New too mead..need simple newbie recipe

[dkeller12]

As the title says I am looking to start making mead and have 10 lbs of honey ready to go. I just need a simple...good tasting...recipe to start with that will start me making mead. Anybody have a great recipe that I can start with? I am looking to start with a 1 gallon batch. Any suggestions would be great. Also, not sure of the yeast to use so suggestions there would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[sablesurfer]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=49106

So far my favorite way and no years long process.

 

[valverij]

The simplest way to start is probably with a JAOM (Joe's Ancient Orange Mead; see sablesurfer's link above). That should get you something drinkable in under 6 months (it will continue to get better with age, though).

While your JAOM is going, try to make a BOMM to learn more about current mead making techniques, such as staggered nutrient additions (SNA's) and degassing:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=429241

Another quick, beginner-friendly recipe is Joe's Quick Grape Mead (same author as the JAOM). It's a simple pyment (wine-mead hybrid) that will introduce stabilizing and backsweetening:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=57190

Oh, and just a reminder, those three recipes are all tried-and-true, so follow them to the letter your first time around (especially the JAOM). You wouldn't believe how many topics there are on here, GotMead, and reddit's /r/mead where someone has trashed a JAOM because they changed one of the key components (usually the yeast).

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Grain of salt, haven't made any means yet. I've tried a bunch from our homebrew club and a couple from other club , and to me there seems a be trend of them being very hot and taking a long time to mellow.

My advice would be to not start super high abv, maybe do a session or semi-session bomm. This is what I'll be doing once I move tomorrow. 1 gallon 6% bomm recipe. This should help cut down the aging and reduce the hot fusel production.

 

[valverij]

[...] to me there seems a be trend of them being very hot and taking a long time to mellow[...]

Some of this is going to be due to yeast selection (some yeasts are more prone to fusel production and need a longer time to age), but a lot of this is due to poor fermentation management and lack of nutrients. The reason the BOMM (regular strength) and TOSNA protocols can produce meads so fast is that they focus on the needs of the yeast first, so they work the best that they can, with little to no stress. Residual sugars and flavorings can mask some of this, as well.

Of course, fermenting lower ABV's means there is less opportunity for yeasts to be stressed, as they won't require as much nutrition, oxygen, etc. to chew through all of the sugar and shield themselves from the alcohol.

Stressed yeast = fusels
Healthy yeast = Happy yeast = better booze faster

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Some of this is going to be due to yeast selection (some yeasts are more prone to fusel production and need a longer time to age), but a lot of this is due to poor fermentation management and lack of nutrients. The reason the BOMM (regular strength) and TOSNA protocols can produce meads to fast is that they focus on the needs of the yeast first, so they work the best that they can, with little to no stress. Residual sugars and flavorings can mask some of this, as well.

Of course, fermenting lower ABV's means there is less opportunity for yeasts to be stressed, as they won't require as much nutrition, oxygen, etc. to chew through all of the sugar and shield themselves from the alcohol.

Stressed yeast = fusels
Healthy yeast = Happy yeast = better booze faster

exactly. Thank you for expanding. I don't think I've seen the abbrevation of tosna before.

 

[valverij]

TOSNA = "Tailored Organic SNA"

It was developed by Sergio Moutela over at Melovino Meadery. Basically, it's a staggered nutrient schedule using amounts of Fermaid O specific to the needs of the yeast based on the starting gravity of your must (there's some major temperature control and degassing mixed in there too. Oh, and GoFerm).

The full details are outlined over at http://www.meadmaderight.com/

There are a bunch of topics about it on GotMead, and a reddit post where Sergio jumped in to clarify some things.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Appreciate it, just read the reddit thread after your post.

 

[dkeller12]

So will Fleischmann's rapid rise bread machine dry yeast be good for the yeast?

 

[Frognostic]

I think that a bread yeast such as that would start fermenting pretty quick, which is a good thing.

 

[sablesurfer]

So will Fleischmann's rapid rise bread machine dry yeast be good for the yeast?

From what I understand, there are three different kinds of bread yeast. For JOAM, you want bread yeast, that is it. No rapid rise or whatever the other stuff is.

Like was said earlier...people get all huffy and upset and blame the recipe, but they changed the recipe.

 

[dkeller12]

From what I understand, there are three different kinds of bread yeast. For JOAM, you want bread yeast, that is it. No rapid rise or whatever the other stuff is.

Like was said earlier...people get all huffy and upset and blame the recipe, but they changed the recipe.

Thanks for clearing that up. I went and bought the rapid rise not thinking about it and before I used it I got to thinking if it was the same. I went and got the regular yeast and my mead is on its way. Thanks everyone for the input.

Sorry if the picture is sideways.

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