Simple Mead Recipe

 Julie Nietsche, a New England Culinary Institute grad, is guiding me in the process of learning how to make mead. The recipe we are leaning on is for a simple mead found at https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/basic-mead-201058

The ingredients are:

        12-18 pounds (6 – 8 kilos) of honey  

         4.5 gallons (17 liters) of water 

         0.28 ounces (8 grams) of freeze-dried wine, champagne, or mead yeast.

We didn’t have a pot big enough, so the honey-water mixture was prepared in 3 batches. We brought 1.5-2 gallons of water to a boil and removed it from the heat; then we stirred in a proportional amount of honey. The honey was heated by the hot water but not boiled.  After the honey fully dissolved into the water (about half an hour) it was poured into the carboy. This was done three times.

   Julie Nitschke pouring the honey-water mixture (must) into the carboy

Meanwhile, a cup of lukewarm (90 to 100°F) water was put into a clean bowl and the yeast was sprinkled on top. After about 20 minutes, with the yeast fully dissolved in the water and the carboy cooled below 80 degrees, we poured the yeast mixture into the carboy. Then we stirred the mixture with a long paddle.

The carboy was topped off with the remaining boiled water to fill the carboy half way up the neck. It was gently stirred again. Then the jar was sealed with an air lock in a cork.

Comparing Preparation Methods between two batches of mead

The first batch was very palatable; my friends and I found the high was light and joyous. So, on the solstice, I made a second batch in almost the same way.  Besides the temporary loss of the lead brewer due to COVID restrictions, a few variables were different: strain of yeast, water source, and amount of honey. 

Table. Comparing two batches of mead, by 13 variables

Variable

Inaugural Batch

Sophomore Batch

Water Source

Monadnock Springs, New Hampshire

 clouds over South Burlington

Honey

BTV* (from a variety of nectars in the City of Burlington)  

BTV* (from a variety of nectars in the City of Burlington) 

Water: Honey

4.5 gallons: 13 pounds

4.5 gallons: 15 pounds

Yeast (dry)

Lalvin EC-1118 (Saccharamyces cerevisiae ex.bayanus).

Lalvin D-47

(Saccharamyces cerevisiae)

Added Nutrients

Nil

Nil

Sodium metabisulfite or Campden tablets

Nil

Nil

Specific Gravity before: after

NK:1.01

1.10:1.041

(with correction .001 for temp)

Fermenting Temperature

F (C)

58-64 (14-18)

58-64 (14-18)

Material of carboy

glass

glass

Start Date

17 August 2020

21 December 2020

Racking Date

18 November 2020

12 April 2021

Site

S Burlington, Vermont USA

S Burlington, Vermont USA

Brewer

Julie Nitschke                        assisted by Anne Outwater

Anne Outwater

Notes: *Sold at City Market/ Onion River Coop, Burlington, VT     http://www.citymarket.coop

            NK Not known

The must (the fermenting blend of honey, water, and yeast) of the current batch is already acting very differently from the first batch. The air lock is jumping from the amount and vehemence of carbon-dioxide bubbles rushing to escape.

 

This photo of the carboy was taken on the Solstice, 21 December 2020, the day of the 'Christmas Star'

when Jupiter and Saturn were aligned in the night sky. 



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