Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Eating and Drinking => Homebrew => Topic started by: jenny53 on February 18, 2013, 21:25

Title: Mead
Post by: jenny53 on February 18, 2013, 21:25
hi Help please Mead how do imake it ..

really no idea
Title: Re: Mead
Post by: AnnieB on February 19, 2013, 11:08
In simple terms Honey and Water and Yeast.

For a first time try the following:
4 jars of honey - try the cheap supermarket stuff.
Water to make up to 1 gallon.
Wine yeast - Youngs will do fine, don't use bread yeast.
Juice of 1 lemon,
Yeast nutrient - teaspoon maybe two.
Tannin - either powered or a 1/2 cup of strong tea (3 or 4 teabags in hot water stewed)

You need the nutrient for the yeast and the juice and tannin add a few other bits to the mix.

Dissolve the honey in some warm water.

Make a starter of the yeast - cup warm water, 1-2 teaspoon suger, sprinkle yeast on and wait for it to start bubbling/frothing. Then add to the rest.

You could get away with throwing the lot into a DJ and sticking an air lock on.
Title: Re: Mead
Post by: Kleftiwallah on February 19, 2013, 13:20

I shouldn't bother untill the price of honey comes back down (soon hopefully).  It is too expensive an ingredient to waste if you go mucking up your first attempt at Mead.

Have a read about Methalglyn while you research mead.

Cheers,   Tony.
Title: Re: Mead
Post by: AnnieB on February 19, 2013, 19:56
Honey went up from 65p to 99p in one step some time back, doubt it will come down anytime soon, if at all.

Try Lidl or Aldi if there is one around you, they may have it a bit less.

Equally even if you use your own fruit then the cost is still about half of the mead above, you still need a fair quantity of sugar. If you buy the fruit then the cost for a DJ of homemade wine is no real difference to a DJ of mead. Sort of 4 jars of honey or 3 lbs sugar and fruit are much the same.
Title: Re: Mead
Post by: jenny53 on February 20, 2013, 19:31
hi got 4 jars of honey from Tesco ..under 4.00 so thats ok ..
need to sort the yeast out mines out of date ..so will pop over
the WILKCO they have some ..just fancy doing some ..

Title: Re: Mead
Post by: Daamoot on February 27, 2013, 12:46
4 bucks isn't too bad for a brew!  I often pay upto £1.50 a litre for pressed fruit juices unless I catch them on offer.  Good luck with the mead and let us know how you get on.  Like to try new things so would be tempted myself if its any good.