Going to attempt to make some mead - Need some advice :)

[thrall]

Hello again, I have had the urge to create some Mead.

I have ordered some equipment to allow me to brew cider and was thinking about trying my hand at some Mead while I'm at it.


I will be getting some cider yeast (sb24) and was planning on using this to make my mead. Will this work?

My plan so far which I'm hopping for some advice on is this :

Use a 2 litre demijohn - mix 1.5litres of water with 500ml of pure honey.

Add a tea spoon of the yeast

Add some raisins - I read this is needed due to the yeast needing some nutrients.

Once all in the demijohn give it a big shake to allow some oxygen to mix into the liquid.

Leave for a few months.


Now I'm sure this is a very simple, maybe even wrong procedure so would love some input.

thanks.

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

First thing I would recommend is reading the Sticky:: Mead Making FAQs at the top of this forum by hightest.
Next thing you will need that you did not mention is a hydrometer, air lock, and some yeast nutrient and some DAP to feed and care for the yeast while they work for you.
If you have a healthy start in the fermentation, you can have a good mead done in a few weeks. Then it's just a matter or waiting, and having another vessal to rack to for ageing.

 

[fatbloke]

Hello again, I have had the urge to create some Mead.

I have ordered some equipment to allow me to brew cider and was thinking about trying my hand at some Mead while I'm at it.


I will be getting some cider yeast (sb24) and was planning on using this to make my mead. Will this work?

Yes, should be fine

My plan so far which I'm hopping for some advice on is this :

Use a 2 litre demijohn - mix 1.5litres of water with 500ml of pure honey.

Add a tea spoon of the yeast

Add some raisins - I read this is needed due to the yeast needing some nutrients.

Once all in the demijohn give it a big shake to allow some oxygen to mix into the liquid.

Leave for a few months.


Now I'm sure this is a very simple, maybe even wrong procedure so would love some input.

thanks.

I'd suggest that for your first batch, you google for the "joes ancient orange" (a.k.a. JAO) recipe. It's a "mix and forget" recipe and about as easy as can be for the first timer.

If you really want to make a traditional for your first batch, then I'd still suggest a 1 gallon batch. I use between 3 and 4lb of honey per gallon. The cider yeast will still probably do the job fine.

You might want to think about getting a pot/box of yeast nutrient (tronozymol or similar), and a small pot of wine tannin (which can be substituted by making a mug of tea with 2 or 3 tea bags, letting it cool and adding to the mix).

For acid, if you don't have something available (me ? I like the mix of 2 parts malic to 1 part tartaric as suggested by Ashton and Duncan in their "Making Mead" book), you can get away with using the juice of half a lemon (me, I don't really like using citric acid in meads unless there's citrus fruit flavouring in it).

As for the honey ? Don't just mug the supermarket for the cheapest - unless you're gonna end up doing the JAO recipe. Traditional meads benefit from varietal honeys greatly. Whereas flavoured ones, where the honey isn't the primary flavour, it isn't so important - just remember, mediocre honey will invariably make mediocre mead.

If you do consider the JAO, follow the recipe religiously, because using wine/cider/beer yeast will not help it - it's been developed to finish sweet so bread yeast is ideal.

dunno if that lot helps any......

regards

fatbloke