Homebrewing

I started making mead earlier this year. so far just 2 1 gallon batches. The cyser (honey, cider, yeast) has been bottled and is aging. The traditional (honey, water, yeast) has been racked and I'm waiting for it to fully clear before I bottle it.

I had bought a 7 gallon fermentation vessel to start making more, but that's on hold until after I move. I've got a bunch of honey from a local apiary that I really want to start using soon, since it takes so damn long to produce drinkable results.

Sulrn said:

Are you doing a basic batch or did you go for any flavoring?

My first dip into wine making was a strawberry honey mead that came out a little dry, but pretty good.

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Yep, just a basic cyser and traditional. The cyser tasted like a dry white wine before I bottled it, it was more mellow than I was expecting. That batch only used 2 lbs of honey and added cider to come up to 1 gallon. I was expecting it to be a bit sweeter, but decided against back sweetening it. Used Safale US-05 yeast and it came out to 11.55 ABV.

The traditional has been really slow, so I'm guessing I didn't add enough nutrients, though I did follow the recipe I had. Hopefully it clears soon so I can bottle it for aging. Haven't tasted that one yet but that one used 3.5 lbs of honey for the gallon, so it should be a little sweeter.

My first big batch was going to be a metheglin with cider and apple pie spices. Hopefully I can get started on the in a few months.

Haast said:

I'm kind of surprised Safale US-05 was able to produce an ABV that high. I've always been recommended to use white wine yeast on a mead.

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Yeah, I wasn't expecting it to get quite that high, though looking around it said that it usually craps out at up to 12%. Used it mainly because that's what the beginner recipe on the mead reddit called for. Will be trying other yeasts on future batches to figure out what I like.

LachiusTZ said:

Thinking about starting a mead for next year. Guys at the brewing store and my buddy all said time was a huge factor in that stuff.

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The time involved is mostly aging it. Generally you want to age it 6 months minimum, longer is better.

Joe's Ancient Orange Mead is a pretty newbie friendly recipe that requires a minimal investment.

Ancient Orange Mead (by Joe Mattioli)
1 gallon batch

3 1/2 lbs Clover or your choice honey or blend (will finish sweet)
1 Large orange (later cut in eights or smaller rind and all)
1 small handful of raisins (25 if you count but more or less ok)
1 stick of cinnamon
1 whole clove ( or 2 if you like - these are potent critters)
optional (a pinch of nutmeg and allspice )( very small )
1 teaspoon of Fleishmann’s bread yeast ( now don't get holy on me--- after all this is an ancient mead and that's all we had back then)
Balance water to one gallon

Process:
Use a clean 1 gallon carboy
Dissolve honey in some warm water and put in carboy
Wash orange well to remove any pesticides and slice in eights --add orange (you can push em through opening big boy -- rinds included -- its ok for this mead -- take my word for it -- ignore the experts)

Put in raisins, clove, cinnamon stick, any optional ingredients and fill to 3 inches from the top with cold water. ( need room for some foam -- you can top off with more water after the first few day frenzy)

Shake the heck out of the jug with top on, of course. This is your sophisticated aeration process.

When at room temperature in your kitchen, put in 1 teaspoon of bread yeast. ( No you don't have to rehydrate it first-- the ancients didn't even have that word in their vocabulary-- just put it in and give it a gentle swirl or not)(The yeast can fight for their own territory)

Install water airlock. Put in dark place. It will start working immediately or in an hour. (Don't use grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away in the 90's)( Wait 3 hours before you panic or call me) After major foaming stops in a few days add some water and then keep your hands off of it. (Don't shake it! Don't mess with them yeastees! Let them alone except its okay to open your cabinet to smell every once in a while.

Racking --- Don't you dare
additional feeding --- NO NO
More stirring or shaking -- Your not listening, don't touch

After 2 months and maybe a few days it will slow down to a stop and clear all by itself. (How about that) (You are not so important after all) Then you can put a hose in with a small cloth filter on the end into the clear part and siphon off the golden nectar. If you wait long enough even the oranges will sink to the bottom but I never waited that long. If it is clear it is ready. You don't need a cold basement. It does better in a kitchen in the dark. (Like in a cabinet) likes a little heat (70-80). If it didn't work out... you screwed up and didn't read my instructions (or used grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away) . If it didn't work out then take up another hobby. Mead is not for you. It is too complicated.
If you were successful, which I am 99% certain you will be, then enjoy your mead. When you get ready to make different mead you will probably have to unlearn some of these practices I have taught you, but hey--- This recipe and procedure works with these ingredients so don't knock it. It was your first mead. It was my tenth. Sometimes, even the experts can forget all they know and make good ancient mead.