# Honey based Mead



## kathrynn (Sep 17, 2013)

I did do the "search" for a Honey Based Mead just now.  Saw a picture of one....but does anyone have a good...and easy honey based mead recipe that they could share.  I do have several quarts of local fresh honey and want to make some for my Hubby....and of course me too.

Kat


----------



## kc5tpy (Sep 17, 2013)

Hello Miss Kat.  I can't help but as I am in England I have been curious about mead.  It is something I'd like to try.  If you get no replys please let me know and I will try to hit my UK. contacts for a recipe.  I don't know if I can find anyone to help but will ask around.  As you know it was a popular drink here when the water wasn't fit to drink.  I'll be watching.  Keep Smokin!

Danny


----------



## kathrynn (Sep 17, 2013)

Thanks Danny......I keep hearing about it...and it would be a nice change from just Beer.  I will post one if I don't get one thru SMF.

kat


----------



## cliffcarter (Sep 17, 2013)

All mead is made with honey, just google "mead".


----------



## kathrynn (Sep 17, 2013)

cliffcarter said:


> All mead is made with honey, just google "mead".


Thanks Cliff....I did do that a few days ago.  Just wondered if any one "here in SMF land" had a good simple one.

Still doing my research.

Kat


----------



## bdawg (Sep 18, 2013)

Go to gotmead's website.  is a very good online Mead resource.

If you have never had it, you are in for a treat.

Mead is the genesis for the term "Honeymoon".

I was very lucky to be assigned to judge the Traditional Mead Category in the National Homebrewer's Competition Final Round in Philadelphia this year.

The category winner was a mead made with Orange Blossom honey.  You can actually smell and taste the citrus flavors in that mead.

Fantastic!

My next mead will be an Orange Blossom mead with Vanilla beans.  Think of a Dreamsicle in a glass!

HTH-

Steve


----------



## kathrynn (Sep 19, 2013)

Steve....thank you!  I have a lot of local fresh honey and want to try my hand at this.  Hubby has a beer brewing kit and we are working on that too.  Soooo....I wanna try something new!

Kat


----------



## mdboatbum (Sep 19, 2013)

Can't help you with a recipe, but can offer kind of a fun story on the "Honeymoon" aspect. When my wife and I got married, her best friend left us with a bottle of mead for our honeymoon. She offered no explanation, and we both thought it kind of odd, since we'd never tried the stuff and to our knowledge, neither had the friend.

Upon further investigation, we discovered a little booklet tied around the neck of the bottle which explained it all. Apparently, back in "Ye Olden Tymes", the custom was for a newly married couple to share a glass of mead each evening for the first month (moon) of their marriage. This was supposed to bring good luck, prosperity, happiness and the like. My assumption is that the real reason was, since most marriages were arranged in those days and the couple didn't know each other, it forced them to sit and talk over a cocktail each evening, thus helping them get acquainted. In our case, it was a fun little diversion each day, since we had to make sure to remember to do it and to dole out just the right amount so we could make the bottle last for the whole month. It also stretched out our "honeymoon" giving us a little reminder of our wedding each day even after we got back from the trip.

So if you do make the mead, it makes a fun little wedding gift. Just make sure you include an explanation as to why :)


----------



## smokinhusker (Sep 19, 2013)

Mdboatbum said:


> Can't help you with a recipe, but can offer kind of a fun story on the "Honeymoon" aspect. When my wife and I got married, her best friend left us with a bottle of mead for our honeymoon. She offered no explanation, and we both thought it kind of odd, since we'd never tried the stuff and to our knowledge, neither had the friend.
> 
> Upon further investigation, we discovered a little booklet tied around the neck of the bottle which explained it all. Apparently, back in "Ye Olden Tymes", the custom was for a newly married couple to share a glass of mead each evening for the first month (moon) of their marriage. This was supposed to bring good luck, prosperity, happiness and the like. My assumption is that the real reason was, since most marriages were arranged in those days and the couple didn't know each other, it forced them to sit and talk over a cocktail each evening, thus helping them get acquainted. In our case, it was a fun little diversion each day, since we had to make sure to remember to do it and to dole out just the right amount so we could make the bottle last for the whole month. It also stretched out our "honeymoon" giving us a little reminder of our wedding each day even after we got back from the trip.
> 
> So if you do make the mead, it makes a fun little wedding gift. Just make sure you include an explanation as to why :)


Great info and very sweet too!


----------



## kathrynn (Sep 19, 2013)

Awwww......My Best Friend's Daughter is getting married in May '14 and I could have them a special batch made up with the Story.  Cool!

Kat


----------



## dward51 (Sep 19, 2013)

The "home brew talk" brewing site has a whole section on mead making.  I also found lots of recipes with a google search.  This is the faqs page at home brew with a lot of PDF info.  Just go up one level in that forum and you are in the main mead section.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f30/sticky-mead-making-faqs-83030/

The "orange vanilla cinnamon" versions here sounds interesting also.  I have no experience with mead at all though (other than drinking some when one of my daughter's friends who makes it brings some over).

http://www.makemead.net/recipes.aspx


----------



## bdawg (Sep 19, 2013)

Mead is easier to brew than beer.  Honey is too thick to support living organisms, so it is essentially pre-sanitized.  Some folks will pasteurize their must, but that is generally accepted as unnecessary and some say detrimental because it allows volatile aromas to escape.  So, you just mix water with your honey to the desired specific gravity, add yeast nutrients, aerate well, pitch your yeast, and let it rip.  Some folks will slowly feed additional honey every day to get more fermentables into the must.

It is a bit more work to get mead to finish properly. With beer, you generally let it run its course and then you add a little priming sugar and bottle it (or force carbonate).

With mead, you have to do a bit of work to achieve proper balance between sweetness, acidity, and astringency (and for some meads, carbonation) to get it just right.

Usually that means late tincture additions (such as adding acid/tannins/or back sweetening with additional honey) and other adjustments

It also takes a much longer  conditioning period - months instead of weeks.

But on the whole, a good mead is a joy to behold.


----------



## kathrynn (Sep 20, 2013)

I do so appreciate all of the information.  This is a learning curve that we want to do and have fun with.

You guys are the best!

Kat


----------



## foamheart (Sep 20, 2013)

I asked some old friends, this was posted long ago and had to ask how to find it again.

We have had some people in the guild start an interest in brewing there own beverages and I wanted to post here on some of the recipes that I had.

Celenon has brewed Beer and I have brewed mead, Melomel and Metheglin.

Basic Mead

1 gallon water
2 oranges, sliced
1/2 package champagne yeast
5 pounds Dark honey
1 lemon, sliced

Place the honey, water, and fruit in a 2 gallon pot over medium heat. Bring the mead to a rolling boil, skimming off any scum which rises to the top over the next hour. Cool to lukewarm, strain out the fruit, and add the yeast (dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water). Allow this mixture to set, covered with a towel, for 7 days, until fermentation has slowed considerably. Strain again, pouring off only the clear top fluids into bottles to age. These bottles should be lightly corked for about 2 months, then tightly sealed for 6 months before using.

Hops Mead

1 gallon water
1 ounce Cascade Hops
4 pounds Light Honey
1 lemon, sliced
2 ornges, sliced
1/2 pound white raisins, chopped
1/2 package yeast (I assume champagne yeast as well but have not made this myself.)

Place water, hops, honey, and sliced fruit into the 2 gallon pot, boiling as in the basic recipe above but only for 30 minutes. Reduce heat and add chopped raisins, stirring for another 5 minutes before removing from heat. Cool, strain, and add yeast as directed in the above recipe. Place 5 raisins in each bottle before closing. Aging time after secure corking is 1 year.

Quick Wine Mead

1 gallon red wine (medium dryness)or
Apple wine and stir with a cinnamon stick.
2 pounds Honey
2 Oranges, sliced
1/4 fresh lemon, sliced

Warm the wine over low heat, adding honey slowly to disolve thoroughly. Divide this between 2 (1-gallon) containers, with equal portions of fruit and spices in each. Cork and shake daily for 3 days before using. This should be served warm. The amont of honey can be decreased to suit personal tastes.

Nutty Mead

1 quart Hickory Nut Leaves
1 quart Black Walnut Leaves
1 pound Almonds, crushed
1 gallon water
4 pounds Honey
1 lemon, sliced
1 orange, sliced
1 tablespoon Almond extract
1/2 package yeast (Champagne)

Make sure the leaves are fresh with no signs of wilting or infestations. Crush them by hand and place them in a large pan with the Almonds. In a seperate container, heat water with honey and fruit to a low rolling boil, for 20 minutes, skimming. Add extract and follow the basic mead recipe. Age the mead for 1 year.

Clove Metheglin

1 gallon Water
3 pounds Dark Honey
2 Oranges, sliced
1 Lemon, sliced with rind
1 1/2 ounces of clove
1/2 package yeast

Place all ingredients except the yeast in a large pot and boil for 1 hour, skimming as needed. Cool to lukewarm, remove cloves and fruit, squeezing to extract the juice. next add the yeast, and leave the mixture covered in a warm area for 2 weeks. Siphon off the clear fluid into bottles and age 7 months for sweet wine. 1 year for dry wine.

Fall Metheglin

1 cup dried apple
2 large cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon dried lemon peel
(or fresh from one whole fruit)
12 whole cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 gallon Water
7 bay leaves
1 inch bruised ginger root
1 tablespoon dried orange peel
(or fresh from one whole fruit)
7 whole allspice berries
3 pounds Dark Honey
1/2 package sparkling yeast

Place all ingredients, except the honey and yeast, in a 2 gallon pan. Simmer for 1 hour, then add the honey, bring the entire mixture to a boil, skimming off the scum. Boil for 15 minutes, then follow the basic recipe for mead. This mead has a marvelously crisp fall flavor and is good hot or cold.

Ginger-Cinnamon Warm up

3 pounds clover Honey
1 Gallon Water
3 ounces fresh ginger root, bruised
2 large cinnamon sticks, broken
1 cup raisins
Juice and rind of 1 Orange
Juice and rind of 2 Lemons
1/2 package yeast

Dissolve the Honey in warm water, adding the ginger root(cut up), cinnamon and raisins. Simmer for an hour, then strain into seperate container, adding enough warm water to replace the amount boiled away. Peel the lemons and orange, squeeze the jiuce into the container with the ginger water, and add the rinds. Dissolve the yeast in warm water, then add to mead, stirring well. Follow the basic recipe for mead, allowing mead to age 8 months to a year before use.

Well thats it for now 
	

		
			
		

		
	








There was a bunch more but he said these were great places to start.

Hope they help.


----------



## kathrynn (Sep 20, 2013)

Foam....thank you so much!  I know you make some of your own "hooch" too!

I am going to print these and they look good!

Kat


----------



## foamheart (Sep 21, 2013)

_*Beer: Good for Your Heart?*_

_Wednesday, 18 Sep 2013 09:28 AM_

_By Dr. Brownstein_

_*Question: Does drinking beer offer benefits for heart health?*_

_*Answer:*_

_Good news for beer lovers: A new study, published in the July 1, 2013 issue of Nutrition Journal, shows that drinking a pint a day can improve the health of your heart. Researchers at Harokopio University in Athens, Greece, found that blood flow to the heart improved within a couple of hours of drinking two-thirds of a pint, or 400 mL, of beer._

_Aortic stiffness and endothelial (blood vessel) function were assessed upon fasting and at one and two hours after drinking. Aortic stiffness was significantly reduced by all three interventions. Endothelial function improved significantly only after beer consumption. In _

_fact, beer beat out nonalcoholic beer, which won over vodka._

_*Beer drinkers, rejoice*. There are many studies that point to moderate alcohol drinkers, as  compared to nondrinkers, having lower risk of heart disease. So on a hot summer day, you  don’t have to feel bad about having a cold one. _

Now if it would just clean out the pipes too!


----------



## dward51 (Sep 21, 2013)

Ambling over to the fridge for a dose of ice cold medicine!!!!!


----------



## foamheart (Sep 21, 2013)

dward51 said:


> Ambling over to the fridge for a dose of ice cold medicine!!!!!


I don't believe it, I have had 3 heart attacks and that just goes against everything it says.


----------



## kathrynn (Sep 26, 2013)

Getting geared to make Mead this weekend!  Woot Woot!













mead and yeast.JPG



__ kathrynn
__ Sep 26, 2013






Kat


----------



## bama bbq (Sep 26, 2013)

Can't believe the beer talk and make mead links stood.  Are we back to using links?  I hope so. Makes life easier when talking about stuff like this. I recommend http://m.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-Mead-Honey-Wine/


----------



## GaryHibbert (Oct 5, 2013)

Hey Kat

I've been making mead for about 10 years.  It is really basic and simple.  The only rule you HAVE to follow is this--never throw a mead down the sink (no matter how bad it is) for at least 3 years.  It will mellow and improve and usually befome delicious---it just takes time.  Now.  Are you looking to make a plain honey mead or a flavored mead??  Two entirely different things.  Truth be told, I've never made a plain mead.  I always add spices, fruits, or wine.  Just what I like.  So,I've got lots or recepies (don't think I spelled that right).  One of my favorites is Cranberry Mead.  Another is Black Mead (if you like tawny port, you'll love this one). I also made a great mead using an ice wine kit. So let me know and I'll send you some (here we go again) recepies.

Gary


----------



## kathrynn (Oct 5, 2013)

GaryHibbert said:


> Hey Kat
> 
> I've been making mead for about 10 years.  It is really basic and simple.  The only rule you HAVE to follow is this--never throw a mead down the sink (no matter how bad it is) for at least 3 years.  It will mellow and improve and usually befome delicious---it just takes time.  Now.  Are you looking to make a plain honey mead or a flavored mead??  Two entirely different things.  Truth be told, I've never made a plain mead.  I always add spices, fruits, or wine.  Just what I like.  So,I've got lots or recepies (don't think I spelled that right).  One of my favorites is Cranberry Mead.  Another is Black Mead (if you like tawny port, you'll love this one). I also made a great mead using an ice wine kit. So let me know and I'll send you some (here we go again) recepies.
> 
> Gary


Send them to me...would love to have more to try.  I am going to actually make one that has oranges and raisins in it tomorrow or Monday.  Have a lot of local honey and the champagne yeast...and my 1 gallon glass jug.  Have "spring" water to use for it too.

Kat


----------



## GaryHibbert (Oct 5, 2013)

I made a raisin mead once.  Didn't like it, but thats just personal taste. I'll dig out the recipes and send them to you.  One thing--I've found over the years that a one gallon jug is great for bottling, but just doesn't cut it for making mead.  Kinda like smoking one chicken wing  LOL

Gary


----------



## GaryHibbert (Oct 6, 2013)

Hey Kat

Sorry I didn't get back to you yesterday--Aniversery dinner night out time.  Anyway, I found all my recipes for mead.  Now lots of space on each one.  Do you want me to just post them or PM you with them?  Naturally, being a dumb truck driver, I have absolutely NO idea how to PM, so let me know

Gary


----------



## kathrynn (Oct 6, 2013)

GaryHibbert said:


> Hey Kat
> 
> Sorry I didn't get back to you yesterday--Aniversery dinner night out time.  Anyway, I found all my recipes for mead.  Now lots of space on each one.  Do you want me to just post them or PM you with them?  Naturally, being a dumb truck driver, I have absolutely NO idea how to PM, so let me know
> 
> Gary


Happy Anniversary! You can do which ever you want....post them here...others may enjoy them too.  Or send me a pm....which is actually easy.  I will send you one...and you can reply!

Kat


----------



## GaryHibbert (Oct 7, 2013)

Hey Kat

Sorry about the delay on getting this info to you.

Basics of mead making

-don't boil the honey

-always add yeast nutrient

-when siphoning from primary to secondary, be gentle--leave all the sediment behind

-always put an air lock on your secondary and keep it full of water--prevents infection

*Black Mead*

This mead tastes like cross between tawny port and really good sherry--One of my alltime favorites

1 cup (half a bottle) Ribena Black Currant Nector (I get it in the grocery store)

1/2 gal Welches Red grape juice

2.2 lbs honey

1 gal water

1 tsp yeast nutrient (very important--buy it at any wine or beer making store)

2 tsp malic acid

1/2 tsp epson salts

1/2 tsp citric acid (or just add the juice of lemon)

Lavin 212 wine yeast

Makes 1 gal

If you are using farm fresh honey, that's a bonus.  However, you should bring it to a simmer and when the foam/scum forms on top, skim it off.  That will remove the little extras that come with wild honey---wings, stingers, dead bees, etc.  *DO NOT* boil the honey.  If you do, you will loose a lot of the volatiles ----flavor and aroma.  If it is store bought honey, ignore this, just use it--it is already pasturized

Mix it all up, except the yeast and let it cool down to skin temp. Pour it into your primary (I use 5 gal pails)  Pitch the yeast (sorry--add it).  Stir vigorously--you want lots of bubbles (oxygen) in there.  Cover it with whatever and leave it be until the yeast has clearly stopped working.  Siphon it off into your secondary (the gal jug).  Put your air lock on the jug. Put it away and ignore it for as long as you can.  The last batch I made, got shuffled to the back and never got tried for 4 years. The malic acid, epson salts are not really necessary--I was living in Calgary at the time and the water was very hard.  Use them or not.

Northern Cardinal Mead

3.5 lbs honey (clover, if you have it)

1.5 lbs frozen or fresh cranberries (throw them in the blender and chop them up really well) If you're smart, you'll put them in cheese cloth before adding them to the must (must is the mead or wine mixture)

1/4 tsp tanic acid

1 tsp yeast nutrient

1 gal water

Lalvin 212 yeast

Makes 1 gal

When you siphon the mead from the primary to the secondary, your siphon tube will plug up with cranberries several times. Annoying, but......  Take the left over Cranberries and squeeze the juice out of them and add it to the mead--tons of flavor there.  Again, it was 4 years before I tried this mead---really good.


----------



## GaryHibbert (Oct 7, 2013)

Great story

Another thing about drinking large amounts of mead by newlyweds is that it will increase the acid ph level.  That supposedly increases the likelyhood that the child being produced will be male--very important back then

Gary


----------



## GaryHibbert (Oct 7, 2013)

Hey Kat

All my (here we go again) recipes use wine yeast, but there is absolutely no reason not to use champagne yeast.  Each yeast will add a differet flavor profile, but it really is no big deal.  Experiment and decide which you prefer.  If you're like me and wait 3 to 4 years to try it, it really won't matter--lol  As a side note, since I can't spell worth sh***,how do you spell recepes????????????????????

After you make these and try them, if you like them, let me know and I'll send you some more--I have about 100

Gary


----------



## GaryHibbert (Oct 12, 2013)

Hey everybody

I must be getting old, because I forgot one VERY important aspect to making mead.  When the mead is finished and you're ready to take the airlock off and cap the jug for aging-----you MUST kill any remaining yeast or it will eventually EXPLODE.  Use a yeast killer like potassium sorbate.  But kill that yeast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Sorry for the memory lapse.

Gary


----------



## kathrynn (Oct 12, 2013)

thank you so very much for posting these Gary!  I am going to get that mead going this weekend for sure.  Lynn (the hubby) is going to watch and see what we have to do to get things done.  I have printed the recipes too for a paper copy for my "SMF cookbook".

Will show pics as I go along.

Kat


----------



## kathrynn (Oct 24, 2013)

Update on the mead.....bubbles are slowing but there is still action in the mixture below.  Time= 2 weeks on Sunday.  It's still just working away.

Question tho?  After the bubbles stop .....should I put a regular cork on the jug and then hide away...out of sight out of mind for a while?  And how long should "a while be"?

Kat


----------



## GaryHibbert (Oct 24, 2013)

Hey Kat

Sounds like your mead is comming along well.  When it quits bubbling, rack (siphon) it off the dead yeast or it will pick up bad flavors.  So, you will need a second jug.  Then stir in a yeast killer and a clearing agent and let everything settle to the bottom of the jug and rack it off again--your mead will then be beautifully clear and brilliant.

Gary


----------



## kathrynn (Oct 24, 2013)

I will hit you up again closer to that time Gary H!  Thank you! I do have a few more bottles.

Kat


----------

