101 replies to this topic

[YoGetDog]

I love mead but i have only brewed ales and lagers, and soon to start brewing hard cider this fall when the apple seasons starts.

Edited by YoGetDog, 29 June 2012 - 11:45 PM.

[Nemecide]

I've had mead once and really enjoyed it. I'm typically a beer man but I'll need to make the effort to find some mead the next time I'm out shopping for alcohol.

[Catzklawz]

For those of you that can't get it in your area try this it's faster then waiting on brewing your own

1/2 gallon water
1-1/2 cups raw honey, different honeys can change the flavor drastically, I use apple blossom or clover in the
winter for spiceyness
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice, rounded
1/2 cup Everclear ® non flavored 75% alchohol, some of you over seas guys can get better. The key is the distilation that doesn't change the flavor of the rest. or skip it for the flavor in a non alchoholic version for the kids
Note;

Honey is the only known dietary reservoir of C. botulinum spores linked to infant botulism. For this reason honey should not be fed to infants less than one year. There is no known treatment either and its highly fatal

Slowly heat all ingredients together --- except the alcohol --- in a large stock pot. As the honey melts, an oily crust will form on the top of the meade. You can leave it there, for some feel this adds to the full-bodied texture of the meade, while others will tell you to skim it off. Do not allow the meade to come to a roiling boil. When it is well blended, remove from the heat, stirring occasionally until it settles. When it has cooled, add the Everclear ® and serve.

Edited by Catzklawz, 01 July 2012 - 01:21 PM.

[Striker1980]

Gunnarr, on 09 April 2012 - 10:24 PM, said:

Hope that would garner some fracking attention.

This almost seems like it should go in the off topic forum, but honestly this caters to FRR members more than anything. Who ACTUALLY drinks mead other than me? And who actually home brews it? AND... who is actually willing to help keep my FRR brothers well stocked in mead?

-Gunnarr, alleged bad ***

P.S. I'm not too tech savvy, so how do you make this into one of them newfangled poll thigies?

Hell yeah, I'm from just south of Northumberland where monks have been getting merry on Mead for over 1400 years!, my wife is a HUGE mead fan and I've been known to sample the odd tipple myself, never been tempted to brew it myself however (no bees!) I may purchase an apiary one day if I buy a house with a bigger garden.

[Machalel]

Yep, got some maturing right now

Unfortunately we don't get anything other than "maxwells" reliably here in Australia, so I've had to start learning myself

[Dihm]

A month or less before bottling... I'm trying not to get excited and continue ignoring.

[Tooninki]

Resistance is futile Dihm!
Its a Borg way!
Should try that myself, as my GF is visiting her parents 500km away so theres no distractions...

[Nicolai Malthus]

I live down the street from a meadery with an awesome lounge. http://www.rabbitsfootmeadery.com/

[Zentraedi57]

I know what it is but have never tried it but would like to...

[firequill]

For those that want to try it out for themselves, remember, patience IS a virtue.

Also, don't skimp on the ingredients too much.


Far too often people get put off from brewing something in 2 weeks on cheap supermarket honey and baking yeast, and then think that the resulting abomination is what mead is.

There's really no right or wrong way to spice or mix meads, But there exists naming-conventions to avoid confusion.
Since mead is one of the oldest forms of fermented drink the list is huuuuge, but some of the most common ones here:


Mead : Honey and water (common denominator name)
Melomel : Halfbreed between fruit and honey fermentation
Cyser : A melomel that's a cross between hard cider and mead. (usually apples)
Metheglin : Spiced mead.
Pyment : Honey and grape mixed fermentation.


Also, Mead in it's very basic and original form consist of two things, and two things only:

Water
and
Honey.

Honey that isn't destroyed by processing is self-fermenting, so all that's needed is water.
The trouble is getting honey that's not contaminated with pollution (especially nowadays) so getting a good batch out of it is a bit hit and miss, and that's not a good thing for something you have to wait on for such a long time.

In my opinion a GOOD mead is made from prime honey, fresh, clean water and then aged for a few years.

So called short-meads can be made if you want something to drink within a few weeks, but beware, you'll have to add all sorts of seasonings to hide the stressed flavours.
I'd rather just buy a bottle and make something proper in the meantime.

As always, drink responsibly.

P.s, If a bottle says "best mead in the world" it probably isn't.
The "best" mead probably won't even be bottled, it'll be forgotten in some old coot's basement aging for 30 years.
not in a flashy bottle made by some corporation.

Edited by firequill, 15 July 2012 - 03:10 AM.

[Icebound]

I just tried authentic mead for the first time the other day, not the honey-infused wine crap.

And it.... is... gross, sorry.

It just tastes like honey flavored white wine, and I hate wine =/

Although in it's defense, it does get you drunk so fast that you can't taste it after a few tankards.

Oh well, back to UV blue-raspberry vodka for me xD

[Machalel]

Icebound, on 20 July 2012 - 12:35 PM, said:

Oh well, back to UV blue-raspberry vodka for me xD

o_O

that....errr...

each to their own
hahaha

[Icebound]

Machalel, on 20 July 2012 - 07:00 PM, said:

o_O

that....errr...

each to their own
hahaha

Yeah I think there's something wrong with me too, I can drink straight hard liquor easier than I can a glass of wine. But UV is just soooo good with Sprite.

[Tipps]

I have never had mead before, but since I and 4 or 5 other friends will be joining the FRR, I have ordered a shipment of mead from out of town (can't get it locally) so we can celebrate!

[Padrige Bjorn]

I sadly am not old enough yet. But I once had a small taste. If I become an alcoholic (not planning on it), it'll be on the nectar of the Norse Gods.

[Jakel]

I just bottled up 40 or so bottles of mead 2 weeks ago. Comercial mead doesn't compare to good home brewed mead. I did 3 gallong batches of a Vanilla Mead, Maple Mead, and an awesome Sweet Mead that's been aging for about 20 months. I also had a 1 gallon batch of Habanero/Orange Mead.

[Padrige Bjorn]

Jakel, on 10 October 2012 - 08:34 AM, said:

I just bottled up 40 or so bottles of mead 2 weeks ago. Comercial mead doesn't compare to good home brewed mead. I did 3 gallong batches of a Vanilla Mead, Maple Mead, and an awesome Sweet Mead that's been aging for about 20 months. I also had a 1 gallon batch of Habanero/Orange Mead.

PLEASE NO MORE! I CAN'T STAND IT! MUST HAVE!!!!!! Oh wait. Damn. I can't yet.
AAAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!

[Ledaal Liao]

I'm a big fan of mead, though I brew only heather gruit and pine ale.

[Nexx Nisshoko]

Thanks to this, I'm going to go home and drink mead right now! This may even result in drunken mech explosions or even some flirtation with the wife. You sir have started something big here.

[Markus Kurita]

Love Mead. One of the perks of having your FRR folk right on our border. Keep a'brewin', boys. We'll trade for...um...rice.