How to Make Mead

Mead is one of the oldest fermented drinks known to mankind. Made of honey, water and yeast, it has been enjoyed at celebrations for centuries. Although mead was traditionally made only by members of the mead-makers guild, it can now be made and enjoyed by anyone with a knack for "do-it-yourself" brewing.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Glass bottles with caps
• Gallon glass jar
• 1/2 pound of honey
• 1 qt. boiled water

Make the Mead

1. Sterilize everything. Use a mild bleach solution to clean all of the tools and utensils that you will be using.

2. Boil 2 1/2 qt. of water in a large pot. Remove the pot from the heat and add the honey.

3. Stir until the honey is dissolved and pour the mixture into the gallon jug. Add 2 1/2 more qt. of water.

4. Cool the honey and water to about 80 degrees. Add the yeast and shake the mixture thoroughly, mixing it well.

5. Put the airlock in the neck of the jug and store the mead in a warm room, between 70 and 80 degrees.

Ferment the Mead

6. Allow the mead to ferment for approximately 1 month.

7. Siphon the must into a sterile glass jug. Airlock again.

8. Taste test some of the mead as you are siphoning. Add sterile honey-water if you want a sweeter mead.

9. Make the sterile honey-water mixture by stirring the honey into the boiling water. Let it cool before adding it to the mead.

10. Bottle the mead when the bubbling from the airlock has slowed to less than 1 to 2 bubbles every minute. Use a funnel to pour the mead into the bottles.

11. Store your bottles of mead in a cool, dry place.

Tips & Warnings

• Must is the traditional name for the mixture of honey and water.
• Avoid contaminating your equipment or your mead. Bacteria will grow enthusiastically in your fermenting mead. Make sure that everything is sterile.

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[MacEnvy]

on 8/14/2008 gaeilgeboy,

What he actually means is 1, 5 *gram* package of wine yeast. 5 oz of yeast is enough for almost 30 batches of this mead.

[gaeilgeboy]

on 4/8/2008 In the "Things You'll Need" section above, is is "15 oz" or "1.5 oz" for the wine yeast? I've a feeling it could be somewhat important ...