What is Mead? Mead, also called honey wine, is an alcoholic beverage that is produced by fermenting a solution of honey and water. It can have many flavors depending on how creative you want to be. The quality of Mead you create is based on the quality of honey and the process used to produce it. Mead can vary in alcoholic value, ABV alcohol by volume, ranging from 9 to 12%. When greater volumes of honey are used, greater amounts of alcohol are produced, usually referred to in the tasting world as 'Hot'. Although hot finishes may be nice for some, over taking the Mead honey notes and flavor is usually more desirable. History of Mead The earliest archaeological evidence for the production of mead dates to around 7000 BC. Pottery vessels containing a mixture of mead, rice and other fruits along with organic compounds of fermentation were found in Northern China. It believed to be the oldest drink known to man. Equipment
Five Gallon Show Mead Recipe
Steps 1) Mix honey & cold water in fermentation plastic bucket 2) Measure Gravity with Hydrometer, should be 1.080 to 1.090 range 3) Add Potassium Metabisulphite 4) Wait 24 hours, uncovered 5) Rehydrate yeast, follow yeast instructions 6) Mix in Yeast Nutrient 7) Sanitize Carboy and siphon hoses, very critical keep it clean 8) Siphon from bucket to carboy 9) Pitch rehydrate yeast 10) Place airlock on carboy 11) Wait 2 to 3 months at 6065F 12) Measure gravity, wait till 1.010 to 1.012 13) Sanitize Fermentation bucket and siphoning hoses 14) Siphon from carboy to bucket 15) Mix in Potassium Sorbate 16) Sanitize bottles and corks 17) Fill bottles and cork 18) Wait 2 weeks at room temp 19) Enjoy your Mead! Mead Varieties Mead made with honey, water and yeast optionally with flavoring ingredients Hydromel the French name for mead Sack Mead a sweeter mead, with more honey Melomel mead made with fruit or fruit juice Metheglin mead made with spices and extracts Morat mead made with mulberries Acerglin mead made with maple syrup Pyment mead made with both honey and grapes Hippocras honey, grapes, and spices Cyser honey and apples or apple cider Braggot honey and malt, sort of a meadbeer Oxymel mead mixed with wine vinegar Rhodomel honey with attar, a rose petal distillate, or rose petals Capsicumel honey with chile peppers Omphacomel mead and verjuice, the juice of unripe grapes T'ej T'ej is honey, water and hops. It is the national drink of Ethiopia, and has a unique taste Bochet sack mead that has been burnt or charred Rhyzamel mead made with root vegetables Lactomel mead made with milk |
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OBC News >
Making Mead by Brian Schlueter, OBC member/owner of Moonstruck Meaderyposted Jul 1, 2012, 6:10 PM by T Sandoval |