "high octane" mead tucked away in the dark bulk aging, but ....the light ones are tasty for what they are, and go good on a summer afternoon on the back deck. Enjoying my mango jalapeno peppercorn hydro/melomel at the moment.