Mead or honey wine is the oldest alcohol containing drink known to man.
In prehistoric times, honey would drip from bee hives and collect in pools
of rain water. Wild yeast would consume the sugar and produce the nectar
of the gods. Almost every civilization has lore and myths associated with
the consumption of mead. As these civilizations grew, honey became less
plentiful. A substitute source of fermentable sugar was needed to fill
the thirsty demand for wine. It is not by chance that wine made from honey
tastes very much like the grape wines we drink today. |
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Most people expect a honey sweet, syrupy drink better suited for pancakes
and not the light, dry clean flavor of fine white wine. There should be
no surprise. It is not by accident that grape wine tastes so much like
mead. Grape wine tastes like mead and not the other way around. There was
a time when all wine was made of honey and the grape version was unknown.
This was thousands and thousands of years ago when honey was plentiful
and flowed like milk. The Land of Milk and Honey may be a reference to
this point in history. |
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As the planets population increased more and more land was claimed for
civilization and delicate honey bee suffered the ecological effects. Civilization
always takes place in the best of locations. As the wilderness became tamed
it also became less accessible. The affordable honey supply dried up and
so did the wine vats. Faced with this ultimate crisis a substitute for
honey had to be found, but, it had to taste like mead. The grape emerged
as the most economical substitute and cultivation of grapes became big
business.
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Types
of Mead
| Dry |
Dry
mead is made of honey and water only. Stronger than wine made from grapes
and can reach 18% abv. |
| Sweet |
Sweet
mead is slightly weaker that dry mead and has stronger honey flavor and
character. |
| Cyser |
Cyser
is a combination of honey and apple cider. This is the strong drink of
Biblical times. Both the honey and the cider will ferment to a clean dry
wine which makes a great sparkling wine when primed with corn sugar or
honey when bottled. |
| Pyment |
Pyment
blends honey, grape juice and water. It is a great light wine for summer.
You will be amazed at how much grape character comes through and the honey
flavored finish is excellent. |
| Melomel |
Melomel
is made from honey, water and any fruit other than grapes or apples. We
use seedless fruit puree in our Melomel which gives perfect results batch
after batch. |
| Metheglin |
Metheglin
starts with traditional mead but has herbs and spices added. A simple kitchen
spice rack will provide what you need or for a more exotic wine check our
herbs and spices for beer, wine and mead makers. |
| Hippocrass |
Hippocrass
is a combination of Pyment and spices. You must choose your spice wisely
so as not to impair the flavor of the honey and grape. |
| Braggot |
Braggot marks the invention
of Ale. Brewed from honey, malted barley and sometimes hops. A ratio of
one part honey to one part dry malt extract is a good place to start. Choose
a low alpha acid hop to avoid making a bitter ale. I prefer to use Fuggles
or Saaz. |
| Special
Equipment Needed
Fermenter
Pail with Lid
3 gallon
gallon Glass Carboys
Air Lock
with Rubber Stopper
Siphon
Hose and Accessories
Bottle
Filling Wand
Easy Clean
Sanitizer
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Kitchen
Equipment Needed
12 quart
Stock Pot
Stainless
or Plastic Mixing Spoon
Pot Holders
Thermometer
Funnel
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| Brewing
Instructions
In a very
clean Stock Pot combine 1 gallon of bottled spring water (do not use distilled
water) with the honey. Rinse honey jar with water from the pot. Heat to
180 degrees F. Reduce the heat and hold the temperature between 175 and
180 degrees F. for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally and skim any white film
off of the surface. Do not allow to boil.
Remove
pot from the heat and place it in a sink of cold water to reduce its temperature.
Stir every 10 minutes and then change the sink water. Do this 3 times.
Add 1
gallon of bottled spring water and acid blend, yeast nutrient, pectic enzyme,
and grape tannin per recipe chart above. Stir well.
|
| Preparing
the Must (Traditional Mead Makers skip to Starting Fermentation)
Open fruit
puree or grape concentrate.
Pour contents
into the brew pot along with acid bland, yeast nutrient, pectic enzyme,
grape tannin. Stir well. Use mixture from the pot to rinse out the
fruit can.
|
| Starting
Fermentation
Clean
and sanitize your fermenter pail, lid and airlock.
Open the
packet of wine yeast and pour it into the fermenter pail.
Pour the
Must onto the fermenter. Add bottle spring water to make a full three
gallons.
Close
the fermenter pail and attach the airlock.
Allow
to ferment at room temperature for 3 weeks.
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| 1st
Racking
Racking
mead should be done by gently siphoning. We do not recommend using wine
pumps or filters. Mead is very susceptible to oxidation.
Move the
fermenter pail into racking position at least 2 days before actually transferring
the mead. This will allow time for the sediment to settle back down.
Clean
and sanitize a 3 gallon glass carboy, stopper, air lock and siphon set
up.
Crush
3 Campden Tablets and place them into the carboy. Gently siphon the mead
from the primary fermenter into the bottom of the carboy. Be careful not
to disturb the sediment.
Add distilled
water to bring the level of the mead up to the bottom of the carboy neck.
Close
the carboy with an air lock and allow to ferment in a dark place for at
least 30 days but not more than 45 days.
|
| 2nd
Racking
Clean
and sanitize the fermenter pail then siphon the mead from the carboy to
the pail.
Clean
and sanitize the carboy and repeat the 1st Racking Step but this time use
only 2 crushed Campden Tablets. Sweet mead makers must add 1-1/2 teaspoons
of potassium sorbate at this time.
Allow
the mead to rest in a dark place at least 30 to 45 days or until it clears.
To check clarity, hold a flash light on one side of the carboy and look
at the light from the other. When you can clearly see the bulb of the light
the mead is clear.
|
| 3rd
Racking
There
is no substitute for time when making mead. The more mature the mead is
prior to bottling the better it will be. A third racking will allow the
mead to brighten and age. All recipes except Sweet Mead do not use any
additives on this racking.
Sweet
mead makers must add wine conditioner at this time.
|
| Bottling
Mead can
be bottled as you would wine or beer. I prefer to bottle in 375ml wine
bottles or 7oz clear beer bottles. These smaller sizes reduce waste caused
by leftovers. If the beer bottle method is used the caps must be the oxygen
barrier type. Wine bottles should be closed with a 1-3/4 inch cork.
You can
make your mead still, sparkling or both. Sparkling mead can only be sweetened
with a sugar substitute and must be bottled in beer bottles or champagne
bottles with special corks and wires.
Clean
and sanitize your bottles, caps, siphon and bottle filling equipment. Gently
fill each bottle but do not cap until all are filled.
When filling
is complete you have the option of making some of the mead sparkling. To
do this, add 1/2 teaspoon of corn sugar to each sparkling bottle.
Cap or
cork the bottles. Store them upright in a dark cool place. Mead will take
time to age and in my experience it will under go many changes. A batch
which tastes great a bottling time may taste bad after 3 months in the
bottle and then fabulous at 6 months.
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copyright
2004 J.R.Leverentz
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