Extremely interested in making mead - need help

[Nexus555]

Hi, I brewed my first batch of beer Saturday, and I eventually stumbled on this message board. I read the wikipedia article about mead, and now I am very interested! I love honey and alcohol, so it should be a pretty sweet drink to make!! (pun intended.)

I do have a few questions though.

1.) What size fermenter do I need? Is a 5 gallon carboy efficient, or should I go with the 6.5 gallon?

2.) What temperature does mead ferment at?

3.) What is a good recipe for a first timer? I've never tried mead, and I would like to make a traditional mead first to acquire it's original taste, then probably a strawberry mead. I have more than enough patience for a year long fermentation.

4.) SWMBO's grandpa harvests his own honey from his bee farm. Would you guys recommend using local "homegrown" honey? How much honey will I need? If I can't get as much as I need from him, where can I find a honey supplier?

5.) Besides wine bottles, corks and corker what other supplies would you recommend for making mead?

6.) Most importantly - What does mead taste like!?!?! Is it just as it sounds: Honey taste with alcohol? Sounds so delicious!

Well that's it I think. If I ever start a mead any time soon, I'll let you guys know with pictures too! Thanks in advanced.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Interestingly enough, your last question, #6, should have been your first question.

I highly recommend you find a bottle somewhere and sample it before proceeding any further.

I know you said you really like the flavor of honey, but depending on the recipe some do not taste like honey afterward.

That said, let's look at your questions:

1.) 5 or 6.5 gallon carboy? Either one will work.

2.) What temperature does mead ferment at? Mead likes warmer temps. About 70-75F.

3.) What is a good recipe for a first timer? I've never tried mead, and I would like to make a traditional mead first to acquire it's original taste, then probably a strawberry mead. I have more than enough patience for a year long fermentation. Check out the Complete Mead Maker book. It's full of tips. Better yet ask around here (which you did) as well as search the web for recipes.

4.) SWMBO's grandpa harvests his own honey from his bee farm. Would you guys recommend using local "homegrown" honey? How much honey will I need? If I can't get as much as I need from him, where can I find a honey supplier? Many people try to push higher alcohol limits and use 1+ gals. IMO, you can 2 batches with only 1 gal of honey.

5.) Besides wine bottles, corks and corker what other supplies would you recommend for making mead? You can also use beer bottles. If you make still (non-carbonated) you can use mason jars, etc.

6.) Most importantly - What does mead taste like!?!?! Is it just as it sounds: Honey taste with alcohol? Sounds so delicious! Too many variables to list here. Depends on what else you add to the recipe.

 

[EmptyH]

If you have a local store that has a lot of different beers and wines chances are they might also have some mead. Chaucer's Mead is fairly common and should give you a good idea as to whether you like mead or not.

 

[Nexus555]

Yeah I do need to try it first. I acquire different tastes pretty quickly though, and I'm sure I'll enjoy it. Especially if it fermented 4 months - 1 year!! But there is an Albertsons grocery store near where I work with it's own side liquor store. Largest selection of liquor/beer I've ever seen, surely they'd be the ones to have it. They have $200 fine wines, spirits, etc. Anyways I will update if I find some and try, thanks!

 

[Cheesefood]

The taste is hard to describe. My first was a dry clover that I carbonated. It tastes like dry champagne with an aftertaste. Doesn't taste like honey at all.

I think the rule of thumb is <15lbs for dry, >15lbs for sweet in a 5 gallon batch (ie 4 gallons of water).

 

[Nexus555]

I guess it makes sense, since the yeast would metabolize most of the sugars in honey which produce it's unique taste. Is this correct?

 

[EmptyH]

Mead made with just honey does have a unique, but good, taste. Closest I could come to discribing it would be kinda like a white wine... but not.

Personally I really like mead made with fruit(Melomel). I haven't brewed any yet but I had some at a SCA event a few years ago and loved it.

 

[NurseNan]

1.) What size fermenter do I need? Is a 5 gallon carboy efficient, or should I go with the 6.5 gallon?

you can even make smaller batches in a 1 gallon glass jug or a 3 gallon fermentor. I do test batches in the 1 gallon format, to see if the recipe will turn out well, and if I like it, I make a bigger batch. Though not completely done in 2 months, it gives me a good idea of what the flavor will be like later.

2.) What temperature does mead ferment at?

I start my fermentation at about 70F, then secondary in the basement at about 65F. I age in my storeroom at about 55-60F.

3.) What is a good recipe for a first timer? I've never tried mead, and I would like to make a traditional mead first to acquire it's original taste, then probably a strawberry mead. I have more than enough patience for a year long fermentation.

There are tons of recipes online, but a basic recipe includes 2-3lbs of honey per gallon, yeast nutrient/energizer, and yeast. Yeasts vary in attenuation and flavor profiles. Ale or wine yeasts can be used.

4.) SWMBO's grandpa harvests his own honey from his bee farm. Would you guys recommend using local "homegrown" honey? How much honey will I need? If I can't get as much as I need from him, where can I find a honey supplier?

local honey is always best, especially unpasteurized.

5.) Besides wine bottles, corks and corker what other supplies would you recommend for making mead?

this has been answered well already.

6.) Most importantly - What does mead taste like!?!?! Is it just as it sounds: Honey taste with alcohol? Sounds so delicious!

it can taste like dry wine, like champagne, like coolers, like fruit wine....depends on the amount and type of honey, and what adjuncts/flavorings are used.

 

[gauthierk]

I'll try to be simple with this one.. Due to the fact that I have enjoyed some of my mead tonight. My first mead was actually a braggot... It was a mead but with some hops and grains.. It's like a transistion between beer to mead... The biggest difference I have found from a beer brewing point of view is you have to wait more for it.. For example. I made an apricot mead about 3 weeks ago and I have bubbles per second still... It ferments longer due to the honey being harder to metabolise... The end product, no words can describe... Make sure you have a secondary to spare for some time...