ANST - Mead

[Pug Bainter]

Lord Larkin O'Kane said something that sounded like:
>> I am working on Brewing my first batch of Mead (am going to use
>> in exchange for a helm from one of our local armourers!!) and would
>> welcome any recipes or advice that anyone has to offer.
> Remember!  A watched pot never boils over.

Very good advice if you don't want a mess. As well as not putting a lid
on the pot except while cooling.

Well there are several trains of thought on meads and boiling
specifically. Personally I usually boil it since I am using herbs or
spices and it helps since it steeps them and infuses the flavor "better".
Not only that, it's a cheap form of sterilization.

NOTE: Don't actually boil it, but bring it to just under boiling. We
      don't want rock candy after all.

Other good advice is to be patient. While racking frequently (no more
than once a week *please*) helps clear quickly, there is nothing that
does better for a mead than simple aging. I prefer to wait a year before
serving, and longer if I can. (9 months in carboy, 3+ months in bottle)
I've failed to follow this advice in the past and kicked myself for doing
it. (Of course you can do it quicker if you must. *cough*)

As for recipes, they vary as greatly as the brewers and batches vary.

Simple Mead:
10-18 lbs of Honey
water to make 5 gallons
yeast

Simple cyser:
8-16 lbs of Honey
apple juice to make 5 gallons
yeast

Simple pyment:
8-16 lbs of Honey
grape juice to make 5 gallons
yeast

Simple melomel:
8-16 lbs of Honey
fruit juice (or 6+ lbs of macerated fruit and water) to make 5 gallons
yeast

Simple metheglin:
10-18 lbs of Honey
2 oz of cinnamon (stick, not powder!)
1 oz of ginger (usually pealed or macerated)
water to make 5 gallons
yeast

NOTE: These recipes were made up off the top of my head. The more honey
      you use, the stronger or sweeter it'll be depending on the yeast
      used.  As well, these have little to no yeast nutrients so may
      be slow to kick off. Oddly enough most "period" recipes didn't
      call for nutrients or other added chemicals.

The yeasts I typically use for meads are Whitbread Ale or Pasteur
Champagne yeast. I typically use 12 lbs of Honey, which is 1 gallon
usually. As well, I don't like straight meads, they usually taste thin
to me.

Minor side note, from the "period" recipes I've seen, very few of them
make a distinction between mead and metheglin. (Or any of its spelling
variations.) These seems to be a modern dividing line, but I haven't
done research to find out when *yet*.

I hope that helps some. If you need more specific advice, I'd be more
than willing to help.

Ciao,

-- 
Phelim "Pug" Gervase  |  "If you want my views of history
Barony of Bryn Gwlad  |   then there is something you should know.
House Flaming Dog     |   The three men I admire the most are
pug at pug.net           |   Curly, Larry and Moe!" --Meatloaf
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