Mead

[k45]

I started another batch of mead this afternoon, thanks to the support and encouragement of coreblue. It's been over eight years since my last one, which we drank the last bottle of last weekend.

Homebrewers typically keep a log; I'm using LiveJournal for mine..

Austin Homebrew Supply Sweet Traditional Mead

Ingredients

• 15 pounds wildflower honey
  
• 4 gallons Ozarka Spring Water
  
• Sweet Mead Additive Pack
  
• White Labs Sweet Mead yeast, # WLP720
  

According to the printed recipe, the additives should be 5 teaspoons of Fermax Yeast Nutrient, 6 teaspoons of acid blend, and 1 teaspoon of grape tannin. I bought it as one premixed 2 ounce pack with those three ingredients listed but proportions not specified.

Procedure

1. yeast has been at room temperature for about half an hour before starting
   
2. brought 2 gallons water to 185 F while the other two refrigerated
   
3. reduced heat and added honey
   
4. stirred until honey mixed well
   
5. noted a temperature around 160 F, increased heat, and started 20 minute timer
   
6. attempted to keep at 180 F, but didn't actually get back up to that temperature for several minutes
   
7. meanwhile, sterilized equipment with 02 ("one step")
   
8. at end of 20 minute timer, removed from heat
   
9. added 2 gallons of refrigerated water (but not actually that cold)
   
10. added additives (oops, could have done this earlier)
    
11. used wort chiller to bring down to 80 F
    
12. pitched yeast and covered
    

At 84 F I measured the gravity as 1.109, which according to our handy-dandy table normalizes to 1.112.

I should note that this was all with a new thermometer. We think we calibrated it correctly, but maybe not.