But first, shouldn't we at least explore a wee bit of the history that defines such a noble beverage? Certainly it's a beverage  to be enjoyed  while pondering many things, and its rich history certainly ought to be one of them...
 
 
 

 It is believed that mead was the first alcoholic beverage known to man, most likely being discovered after a bowl of bread and honey was accidentally left  to ferment- the natural breakdown of sugars that are present in fruits and  vegetables.  Upon tasting the transformed product, eventually they would discover how to create the conditions to speed up the process, and control it to yield more palatable results.   Mead would become the official drink of royalty long before thoughts of wine making would ever be conceived.

Even the term "honeymoon" is derived from the ancient practice of celebrating a new marriage with this custom:
The father of the bride would supply his new son-in-law with as much mead as the couple wished to consume for an entire month after the ceremony; since their calendar was based on the phases of the moon, the term honey-of-the-moon would simply become honeymoon.  Why do this, you might wonder? It was believed to enhance fertility, and increase the chance of conceiving a son!

The ancient Norsemen, as well as others,  were worldwide travelers and great brewers for many a century before many other peoples ventured out into the world, and their skills would be shared as they spread across the continents.
Honey mead would be known to many of them long before beer, wine, and distilled beverages would ever come about

Throughout ancient times and modern day alike, mead has held a special place in the hearts of those who have partaken in it; those who have not  miss not only a noble bit of history, but also the magic it conjures at will.
 

 

Experience tells me that most melomels (fruited meads) are best left for at least a year, even three or more, before they are served more frequently than just for "scientific reasons", while classic pure honey meads might be readily enjoyed in as little as six months to a year. Of course, a five-year old honey-mead is something that cannot be rivaled.  I tend to think of it as creating top-notch wines, although I don't actually have much experience with them; It's easy to think to one's self:  "I have spent a long time and a lot of effort on this project; do I not want to see it through, and realize its full potential, though that day may be many months from now?"
 Of course it helps to remember my first attempt at wine making; I put a lot of effort into that batch, but had no idea what a good wine should taste like, since I'm actually not fond of it; I was purely working at it for the experience.  Many months went by, and I cared for  it as if it were my finest batch of beer- something I could relate to.   One day a  good friend of mine was here for a visit, and I sent him home with a half-gallon sample of the wine, asking him for his opinion as it progressed.  He was much more educated on the subject, and would give his honest opinion on a moment's notice.

 Almost a year went by. Four and a half gallons of wine which I would not drink sat there each day, laughing at me as it took up valuable beer-making space. Why should I keep it?  I would ask myself many a time, before finally deciding to dump it, and make the carboy it filled available once again.    With a bit of a sick feeling in my stomach and a glimpse of regret for doing it, I poured it all down the sink and reclaimed the container for later use.      Not two days later, I knew why that feeling was so strong:   I got an e-mail, and was told how awesome
the wine had turned out, along with an inquiry as to whether or not I had any left!     I just sat there and laughed for several minutes before breaking the news about how I had just fed the worms in my back yard with it.
 Still, rather than regret it as a bad judgment, I rejoiced in having learned a valuable lesson: Some  batches will not be ready in just a few weeks or months, they  may take years to develop- so if the style that's being brewed has that potential aging requirement, have patience.  Chances are it'll be worth the wait.

 

Mead making follows many of the standard "rules for brewers" -  that is to say, the basic procedures that all brewers must follow also apply here.   Don't let that scare you, though- the single MOST IMPORTANT factor in successful brewing is simply sanitation.   There's no such thing as keeping your work area too clean, and your batches will always reward your efforts.   Following the basic home brewing methods for sterilizing your equipment is quick, inexpensive, and so simple there's just no reason you should have any problems.
If you are not familiar with these techniques, I suggest you buy or perhaps borrow a copy of "The Complete Joy of Home Brewing", by Papazian.  Mr. Papazian's book is well known as the single most helpful guide to getting started, in a very easy-to-follow manner.  Also included is a section dedicated to mead-making, as well as several recipes.

 Assuming you have studied the basics of brewing, you'll need a few simple tools as well:  This list is a basic one, you may find several other gadgets that will make it more fun to brew as you progress. Most homebrew shops can supply you with everything you need for mead making as well as beer and often wine, too.

  A cooking pot capable of holding up to 3 gallons is essential;  A 5 gallon pot is even better

  A glass carboy makes a perfect fermenter. Best of all, there are standard 2.8 gallon ones available, perfect for smaller batches such as mead.  (Of course you can use a gallon jug for very small experiments; A common wine jug works great for this purpose)  A 5 gallon carboy normally costs around $15

  However, if you plan to make a lot of fruit meads, a plastic fermenting bucket with lid will work best for the initial phase, as it will allow you to remove larger bits of fruit that could possibly block the airlock. In any event, it will surely be easier to skim off the fruit from a more open container when the time comes.  Transferring the batch into a carboy later on will allow you to watch the batch progress, as well as offering the most desirable secondary container.

  An airlock is essential to allow gas created during the fermentation to escape the fermenter, while preventing air from entering.  A simple device that costs less than a buck. You'll need a drilled rubber stopper to go with it, be sure to know the diameter of the container you are using.  (Standard carboys use a #6 stopper, your homebrew supplier knows this and will have them available)  Most drilled stoppers cost under a dollar.

  A hydrometer will help you monitor the progress of your batch, and with it you can calculate the alcohol content of your mead.   Cost: around $5

  An accurate thermometer  is highly desirable, as it is critical to be sure we don't overheat our yeast, killing it.
Digital thermometers are available for about $20, and worth every penny.  The range we need to cover is from 40 degrees Fahrenheit to boiling.

  A racking cane and syphon tube are all you need to transfer your mead from the fermenter to another container as you continually remove the settled particles during the process;  If your budget is low, it's easy to transfer your batch from the carboy to a bottling bucket while you clean the carboy, then return the mead back to it afterward- without having to invest in a second carboy.  A bottling bucket is simply a food-grade plastic bucket that's fit with a spigot for ease of bottling your mead.  For the few dollars they cost, it's worth investing in one.

  Sterilizing your equipment can be as simple as adding a couple tablespoons of chlorine bleach to 5 gallons of water and soaking your equipment for a few minutes, then rinsing it well.  The cost is less than a penny!
 Idophor,  an iodine- based agent, is available at homebrew shops for a couple dollars, and when mixed properly can be simply air-dried after use.  While not required, I swear by it and use it exclusively.

 When it's time to bottle, you'll need a bottle capper, bottle caps, and enough bottles to hold your batch.
 Bottle cappers come in a wide variety of styles and price ranges; A good hand-held model can be had for under $10, and a gross of bottle caps can usually be had for around $2.  Bottles can be purchased new at the homebrew shop, or if you don't mind a little labor, you can recycle your own. Be sure to discard any twist-cap ones, those can't be recapped properly.

Since honey is the single most dominant ingredient in mead,  its origin will have a profound effect on the final flavor.  Honey is created from the pollen of millions of flowers per pound, and that pollen will dictate the strength, color, and flavor of it.  Orange blossom honey has a delicate orange flavor, but not enough to stand up if we decide to add other fruits or spices to our mead; Buckwheat honey is much stronger and darker, but not really a good base for mead making.  Clover honey, fortunately, is very common and one of the least expensive, making it a desirable choice for mead.   An excellent source of clover mead is in your local warehouse club, where it's often sold very reasonably priced in 5-pound containers.  Of course you can find it in your local supermarket, but the price will be about double, perhaps even more.    For an average batch of honey, figure 2 to 3 pounds of honey per gallon of mead.

Water is also an important factor in mead- since we'll be drinking it, we want the best water available, with no chlorine or other chemicals in it that will harm the yeast.   Basically, you can do a simple taste test right from your faucet; if the water from the tap is pleasant tasting and has no chlorine flavor, it should make good brewing water. If not, bottled water is a good substitute.

Yeast plays a crucial factor in brewing, of course.  For mead there are several types available, or, if you don't cook the honey, there will be sufficient yeast in it to ferment the batch with no added cultures!  The down side to  this is that when brewing with the naturally present yeast, the brewer has no control over the exact strain that will dominate, perhaps lending himself to a sour-flavored batch.  But hey, this was done for many a century, and if you do this, you'll truly carry on an ancient tradition.
 Commercial yeast such as Wyeast, Red Star, and Pasteur  all make yeast that are fine for mead making; any good champagne yeast will work well for mead. However, these yeast will result in a high-alcohol content and dry finish. If you wish to preserve some of the original sweetness but still end up with an intermediate mix of potency and dryness, Lalvin K1V brewer's yeast will probably work better for you.  If you prefer a low alcohol content and wish to retain as much of the original honey flavor as possible,  a less attenuative yeast such as  Flor Sherry would be in order.  Wyeast labs also makes both a sweet and dry yeast in liquid form, but I have only used it once, noticing a very slow fermentation that was prone to getting stuck often.

 By halting the fermentation at a chosen time (sooner for sweet mead, later for drier, more fully developed), we can effectively create the type we want after a few tests to learn their behavior.

Many mead makers add yeast nutrients and/or acid blend to their must to help promote healthy fermentation, while I personally do not.  I'm not an all-natural-only type, but I do enjoy keeping my chemical additions to a bare minimum if I don't require them.  My whole method of cooking is  one of trying to extract the maximum pleasure from the simplest of ingredients I suppose.   While most fruits and berries have a healthy dose of natural acid in them, plain honey does not; It is sometimes advantageous to add a small amount of acid blend to pure honey meads for two reasons. First, it helps counter a bit of the natural sweetness; Second,  yeast is one of the few bacteria that enjoy a high-acid environment, so the chances  of a successful "clean" ferment are higher, as many bad bacteria will not thrive in such an environment.
 

  Spices, fruits, and sometimes herbs are frequently added to the must to create a wide variety of flavors. Each lends a unique effect, as you will discover.   Personally I have found that tart fruits create a more pleasing flavor than do some sweet ones, as the honey is naturally sweet to begin with, although a dry mead will certainly subdue that sweetness.  Cranberries are a favorite ingredient in many of my recipes, as are strawberries.
 A blend of both was declared the winner at a local homebrew contest; to this day that blend is one of the best I've concocted.  The next, a peach, did not fare nearly so well, but it's been several years now, and time for another taste;  perhaps it is not so sweet now, and will prove itself worth my labor.  Such is the intrigue of these long-term projects!
 

 Yeast nutrients are sometimes used to "jump start" the fermentation, due to the fact that must is not highly desirable in its early stages as a food for the yeast.  In simple terms, these nutrients act as "baby food" upon which the yeast feeds until it reproduces to the point it's well established.  Available in homebrew shops,  a teaspoon or so is often all that's needed to help ensure a healthy start.   Personally I've never had a need for them, but it's good to have a dose available in the case of a stuck fermentation.

 In your pot add 2 gallons of water and 5 pounds of clover honey. Stirring often, slowly bring the temperature to 160-170 F and then remove it from the heat.  Remove about a half-cup of the liquid and set it aside. Allow the main batch  to cool to below 85 degrees maximum, and sprinkle a packet of champagne yeast over the top of it. Do not stir it in, just leave it undisturbed for 5 minutes then stir it very vigorously, and transfer it to the sterilized fermenter, and shake it some more.  Put the airlock in place, add a little bit of water or vodka to the chamber, and relax... by the next day, you'll likely see it merrily perking away, indicating that your session is a success!   IF by chance you see no action, don't despair- mead is often a very, very sluggish sort of thing, and little or no perking in the airlock is quite common.  Depending on the yeast you use, it could take anywhere from a day or two to a month or two for the action to begin and subside!

Sorry, mead making is NOT for those in a rush!   This is where the hydrometer serves its purpose, we can monitor the progress by comparing it to the original gravity, or O.G. (referring to the instructions for your hydrometer will familiarize you with its use. Don't worry, it's simple)   Take that half-cup of honey-water you put aside, and pour it into the tube your hydrometer came in; The hydrometer will float in the liquid, and indicate the O.G.   Adjust your reading according to the temperature chart, and record your O.G, keeping it for later use.
 Later you will remove a small sample of your mead, and check the specific gravity, comparing it both to the O.G  and the last reading you took.  When the readings remain unchanged for an entire week, the fermentation is complete.     Transfer the mead to another sterilized container to begin the clarification process; repeat this about once a week until you are happy with the clarity, then bottle it per general bottling methods.
 You can either carbonate it at bottling time to make a sparkling mead, or leave it unchanged for a still mead, the option is yours.  The method of carbonation is up to you; adding dextrose is the common method, just like for beer making. Again, much of these procedures have been discussed in detail in my beer brewing pages, I won't repeat them  here.
 

  

5 lb. clover honey
2 gallons spring water
1 packet Pasteur champagne yeast
 

Combine water and honey in fermenter.  In a sterile cup of warm water, sprinkle yeast on top and allow to rest undisturbed 5 minutes.   Pour into fermenter, shake vigorously for 2 minutes, place airlock, and ferment.
 
When primary fermentation slows, rack to secondary. Re-rack weekly to satisfactory clarity. Bottle and store in a cool, dark place to condition.
 
 
 

 Hull strawberries if needed; Half cranberries or crush well.
In a large pot, combine  honey, with at least two gallons of water.
Over low heat bring slowly to 165 -170 degrees,  skimming off any white foam that gathers on the surface.
Remove from heat, and stir in fruit and Irish moss. Allow to steep, covered, for 20 minutes.

Cool to below 80 degrees, and transfer to fermenter, fruit included.
Pitch two packets champagne yeast per instructions, and allow to ferment 7 days.  Rack to secondary to remove as much fruit pulp as possible, and continue to ferment to completion.  Rack as required on a weekly basis to clarify.  Bottle and age when ready.   Good in a year, much better in two, best after 3!
 

28 tree-ripened peaches, at the peak of freshness
5 lb. clover honey
Water to create 2 gallons
 

Wash peaches, removing any  stems, spots, and other defects.  Pit and chop coarsely

In a large pot combine honey, peaches, and  a gallon of water.  Slowly heat to 165-170 degrees, remove from heat, and allow to steep 20 minutes.  Cool to below 80 degrees, and pitch 1 packet Champagne yeast per instructions.   Transfer to fermenter, ferment no longer than 7 days on fruit, then rack to secondary to remove fruit. Continue fermentation to completion, racking weekly to clarify.   Bottle when ready. Age a minimum of 3 years.
 
 
 

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