Mead Brewing (Was: [rescue] Re: Way OT: Never trust Best Buy.)

[George Adkins]

> > >   Actually not...maybe I'm just half drunk on George Adkins' mead.
>
> I gotta do that again, too. This time I'll do a 5-gal batch instead of a
> 1-gal, tho. (The ingredients get pretty pricey... that's a lotta honey,
> isn't it?)
>
It really depends on the batch...  I have used anywhere from 2 pounds/gal all 
the way up to 5.5 pounds/gal (that one was so heavy, it took 9 months to 
ferment completely and clear...)

> Last time I was too impatient. I kept "trying it" to see if it was
> ready. By the time it was half gone, it was just about ready. And the
> last bit was really quite tasty. Gotta be more patient. Put it somewhere
> and set a cron entry on one of the computers to email me a reminder in 6
> months or so...
Time depends on the Recipe/ Honey content.
Here's one you can ferment in 2-liter pop bottles if you just don't screw the 
lids down tight (juuuust until the seal makes contact, plus a tiny, tiny 
bit).  Instead of re-bottling, you can just seal the 2-liters. (However, 
store them in a waterproof container with a lid if you choose to pressurize )

I prefer short meads, Here's a recipe:

1.5 - 2 pounds (700 - 900 g) dark honey
water q.s. 1 gallon (this means quantity sufficient to make 1 gallon total)
juice of 1 small or 1/2 large lemon (must be fresh to avoid preservatives 
that will kill yeast, slightly acidic mixture promotes yeast growth)

combine honey and water to make 1 gallon, place in aluminum or glass kettle 
and bring to vigorous boil.  Lower heat to low boil and boil for 1 hour, 
skimming of the waxy scum that forms on the surface.  Remove from heat, cool 
to 100 degrees F (37 C) and add lemon (or lime or orange as you like) juice 
and yeast culture.  Place in primary fermenter (spectatularly clean and 
residue-free) and ferment for 10-14 days from the time the bubbling starts in 
the fermentation lock.  
Then :
a. for a pleasantly dry light mead, ferment all the way out  and bottle, age 
for 1-2 months for best flavor.
Or:
b. bottle in champagne bottles or 12oz longnecks and cap/cork.  Place bottles 
in waterproof rigid storage container, neck-up (not flat).  Age another week 
or so and begin enjoying your sparkling mead.  Consume before bottles begin 
exploding.  

If you time this right, or have a feel for it, you can get the carbonation 
just right and it will keep in the bottle for years.  IIRC the mead that dave 
is drinking is about 3 years old.  The carbonation has died down somewhat, 
but the batch (which was Extra-Extra-Extra dry in the beginning) has mellowed 
and smoothed beautifully over the years.  I think I still have a couple of 
bottles left...