Anybody making mead?

[MGMorden]

Just curious: I know winemaking is one of the topics in the forum title here.  Mead is pretty close to wine, so I figured I'd check.  I setup a batch of mead about 3 months ago.  It's and secondary fermentation now - haven't tasted it yet.  Still need to strain it again before I try it. 

Anyways, after passing by a local honey-seller at the fair last week I bought up some honey and figured I'd start another batch.  I used raisins for flavoring and yeast nutrient last batch.  I think I'm going to use a more complex recipe with cinnamon sticks and a higher quality yeast (used bread-yeast last time - was in a hurry) this time.  Any tips/tricks?

Thanks.

[no guns here]

NOpe.. but tried a commercial bottled mead last year at new years and didn't like it at all.  Might have just been the recipe but I wasn't impressed.


NGH

[GeneRector]

  Howdy! I made some years ago, but remember it being very sweet. Not something you could drink a lot of at one time. Always, Gene

[jedman]

   I dont know how well bread yeast will work but mead is a very slow fermentor.  When I have made it I usually shoot for 10 to 11 % alcahol and that is a dry mead. It is not uncommon for it to take over a year to finish fermenting and even longer to settle and clear.   Its not a good wine for someone who wants to try it the same year it was started.  It definitely needs yeast nutrient and most likley B vitamin to keep from getting "stuck".  If you make a second batch try using champagne yeast, it will tollerate cooler temps than most other yeasts, it only costs .49 cents a packet in my area.       Jedman

[MGMorden]

If you make a second batch try using champagne yeast, it will tollerate cooler temps than most other yeasts, it only costs .49 cents a packet in my area.       Jedman

Thanks for the tip.  Naive question here: where are you getting the specialized yeast locally?  I've found plenty of places to order homebrew equipment and supplies via mail, but I'm a bit stuck as to what exactly to search for in the phone directory.  From casual searching I've been completely unable to find anything in any of the nearby cities (namely, Charleston, SC or Myrtle Beach, SC).

[jedman]

  In the phone book it's listed under ,  Winery Equip & Supplies  in the yellow pages.
If you want to see what they have to compare prices , stuff ect.  here is there website,
www.titgemeiers.com   The family that run the place are nice people.     Jed

[montveil]

recipes etc @ http://www.gotmead.com/ http://www.brewsupplies.com/mead_recipes.htm
Same equipment as wine making, use DK 47 or 1116 yeasts.
Mead does NOT have to be sweet. You can use only enough honey to bring it up to 11.5%. Mead has to age for at least 1 year.
You will have to add nutrients for fermentation. You can add potassium sulfite to begin to knock out native yeasts and bacteria like for wine OR heat honey and 1/2 water to 170 degrees for 5 minuted to pasteurize then progress as in wine making by assinf rest of cool water. Add yeast when temperature is below 90 degrees.
Follow wine making proceedures

[bpjon]

This past summer, a friend and I spent Labor Day weekend at my cabin in northern MN.  Looking through the cabinets, I found a bottle of mead I had made about 10 years before.  I recall drinking some of the batch when it was about a year old, and not being real impressed with my work.  We opened this bottle on a whim, and it was fantastic.  Very dry, super smooth and with a deep, complex flavor.  No matter what else you do, give it lots of time.

[Captain Emo]

Go to www.leeners.com for instructions and supplies. You can make sweet mead, dry mead, mead with spices, mead with fruit, carbonated mead, still mead, etc.  One of my favorites is a carbonated (bubbly) mead with loads of ginger.  It's like a dry ginger ale with a 12% ABV kick.  It's great after a hot day on the tractor.