By Robert & Gloria Leustek Making Mead By Robert & Gloria Leustek

Now that you have honey, what do you do with it?

You make MEAD!

The History of Mead

The History of Mead Mead is thought to be the oldest alcoholic beverages know to man. The history of mead may go back more than 8,000 years. The oldest known meads were created on the Island of Crete. Wine had not yet been created. Mead was the drink of the Age of Gold, and the word for drunk in classical Greek is methismenos or honey-intoxicated.

The History of Mead The earliest archaeological evidence for the production of mead dates to around 7000 BC. Pottery vessels containing a mixture of mead, rice and other fruits along with organic compounds of fermentation were found in Northern China The English word mead derives from the Old English meodu, meaning fermented honey drink

The History of Mead Legend has it that the word honeymoon is derived from an ancient tradition of sending a newly married couple off to seclusion for a month with much mead, to ensure their best chance to start a family quickly. Mead has been, and still is, considered the drink of love.

Legal New Jersey Statute §33:1-75 allows for the production of wine or malt alcoholic beverages in the home by persons over the age of 21, not to exceed 200 gallons per year, free from state excise tax. A requirement for New Jersey home beer and wine makers to obtain a state permit to practice their hobby was eliminated in January 2012. http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/pages/government-affairs/statutes/new-jersey

A fermented drink made with honey, water and yeast also known as MUST What is Mead? A fermented drink made with honey, water and yeast also known as MUST

What is Mead? There are 4 main types of ingredients that are most commonly used: Fruit Vegetables Spices, Herbs and Plants Other Foods such as molasses, maple syrup or chocolate

Mead Styles: Sack Mead - a sweeter Mead, with more honey Melomel - with fruit or fruit juice Metheglin - with spices and extracts A short list .. There are a lot more ..

Mead Styles Acerglyn - with maple syrup Morat - with mulberries Pyment - with both honey and grapes Hippocras – with honey, grapes, and spices

Mead Styles Cyser - honey and apples or apple cider (apple juice in Europe) Can also be made with peach, cherry or pear cider Braggot - honey and malt, sort of a Mead-beer Oxymel - Mead mixed with wine vinegar

Mead Styles Rhodomel - honey with Attar, a rose petal distillate, or rose petals Capsicumel - honey with chile peppers

Mead Styles T'ej –with honey, water and hops. It is the national drink of Ethiopia, and has a unique taste

Supplies you will need…. Starter Winemaking Equipment: $74.99 (8200 pg. 68) Winemaking Equipment Kit Instructional DVD 7.9 gallon plastic fermenter with lid 6 gallon glass carboy, Stopper, Airlock Bottle brush, Hydrometer 8 ounces of Easy Clean No-Rinse Cleanser Plastic plunger corker 30- #8 X 1 3/4" straight corks Racking cane, 5 feet of siphon tubing Bottle filler Shut-off clamp

Supplies you will also need…. Brew Pot – 3 gallon Long Handled Spoon Thermometer Mix-Stir Agitator Rod Yeast Nutrient Yeast Energizer Acid Blend Bentonite Flocculent Bottles (ask your friends) Most importantly… Recipes! We use a Candy Thermometer Color of bottles – TOM

Resources

Supplies you will also need…. Corrado’s in Patterson Corrado's Home Beer and Winemaking Center offers everything you need to become a skilled wine or beer maker! Come see our state-of-the art equipment, supplies, and wine & beer paraphernalia! Talk with one of our knowledgeable staff-members about making beer or wine in your very own home!

Terminology and Calculations Specific Gravity (S.G.) –This is used to determine how much sugar is present in the Must/Mead. The higher the SG, the more sugar is present. Final Gravity (F.G.) – The measurement of the specific gravity when all fermentation has ceased. The lowest that can be reached is 0.990.

Terminology and Calculations Alcohol by Volume (ABV) – The amount of alcohol in your Mead, given as a percentage of the total volume. Most wines are around the 11% to 12% ABV, but it is possible to ferment up to 20% to 22%. pH or Acidity – The amount of acid in your Must will determine the health of the yeast. A solution of honey in water will usually have a natural pH of around 3.7 to 4.6. The optimal pH for yeast is around 3.7 for best results.

Terminology and Calculations Acid blend is a blend of the three most common acids found in fruit: citric, malic and tartaric. It’s typically used in wines that are naturally lacking in acid, which typically results in a flat tasting wine. Acid Blend adds liveliness to the wine and helps to bring out its fruity flavors. Having a proper level of acidity will help establish a vigorous fermentation. Mouth feel

Sweet VS. Dry How much honey? Type of yeast?

Types of Yeast (pg. 32-33) Different flavors, different alcohol content Example – Wyeast 4184 Sweet Mead page 33 leaves 2-3% residual sugar

Keep good records Recipe Name Process: Prep method (including times, amounts, temperatures, acid level, processes and observations) Brew Date – __/__/__ Batch Size – ___ gal. Honey Varietal – ______ S.G. goal – 1.___ %ABV goal – __% Continued notes and comments (additions, aerations, rackings etc.) up to bottling and tasting notes. Ingredients: __Lbs. Honey __gal. Liquid (water/apple cider etc.) __Lbs. Other ingredients __oz. DAP/Energizer __oz. Yeast etc. Using a standard brewlog will help tremendously with keeping things organized. Brewing is an Art but it is also an Exact Science

The Process Determine the recipe Gather the ingredients, supplies & additives Prepare & sanitize, sanitize, sanitize! All measurements are by weight, not volume

The Process Some of our favorite recipes: Natural Sack Mead Clove Metheglin Fall Spice Metheglin Mulberry Morat Rocky Mountain Red Metheglin Royal Metheglin

The Process Did we mention………SANITIZE?

The Process Weigh the honey into your brew pot using equal amounts of honey to water ratio. Heat to 145 degrees for 8 minutes. We use 14 lbs for 5 gallons 145 for 8 minutes - Reference: www.gotmead.com Talk about Watersource

The Process

The Process

The Process Taking a taste!

The Process Add 1 tsp Bentonite to 2 quarts of very hot water, mix. This is an early Flocculent.

The Process Mix in the Bentonite

The Process Pour the heated honey into the bucket. Fill to the 6 gallon mark.

The Process Remember honey is a natural antibiotic so we add yeast energizer, yeast nutrient and acid blend.

The Process After the mixture has cooled to about 68º, take your initial Specific Gravity reading with your Hydrometer. This will tell you what your potential alcohol will be

The Process Stir in any additives such as flowers or oak chips.

The Process Pitch the yeast. We use a yeast starter made from orange juice.

The Process Firmly cover the primary fermenter, secure air lock and wait for the fermentation. Store 65-75º (max)

The Process In 1-2 days fermentation should begin and after about a week, the initial fermentation should appear stop. Then rack off into a carboy, recap, put in a cool dark Location. In about 1 week Take a S.G. reading. If 1.000 Or less we go onto the next Step. If not, wait a few more days and take another reading. Store not more than 75º Remember – Sterilize!

The Process Once the S.G. reading is 1.000 or less then with your drill and your Mix-Stir Agitator Rod and whip the mead vigorously. Do not over-whip. During fermentation – yeast CO2 binds with small particulates. Degassing force CO2 out and settles in a couple of weeks. Don’t over whip, foam will make a mess!

The Process You can also add preservatives such as Sorbate and a chemical like Metabisulfite to insure that the fermentation process will not continue in your bottles.

The Process Then add your flocculent. Popular flocculents are: Isinglass Sparkolloid Mix well, add water to within 1 inch of the airlock Reinsert Airlock, put in cool dark place. Wait 2 weeks. Flocculants are used to clarify quicker Otherwise it could take up to a year or more to clarify

Bottling

Bottling When you are ready to bottle: Take a final Hydrometer reading, compare the values to determine alcohol content. Clean & sanitize your bottles: One 6 gallon carboy will yield about 3 cases of standard 750 ml wine bottles.

Bottling When you are ready to bottle: Using a racking cane, fill & cork each bottle. Finally, Label & apply shrink caps.

The Wait

The Wait Always store your bottles on their sides in a cool location 54º is ideal but never more than 75º

The Wait “Reds” age about 1 year “Whites” age sooner.

Credits & Sources Websites http://www.midwestsupplies.com http://www.wyeastlab.com http://www.lalvinyeast.com http://www.gotmead.com http://www.whitelabs.com http://www.homebrewersassociation.org http://www.corradosmarket.com

Credits & Sources Websites http://www.medovina.com/history.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mead http://www.beer100.com/history/meadhistory.htm http://www.skyriverbrewing.com/Mead/mead-history.html http://redstonemeadery.com/store/catalog/History-of-Mead-sp-17.html http://hoeggerfarmyard.com/ http://www.ldcarlson.com/

Credits & Sources Books Making Wild Wines & Meads: 125 Unusual Recipes Using Herbs, Fruits, Flowers & More by Vargas & Gulling Brewing Mead, Wassail! In Mazers of Mead by Brewers Publications – Boulder Colorado

What will your next recipe bee? Other Considerations Large or Small batch What will your next recipe bee? Questions???

The Finished Product Enjoy! Other Methods, SNA Staggered Nutrient Additions Wassail (Old English wæs hæl, literally 'be you healthy') Enjoy!