Beginner Mead Recipe

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mat_ski

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Hello,

I have lots of raw, unpasteurized honey we bought directly from a beekeeper in north woods Wisconsin two years ago. My father in law was actually the person who bought it. He passed away since so I am not certain what type of honey it is. I am going to guess wildflower. It is dark yellow/light orange. It readily crystallized once transferred to jars (purchased in 5 gal bucket). I think I would like to try make mead with it.

Can someone please recommend a good, beginner mead recipe?

Thanks,
Mat
 
Off the top of my head? Use hot tap water to dilute the honey to a SG of 1.090 to 1.100. Measure your volume -- add 1 tsp acid blend or tartaric acid, and 1/4 tsp grape tannin per gallon of must.

Using the directions on your yeast nutrient, add 3/4 of that amount to the initial must.

Create a starter with 5 or 6 grams of yeast per 5 US gallons of must.

Two days after inoculation, add an additional 1/3 of the amount of initially calculated amount of nutrient. Honey has no yeast nutrient, so I find it best to go a bit higher than normal.

IME, mead ferments slower than other wines. When the SG is below 1.020, give it a final stir, put the lid on the fermenter, and add an airlock.

After 2 weeks, unseal the fermenter and rack the mead. Put into a carboy.

If the mead did not ferment dry, give it time.
 
Ok I started a 1 gal batch using your notes as a blueprint.
However, I decided to experiment a little and make a black tea mead. Instead of water I dissolved my honey in black tea extract.
Between me and my wife we probably drink two gallons of tea with honey and lemon a day, so i thought I’ll give it a try as an alcohol.
It started at 1.094.
I hope tea will work as tannin and lemon lemon as acid.
The yeast starter is looking great too.

Thanks!
 
Day 3 and it already reached below 1.020. I didn’t need to add more nutrient than the 3/4 of recommended amount.
Very foamy fermentation and upper 70’s F temperature. Got above 80 on day two.
 
Meads are considered deserts when it comes to yeast nutrition. Black tea isn’t a good source for nitrogen (YAN). ,,,, well it would have been nice to add YAN at 1.050, if you have organic nitrogen I would still add some (ex Fermaid O).
 
Day 3 and it already reached below 1.020. I didn’t need to add more nutrient than the 3/4 of recommended amount.
Very foamy fermentation and upper 70’s F temperature. Got above 80 on day two.
Some yeast strains produce H2S when stressed, such as having insufficient nutrients. Also, the yeast made it this far, but could stall. As @Rice_Guy said, honey lacks nutrients, so adding more avoids potential problems.
 
It is almost dry 1.002, but is clearing out nicely on its own. Im going to rack it again in few days and let the time do the work.

Meanwhile I also started a batch of Jack Keller ginger mead recipe.
 

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