[NoSnob]

Originally Posted by mmadmikes1

I don't do recipes. I add yeast to a honey water mix that starts at 1.05 with PH set at 3.6. I add yeast nutrients. I like champagne yeast fine. Last time I used 1118 because it was all I had in drawer. I Warm the mix to 135 for 20 minutes normally but have read you dont need to so last batch I didn't. It is not finished but looks great in carboy.
As fermentation progresses I add honey and nutrients. Every time the SG goes below 1.0 I add more honey to 1.02. That is where I like it to finish at 1.02. I will do this until it stops fermenting. This is strong mead that requires no sulfites of sorbate. I add 3 vanilla beans I grind up in my coffee grinder at start of fermentation in six gallons. If it needs more vanilla when it is done I will add some extract. Don't know what I am forgetting but This is my first batch without heating honey the only downside was the wax buildup on side of fermenter but no harm to mead at all. BTW I never anything the same twice

Mad Mike, I like your intuitive approach. I do that with cooking, after I've made a recipe enough times I get a feel for it and begin to experiment. Eventually then I forget the recipe & make it MY Way. I'm not there yet with wine!
Your pH & SG targets are good guideposts. Thanks!

NS

[mmadmikes1]

I don't use a set amount of honey pure gallon, I use the hydrometer and set SG. This is, IMHO a better method . Personally I do the same with all wines.
Keep the mead warm when fermenting. Somewhere between 75 and 78 degrees. Honey does not like to ferment

[mikev63]

Does anyone have a 1 gallon recipe for this?

[Arne]

Originally Posted by mikev63

Does anyone have a 1 gallon recipe for this?

Look at madmikes post above. He tells you how he makes his. Doesn't really have a recipe as such. By starting out with a lower than normal s.g. I think it probably makes the honey easier to ferment. Keep adding the honey when it ferments down and eventually you get the yeast killed off from too much alcohol. Then he adds a little more honey til it is as sweet as he wants it. Let it sit for a long time and it will be done. Arne.

[BoatNut]

I made a 1 gallon basic mead recipe and at the first racking added 3 cinnamon sticks and 1/2 of a vanilla bean split open and tied with kitchen string and dropped into the gallon jug. After two weeks the bean was ravaged and I didn't have the taste component I was looking for so I took out the bean and put in another 1/2 bean. After another two weeks it tastes great. The cinnamon sticks have come out on the next racking and after a year or so it's going to be an awesome vanilla-cinnamon mead. Good luck!!

[mmadmikes1]

last 5 gallon batch I made I put in 4 beans, ground in the coffee grinder. (Makes the coffee taste good too) added 1/2 small bottle of pure vanilla extract at end to get the taste I wanted