wanting to try mead

[hoot]

After a successful first attempt at making cider I am wanting to try my hand at making a quick sweet mead . I've got 2 pounds honey several types of yeast and several 1 gallon growlers. I do not have any yeast nutrients though. I was hoping that all you kind folks could walk me through creating a simple sweet mead that could be consumed fairly quickly.

 

[fatbloke]

After a successful first attempt at making cider I am wanting to try my hand at making a quick sweet mead . I've got 2 pounds honey several types of yeast and several 1 gallon growlers. I do not have any yeast nutrients though. I was hoping that all you kind folks could walk me through creating a simple sweet mead that could be consumed fairly quickly.

One of the simplest recipes to follow is JAO/JAOM. The recipe is, I believe, in the stickies here or if you look over at Gotmead forums, the left side yellow box has a link to the NewBee guide which has lots of info and the JAO recipe in chapter 6.

You'll need 3.5lb of honey but all the other ingredients from a grocery store.

Don't change things and follow the recipe as closely as possible and you end up with a sweet mead that is pretty good once its clear and the fruit has all sunk/dropped. If you age it for 6 months it gets even better....

 

[StoneArcher]

I can't add anymore than fatbloke has already stated. Only reinforce it.

One of the simplest recipes to follow is JAO/JAOM.

+1

Before staring, I would like you to repeat this key phrase a few times:

Don't change things and follow the recipe as closely as possible

Ok, joking aside, JOAM, is surprisingly good. It was my first foray into mead. and now... Holy F-Bomb, i'm in love with mead! On your first batch, please, please keep to the recipe exactly. It will be good! Then after you have your first recipe done and you want to experiment a bit, have at it! But then you will know what you are doing, or at least what to expect at a minimum.

Best of luck to you, and please keep us posted! Pictures too!

 

[Paul_F]

Mead-noob here too...
I have a 3 gallon batch of Joe's Ancient Orange Mead fermenting now (it hits the one-month mark tomorrow, I think).

After having read all 1500 posts on the recipe section, I can say with mock authority (based on countless answers to countless identical questions about JAOM);
DO NOT swap any other yeast for the bread yeast called for.
DO NOT rack like you would other meads, this one is fine without.
DO NOT add too many cloves.
DO NOT alter the recipe or proportions (it voids the warranty...).

That said, I added some ginger to mine... No idea if that's gonna be a good thing or a bad thing - but I accept full responsibility for breaking "Rule 1" of JAOM - "Don't change the recipe".

Others here like StoneArcher and Fatbloke who actually know stuff... well, listen to 'em. I'm just a parrot for now. *rawk!*followtherecipe*rawk!*

 

[Arpolis]

LOL I love how everyone jumped into saying JAOM! JAOM! JAOM! ... It is a good recipe, easy to follow and the results you get are quick compared to mead standards. Don't be like me with my first batch and throw some honey with some random yeast and a little if this and that. My first mead was drinkable but not good. Mead is simple to make good and simple to make badly. Start with a JAOM and read up. It will all make sence in time and you will be addicted to mead like all of us.

 

[fatbloke]

LOL I love how everyone jumped into saying JAOM! JAOM! JAOM! ... It is a good recipe, easy to follow and the results you get are quick compared to mead standards. Don't be like me with my first batch and throw some honey with some random yeast and a little if this and that. My first mead was drinkable but not good. Mead is simple to make good and simple to make badly. Start with a JAOM and read up. It will all make sence in time and you will be addicted to mead like all of us.

Well, I know its a rather cliche recommendation, just that IMO its important to have an initial success, plus it makes it much easier to explain why dry meads can taste so hideous when young, but also fits the commercial mold of "its made from honey so must be sweet".

Plus if the new makers second batch isnt as successful, they have a recipe to fall back on that just works.....

 

[StoneArcher]

Others here like StoneArcher and Fatbloke who actually know stuff... well, listen to 'em.

Thanks! I know some, yes. But not a lot. It's Fatbloke and Arpolis that I have learned so, so much from. Both of them I rank in the top tier of home-meaders.