Anybody got a proven Honey Mead recipe?

[Acera]

Herself is working in a winter climate now and drank some this past week. Since she really liked it, I have been tasked with making some to be ready when she returns. Would welcome help and advice on this project.

Got a 1 gallon batch of the recipe below going now, but would like some others. Will probably make another 3-4 gallons over the next week if I can find some proven good mixes. Hoping to find at least one great one out of the experimental batches to make 5+ gallons from.

How to make Mead (Honey Wine)

Post em up if you got a good one.

Gotta start now for it to be ready when it gets chilly.

Thanks,






(Yes it's legal. Brewing is different from distilling.)

 

[TreyG-20]

Interesting. I've read a lot about mead and always wanted to try. Let us know how it turns out. I don't care for sweet drinks much, but I know many who do. Looks like a fun project for the up coming holidays.

 

[fuelfather]

Check with Shorts, I think she made a batch a while back.

 

[AKM]

Talk to Scapp he brews

 

[cbigclarke]

Talk to Scapp he brews

He hasn't been around here in a while

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[AKM]

Yeah he must be busy with work. I haven't heard from him in a while myself.

 

[Acera]

Got three different variations of honey mead brewing and one apple wine. We will see in a month or so how they turn out.

 

[scap99]

4 gal Spring water
1 gal raw unfiltered honey
1 packet Champagne Yeast
1 lot of patience
1 lot of time

 

[cbigclarke]

Look at that. Just speak his name

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[Acera]

4 gal Spring water
1 gal raw unfiltered honey
1 packet Champagne Yeast
1 lot of patience
1 lot of time

Thanks that is close to one of the recipes I already have going. Used reverse osmosis filtered water and Red Star Montrachet Yeast. May have to try it with Champagne yeast, does it give the end product an effervescence associated with sparkling wines?

If so I may have to put down another batch or two this week to check that one out.

 

[scap99]

Thanks that is close to one of the recipes I already have going. Used reverse osmosis filtered water and Red Star Montrachet Yeast. May have to try it with Champagne yeast, does it give the end product an effervescence associated with sparkling wines?

May have to put down another batch or two this week.

Better hit it with some yeast nutrient. Purified water, honey and yeast don't get along too well sometimes.

Champagne yeast has a higher tolerance to alcohol before die off occurs.

Fizziness is from adding more sugars to an almost stalled batch an then finishing in the bottle.

By the way, use champagne rated bottles or you might have a pantry grenade. Messy messy.

 

[Acera]

Better hit it with some yeast nutrient. Purified water, honey and yeast don't get along too well sometimes.

Champagne yeast has a higher tolerance to alcohol before die off occurs.

Fizziness is from adding more sugars to an almost stalled batch an then finishing in the bottle.

By the way, use champagne rated bottles or you might have a pantry grenade. Messy messy.

Ok, added some yeast nutrient to that mix, and it acted like a shaken coke. Had to clean out the airlock and refill it, LOL.

The guy at the brew store sold me a little packet of yeast energizer (much finer grained almost powder like material) have not found a recipe that calls for that yet. What am I supposed to do with that stuff?

As far as pantry grenades, got airlocks on each of them so it should be fine as they relieve pressure.

Got to find another stopper and airlock before I start the next batch (most brew stores closed on Monday's) and will pick up some champagne yeast also for that batch.


Thanks for the advice.............


Thanks,

 

[MrZ2u]

Plenty of recipe kits at Austin Homebrew Supply

If you call them or go in if you are local, they generally will give you the recipe on paper/email for just about any kit they have.

If you want to go from scratch or use your own honey and such they still have the yeasts and nutrients you will want.

 

[Acera]

Plenty of recipe kits at Austin Homebrew Supply

If you call them or go in if you are local, they generally will give you the recipe on paper/email for just about any kit they have.

If you want to go from scratch or use your own honey and such they still have the yeasts and nutrients you will want.

Thanks, I am currently about 4 hours from there. But will check their website.

 

[Shorts]

Got three different variations of honey mead brewing and one apple wine. We will see in a month or so how they turn out.

Tagging in. Glad to hear you are fermenting. Especially interested in the apelwein.

For a little yeast energy I often use raisins as a cheap & easy alternative. I have heard they can affect the flavor to a slight degree (possibly color...maybe) but having never brewed without them, I don't know the difference. Obviously a product especially for the task at hand works best. But good to know what you can use if they are not available.

 

[Acera]

Tagging in. Glad to hear you are fermenting. Especially interested in the apelwein.

For a little yeast energy I often use raisins as a cheap & easy alternative. I have heard they can affect the flavor to a slight degree (possibly color...maybe) but having never brewed without them, I don't know the difference. Obviously a product especially for the task at hand works best. But good to know what you can use if they are not available.

Funny you mention raisins. My third batch is using them.

Here is the Apple wine recipe and how I started it. It has a healthy head on it now and is pretty cloudy. So I hope it's doing its thang'.

Apfelwein #1

Yield: 1 Gallon
Started 7-19

Recipe:
1 gallon glass bottle
1 gallon pure apple juice
1/2 packet Montrachet Yeast
7.5 oz pure cane sugar

Pour 1/2 gallon apple juice into glass bottle

Add sugar.

Cap and shake until sugar is dissolved.

Add dry yeast.

Cap and shake gently until yeast integrated.

Add remaining apple juice leaving room at top for foam, install stopper and airlock. Fill airlock to fill line with vodka.

Leave in cool place for 1+ months. Siphon off clear liquid.

I did not include what everyone says about cleaning, I cleaned everything very well...........extra crud is your enemy from what I read.

Wish I had found 100% apple juice in a glass bottle (using old ones anyway from years past) and used it. Then the only equipment needed would be a $2 airlock and a $1 stopper, that plus another dollar or so in sugar and yeast the entire gallon will be around $11-12 total. Cheap thrills.............

 

[Shorts]

Cleanliness is vital. You don't have to go overboard though. I know some folks are very OCD but I'm not science lab clean. I wash everything in Dawn & hot water. Then give a couple minute dip in Easy Clean & hot water. (If no Easy Clean I use a very light bleach solution & rinse).


My Cyser listed below came out pretty decent. I pulled a bottle for a friend's going away get together in June and also sent them off with one. Tasted pretty good (we drank chilled as she's a cocktail drink type). I was going for an Apple Pie type flavor. For my preferences the spice mix isn't quite right. So that will be adjusted in future batches, possibly add nutmeg.

• 1 gal Tree Top apple juice
• 1lb Honey – North Dallas Honey Co. brand
• 1pk Lalvin EC-1118 yeast
• 1/2pk raisins
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 whole clove

As for the timeline, I started this Jan '12, went to secondary in Feb. added spices and backsweetened. Put into bulk aging in May and bottled in Oct. Racked at each stage. This one is considered sweet, OG: 1.058; FG at bottle 1.038.


I did an applejuice batch using brown sugar instead of honey as the sweet. Didn't like it. At bottling it was a bit hot and a little tart. I have not openedup any bottles to see what they have aged into. So who knows, it may have smoothed out in the last 9 months. You may have better luck with the cane sugar.

ETA: take notes on everything. When you taste, when you sniff, when you add anything. It will come in handy months down the road when you are looking through and making adjustments to the recipe. Notes help a lot.

 

[Acera]

I had an apple pie recipe somewhere, but lost it. I remember it had Everclear 190, apple juice, brown sugar, apple slices and cinnamon sticks. Got one mason jar in the refrigerator left over from a batch I made early last year, good clear color, but a heck of a sludge in the bottom, LOL. Almost afraid to drink it

 

[woodsong]

Mead gets better with age -- 1 year is good, 2 years is better.

When I make it, I like to use peppermint tea rather than water. Seems to smooth the flavor a bit. The Champagne yeast simply makes it a touch more alcoholic. If you want fizz, you have to add a little sugar after fermentation when you bottle it -- but you'd better have the right kind of bottle or you'll have a disaster on your hands. Or on your floor.

You can also experiment with using fruit juice rather than water. You can also try various spices -- even flowers!

 

[scap99]

I had an apple pie recipe somewhere, but lost it. I remember it had Everclear 190, apple juice, brown sugar, apple slices and cinnamon sticks. Got one mason jar in the refrigerator left over from a batch I made early last year, good clear color, but a heck of a sludge in the bottom, LOL. Almost afraid to drink it

Sediment precipitating out is normal.