Equipment Required:
To embark on your mead-making adventure, gather the following essentials: a brew spoon, thermometer, fermenter (sized at least 1 gallon larger than your batch), airlock (or stopper if necessary), siphon and hose, bottle brush and bottles, hydrometer and test jar, as well as cleaner and sanitizer for proper sanitation.
Ingredients:
The foundation of any great mead lies in its ingredients. Here's what you'll need:
- Honey: Explore different types for unique flavor profiles (refer to a separate resource for details).
- Water: Choose between filtered tap water or bottled spring water, considering their flavor contributions.
- Yeast: Decide between sweet or dry options like 71B, D47, or EC1118.
- Nutrients: Essential for yeast health, consider products like Go Ferm (1.25 gm per gram of yeast) and Fermaid O (consult the Tonsa calculator).
- Acids/Tannins: Fine-tune to taste preferences.
Instructions:
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Prepare Honey: Begin by gently warming the honey in water (below 120°F) to facilitate easier handling.
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Reconstitute Yeast: Mix yeast with Go-Ferm protect (1.25 gm per gram of yeast) in a small portion of water (3 oz).
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Sanitize Equipment: Thoroughly clean and sanitize your fermenter to ensure a sterile environment.
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Mix Water and Honey: Pour half of the required water into the fermenter, optionally using warm water. Add honey and stir until fully dissolved.
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Complete Water Addition: Incorporate the remaining water to bring the mixture's temperature down to 65–70°F.
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Add Yeast: Stir in the hydrated yeast mixture.
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Fermentation Process:
- Day 2: Stir to release CO2 and introduce the first Fermaid O addition.
- Day 3: Repeat stirring and add the second Fermaid O addition.
- Day 4: Continue stirring and add the third Fermaid O addition.
- Day 7: Stir once more and include the fourth Fermaid O addition.
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Transfer to Secondary: After about a month, rack the mead into a secondary fermenter.
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Optional Additions: Consider enhancing your mead with additional honey and fruit if desired.
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Clarification Stage: Allow the mead to naturally clarify over 1–2 months.
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Bottling: Once clarified, taste the mead and adjust flavors as necessary before bottling. If desired, stabilize the mead to prevent further fermentation.
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Aging: Embrace patience as you let your bottled mead age gracefully.
Adding Fruits and Spices: Experiment with adding fruits and spices either during primary fermentation or in the secondary stage. Note that fruits added in primary fermentation may contribute to more vigorous fermentation. Exercise caution with spices and taste regularly to avoid overpowering flavors.
Stabilization: For those considering back sweetening or aiming to prevent any residual fermentation in the bottle, stabilization is key.
Embark on this mead-making journey with care and creativity, and soon you'll savor the sweet rewards of your labor. Cheers to the art of crafting honey's nectar!