so I started brewing beer back in November of last year, I just did my first batch of cider. I am interested in doing a batch of mead but don’t know where to begin. I have seen several receipes but.... I’m not sure if I follow it correctly. I have a 2 gal ( literally a 2 gal bucket) fermenting bucket available. Not sure how much head space I would need, but I’m interested in doing 1 gal.any help for a simple easy receipe would be appreciated..
Easy mead receipe
- Thread starter Redpappy
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
bernardsmith
Well-Known Member
In my opinion - for what it's worth - the best approach to mead making is to start with what is called a traditional mead - honey, water, yeast and nutrients. Any added ingredients can mask poor protocol so you never learn how to improve if you start with a more complex recipe.
A good flavored honey such as orange blossom can play center stage without any problem. And orange blossom is readily available and is relatively inexpensive. If you can find raspberry, acacia, tupelo, meadowfoam these all make wonderful meads. Wildflower and clover are good too but in my opinion they cannot hold center stage. Buckwheat - depends: if you are on the west coast that can make a fine mead, on the east coast buckwheat is better for cooking than making a mead.
You need to decide how much alcohol you want. You can make a fine session mead using 1.5 lbs of honey to make a gallon of must. A yeast such as 71B will make a fine mead and at that ABV ( a scant 7%) you could be bottling this and drinking without aging in about the same time it takes to make an IPA . Sure, you can make a mead at 12% ABV or 15% but this will need to be aged - and honey ain't cheap and if your protocol is poor then you will be throwing away your money. Of course, if you have money to burn ...
When you can make a really good traditional mead then the world is your oyster because then you can add all kinds of fruit, spices, herbs, nuts, whatever and the flavors won't mask faults. But I am sure others on this forum will offer very different advice. Yer pays yer money and yer takes yer chance.
A good flavored honey such as orange blossom can play center stage without any problem. And orange blossom is readily available and is relatively inexpensive. If you can find raspberry, acacia, tupelo, meadowfoam these all make wonderful meads. Wildflower and clover are good too but in my opinion they cannot hold center stage. Buckwheat - depends: if you are on the west coast that can make a fine mead, on the east coast buckwheat is better for cooking than making a mead.
You need to decide how much alcohol you want. You can make a fine session mead using 1.5 lbs of honey to make a gallon of must. A yeast such as 71B will make a fine mead and at that ABV ( a scant 7%) you could be bottling this and drinking without aging in about the same time it takes to make an IPA . Sure, you can make a mead at 12% ABV or 15% but this will need to be aged - and honey ain't cheap and if your protocol is poor then you will be throwing away your money. Of course, if you have money to burn ...
When you can make a really good traditional mead then the world is your oyster because then you can add all kinds of fruit, spices, herbs, nuts, whatever and the flavors won't mask faults. But I am sure others on this forum will offer very different advice. Yer pays yer money and yer takes yer chance.
Last edited:
OP
OP
Redpappy
Well-Known Member
Is it as simple as cider... mix 1 gal water with 1 1/2 pounds honey (possibly natural honey) fermit for 2-3 weeks, bottle ( do we add anything for carbonation) for 2 weeks....
I figure I need to start with the simplest receipe, and go from there. I have one site booked marked, but they ask for 3 -4 lbs of honey.
I figure I need to start with the simplest receipe, and go from there. I have one site booked marked, but they ask for 3 -4 lbs of honey.
madscientist451
Well-Known Member
No, its not as simple as cider, you need to de-gas, use staggered nutrient additions,
and keep your fermentation temperatures low.
You can make mead with just water, honey an yeast, but you'll probably have flavor problems.
If you have a 2 gallon fermenting bucket, try for a 1.25 gallon batch, then after its fermented,
siphon into 1/2 gallon jugs and let it age for a while.
Check this out:
http://www.meadmakr.com/meadmakr-guide/part-iii-the-basic-recipe/
and keep your fermentation temperatures low.
You can make mead with just water, honey an yeast, but you'll probably have flavor problems.
If you have a 2 gallon fermenting bucket, try for a 1.25 gallon batch, then after its fermented,
siphon into 1/2 gallon jugs and let it age for a while.
Check this out:
http://www.meadmakr.com/meadmakr-guide/part-iii-the-basic-recipe/
Last edited:
bernardsmith
Well-Known Member
Technically, madscientist is not wrong (note my phrasing) but when you make a low ABV mead nutrients and degassing don't seem to be quite as critical as when the staring gravity is around 1.100. Certainly, they don't hurt and degassing and adding nutrient makes for a better fermentation (one with far less problems because the yeast is stressed less)...
hamiltonkiler
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2018
- Messages
- 104
- Reaction score
- 25
Pour up to 26oz honey per gallon of must.
So honey and h20 into a stainless stove top.
Get to a nice 90* temp stiring consestent untill well blended.
Do not get hot. It will take the delecate honey flavor out quick.
Pour this is your fermintation bucket and add meta sulfites and nutrient if you like. Cover 24hrs.
After the 24hrs pitch d-47 right on top. Cover 7 days.
Now rack into a carboy.
Air lock and let sit for 4-5 months.
Rack repeate.
Back sweeten if you please.
Fortify if you please
Bottle. Wait... Wait... Drink.
So honey and h20 into a stainless stove top.
Get to a nice 90* temp stiring consestent untill well blended.
Do not get hot. It will take the delecate honey flavor out quick.
Pour this is your fermintation bucket and add meta sulfites and nutrient if you like. Cover 24hrs.
After the 24hrs pitch d-47 right on top. Cover 7 days.
Now rack into a carboy.
Air lock and let sit for 4-5 months.
Rack repeate.
Back sweeten if you please.
Fortify if you please
Bottle. Wait... Wait... Drink.
opercularia
Well-Known Member
If you are looking for easy, look at Yooper's thread on Joe's Ancient Orange Mead (JAOM) https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/joes-ancient-orange-mead.49106/ This makes a sweet mead without the need to backsweeten.
Now, while you're waiting for that to age, forget all of the bad (but required) practices from JAOM and look at Bray's One Month Mead (BOMM) https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/brays-one-month-mead.429241/ (look at the more detailed instructions in post #17)
This has more of the traditional requirements for a good mead making, including nutrient additions, degassing etc. while still keeping it simple. If you have done this, and still want to proceed, you're going to have to do a lot of reading in this forum.
Now, while you're waiting for that to age, forget all of the bad (but required) practices from JAOM and look at Bray's One Month Mead (BOMM) https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/brays-one-month-mead.429241/ (look at the more detailed instructions in post #17)
This has more of the traditional requirements for a good mead making, including nutrient additions, degassing etc. while still keeping it simple. If you have done this, and still want to proceed, you're going to have to do a lot of reading in this forum.
