ideas for a simple mead?

[Trogolodyte]

I was sat reading a book last night when I thought about trying a simple recipie I have been thinking about for some time...

3 1/2 lb of a good quality dark honey
a handfull of raisens and one of sultana's
a cup of cold medium strengthish tea
the juice of half a lemon ish
water (to top up to the gallon)
yeast (K1V 1116 lalvin)

any advice what starting gravity i'll need to look for for a medium sweetness?

[fatbloke]

I was sat reading a book last night when I thought about trying a simple recipie I have been thinking about for some time...

3 1/2 lb of a good quality dark honey
a handfull of raisens and one of sultana's
a cup of cold medium strengthish tea
the juice of half a lemon ish
water (to top up to the gallon)
yeast (K1V 1116 lalvin)

any advice what starting gravity i'll need to look for for a medium sweetness?

The simplest mead to start with is the JAO recipe, but don't try too modify it as it just doesn't make a good dry mead.

Or you can follow my tutorial as that's a pretty straight forward traditional.

I don't tend to bother sort acid or tannin at the ferment these days, as they just complicate matters. Just water, honey, nutrient and yeast. You can then just work the SG from what % ABV you want to aim for. I'd suggest a max of 1.100 or thereabouts. Once the ferment has finished, you can stabilise, and back sweeten with honey (done before clearing, to about 1.010, then any hazing from the honey can be cleared with the other sediments). Once its clear you can always mod the taste with tannin and acid later.

I'd still say that JAO is a good starting point. Just stick to the recipe (yes the bread yeast and everything) and it works well...

regards

jtfb

[Trogolodyte]

Well it worked, I ended up using 4lb of icelands own (£2 for 500g's) to the gallon and chopped the sultanas and raisens, and a little yeast nutrient to help it start. it produced a refreshingly dry mead with a nice fruity after taste with spicy undertones at abut 20%. Made up a 6 gallon batch and got about 5.5 gallons after racking, just after it stopped fermenting, and botted up , about a gallon and a half left....