Mead Wine Recipe
Mead (wine made from honey) makes a very unique alcohol drink. It is regarded as the oldest of all fermented beverages. It dates back so far its origins are not quite known.
Mead can be fermented by simply using honey, water and yeast. It can range in alcohol content from that of a light beer to a very strong wine. It can also range in dryness - from sweet to very dry. Given the numerous varieties of honey including clover, wildflower (thats what we carry), orange blossom, buckwheat, etc. each will provide different flavor profiles. It can also be fermented with various spices, fruits or even grain. Technically, mead is only "mead" when made just from honey. When we add fruit to the mix, it is called Molemel.
As you can imagine, mead having this many variations, must have a ton of recipes. We sell several books just on mead recipes. Whether you make wine, beer or both; why not try a small batch of mead? Below is a very simple recipe for a one gallon batch.
- 3 lbs Honey
- 1 tsp Yeast Energizer
- 1 packet Premier Cuvee or Lalvin D47 Wine Yeast
- 2 tsp Acid Blend
- 1/4 tsp Metabisulphite (do not use until end)
Mix honey, yeast energizer and acid blend into a fermenting bucket. Add room temperature water to the one gallon mark on fermenter (if the fermenter is not marked, be sure to do so before starting). Mix well and sprinkle yeast on top. Place lid and airlock on fermenter. Allow to ferment for 1 week in an area that will maintain temps between 65-75 degrees.
After one week, transfer(rack) mead into a gallon jug and insert rubber stopper and airlock. Allow to sit an additional 3 weeks. Rack mead into a clean & sanitized container. If you dont have an extra 1 gallon jug, rack mead into fermenting bucket, clean out glass jug and transfer back into jug. Be careful to leave behind sediment. Once transferred, add 1/4 tsp metabisulphite and stir well. Once wine is clear - may take several more weeks - put in clean sanitized bottles. Store in a cool, dark area.