First mead

[Cellar_Rat]

I have been asked to make some mead by a beekeeper.
Can anyone recommend a good recipe please. Any advice for a mead novice would be good gratefully received. Booked recommendations et al.

[fatbloke]

I have been asked to make some mead by a beekeeper.
Can anyone recommend a good recipe please. Any advice for a mead novice would be good gratefully received. Booked recommendations et al.

It depends on what you (or the bee keeper person) want to aim for.

for simplicity, I'd suggest the JAO/Joe's Ancient Orange recipe (sticking as closely to recipe as possible, plus the suggested method).

Or, some sort of "Traditional" mead, with no additional "flavours". Which, for best results, needs a bit of messing about with some less winemaking method, but it's still pretty easy, just that it's very likely that the bee keeping friend won't have something to drink in much less than 12 to 18 months.

If you wanted to do that, then apart from the honey (presuming their honey), the extra bit would be the yeast (my traditionals are mostly made with the same yeasts used by the late Brother Adam of Buckfast Abbey i.e. D21 or K1V-1116/Gervin Varietal "E").

The traditional would really need to be made using staggered nutrient additions, fermented dry, then back sweetened.

Before you decide, ask the bee keeper person if they've ever actually tasted any, because IMO, the commercially made ones are cloyingly sweet, whereas I like mine to have a final gravity IRO 1.010 to 1.020 max. Then you might have some idea of how to make it, and especially how to finish it.

There's plenty to read over at Gotmead if you wanted to just plough ahead with the project, but for the supplies, you'll need about 3 to 3 and 1/2 lb honey per gallon - and yes, whether you went for 1 gallon or a 5 gallon batch, it's pretty easily scalable......

As for books etc, currently there's not a huge number that are specifically Mead, but worth considering is "The Compleat Meadmaker" by Ken Schramm (he does post here on occassion), though it's mainly aimed at the US market, it's not difficult to "anglicise" a lot of his recipes for this side of the pond. Or I also like (prefer, as it was aimed here originally) "Making Mead" by Acton & Duncan. It's out of print, but comes from the Amateur Winemaker stable (same as CJJJJJJJJJJ's book). Making Mead as a search string at amazon throws up a few others, but I seem to recall reading the Roger Morse offering is a bit on the technical side - can't say for certain, as I haven't read it yet (on the list of "to do's")...

regards

jtfb

p.s. the K1V is easily obtained as you'd know, the D21 not so, but I can stick some in the post if you wanted to try that (D21 a.ka. Maury yeast is BA's original choice of yeast, he only moved to using the K1V/Varietal "E" once the Maury became unavailable in the UK, so it's up to you)

[goldseal]

I think it's a no-brainer: Joe's Ancient Orange, made with bread yeast as per the recipe. The results are almost always good, and it's drinkable far earlier than most, thereby impressing your beekeeper and ensuring a continued supply of honey

EDIT: I have just realised I have used the term 'no-brainer'. I do apologise, I don't normally use such banal english. I blame the hangover. It won't happen again.

[lockwood1956]

I blame the hangover. It won't happen again.

You won't have another hangover?

[goldseal]

Not today

[lockwood1956]

I would concur that Joes ancient orange mead is a great first mead

regards
Bob

[kirk]

3 1/2 lbs of honey,
Acid, lemon juice or citric,
Tannin, tea or tannin,
Nutrient, 1 good teaspoon,
Water to make up a gallon,
Yeast, buy one or the standard Youngs Super Yeast.

You can add something like a cinnamon stick if you want but for a first DJ I wouldn't bother.

Should ferment in about 4-6 weeks.
Would I expect give about 12% if 3 lbs, 13-13.5% if 3 1/2 lbs and so a dry wine as Youngs will do that.
Will need to mature for some time, 6 months minimum, 12 months better.