Anyone making the mead?

[Mike]

Found this one a while back on moremead.com and though it's a small batch, it has turned out well both times I've made it. I started my 3rd batch today and have basically reduced the amount of honey to 2+ cups. From what I could gather on the web, 1 1/3 cups of honey is about a pound. I used the full amount of honey the first time I made this and it was a bit too sweet. I've since found that 2 lbs of honey per gallon of water is pretty nice. I have also always left out the raisins and nutmeg/allspice. For those w/out an airlock, just use a balloon and relieve the pressure every now and then. I make mine in an old glass cider jug. Here is the recipe:

1 gallon batch

* 3 1/2 lbs Clover or your choice honey or blend (will finish sweet)
* 1 Large orange (later cut in eights or smaller rind and all)
* 1 small handful of raisins (25 if you count but more or less ok)
* 1 stick of cinnamon
* 1 whole clove ( or 2 if you like - these are potent critters)
* optional (a pinch of nutmeg and allspice )( very small )
* 1 teaspoon of Fleismanns bread yeast ( now don't get holy on me--- after all this is an ancient mead and that's all we had back then)
* Balance water to one gallon

Process:

Use a clean 1 gallon carboy

Dissolve honey in some warm water and put in carboy

Wash orange well to remove any pesticides and slice in eights --add orange (you can push em through opening big boy -- rinds included -- its ok for this mead -- take my word for it -- ignore the experts)

Put in raisins, clove, cinnamon stick, any optional ingredients and fill to 3 inches from the top with cold water. ( need room for some foam -- you can top off with more water after the first few day frenzy)

Shake the heck out of the jug with top on, of course. This is your sophisticated aeration process.

When at room temperature in your kitchen. Put in 1 teaspoon of bread yeast. ( No you don't have to rehydrate it first-- the ancients didn't even have that word in their vocabulary-- just put it in and give it a gentle swirl or not)( the yeast can fight for their own territory)

Install water airlock. Put in dark place. It will start working immediately or in an hour. (Don't use grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away in the 90's)( Wait 3 hours before you panic or call me) After major foaming stops in a few days add some water and then keep your hands off of it. (Don't shake it! Don't mess with them yeastees! Let them alone except its okay to open your cabinet to smell every once in a while.

Racking --- Don't you dare
additional feeding --- NO NO
More stirring or shaking -- Your not listening, don't touch

After 2 months and maybe a few days it will slow down to a stop and clear all by itself. (How about that) (You are not so important after all) Then you can put a hose in with a small cloth filter on the end into the clear part and syphon off the golden nectar. If you wait long enough even the oranges will sink to the bottom but I never waitied that long. If it is clear it is ready. You don't need a cold basement. It does better in a kitchen in the dark. (like in a cabinet) likes a little heat (70-80). If it didn't work out... you screwed up and didn't read my instructions (or used grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away) . If it didn't work out then take up another hobby. Mead is not for you. It is too complicated.

If you were sucessful, which I am 99% certain you will be, then enjoy your mead. When you get ready to make a different mead you will probably have to unlearn some of these practices I have taught you, but hey--- This recipe and procedure works with these ingredients so don't knock it. It was your first mead. It was my tenth. Sometimes, even the experts can forget all they know and make a good ancient mead.

[Richard Stewart]

I just picked up 120# of Orange Blossom.

I am selling half and the rest I am hoping to put aside for mead later this year.
_________________
Richard Stewart
Carriage House Farm

An Ohio Century Farm Est 1855

North Bend, OH

[Flowergirl]

Hey boys,

If you need a totally unbiased taste-tester, I'm your girl! Call me!

<3
C

[Mike]

When this batch is ready, I'll bring some out Cindy. I'm really working on trying to make it drier though. Hey Richard, do you do 5 gallon batches? If so, do you think I can do a modified version of the simple mead I posted? I guess I'd need some better yeasties though.