How does one brew mead?

[Crazed Rabbit]

Well, being Irish American and a college student, I am in an unusual position. There is a plethora of beer around, but the most of it is really cheap crap.

How, then, to fully appreciate my heritage and enjoy a good drink? I figured why not brew some of my own?

So I was wondering if I could tap the vast well of knowledge that is The Org and find out how to brew mead - it seems it needs less sending off for supplies than beer.

Considering my current abode, I'm looking at a 1 gallon at a time, but don't let that stop you from elaborating on a certain method that may not be availible to me yet.

Thanks in advance for information, references, etc!

Crazed Rabbit

[drone]

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=74195
King Henry V asked the same question not too long ago. Some good tips in this thread, and I put in a recipe I tried a while back.
:medievalcheers: :barrel: :medievalcheers:

[naut]

It's fermented honey right? But anyway what drone said.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Shouldn't you be trying to brew your own stout?

[Sensei Warrior]

MMMMMMMMMM Mead. Yum, what better way to celebrate your heritage.

Seems like drone's got ya covered.

~:medievalcheers:

[Banquo's Ghost]

Shouldn't you be trying to brew your own stout?

If Rabbit really wants to celebrate his heritage by brewing illegal liquor he has no other option than poteen.

Instructions (http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Article/785117) (as if Irishmen ever followed instructions ~:rolleyes: )

Of course, to make it taste just right, you need a garda to chase you for a couple of kilometres and then nip round the back to share the good stuff with you.

:2thumbsup:

[Crazed Rabbit]

Illegal liquor? My good Ghost, surely you do not think me a criminal? ~;p

Seriously, I think it is legal to brew your own beverages for your own enjoyment.

I didn't know mead took 6 months - sheesh! Perhaps I'll look into beer, but I don't know what equipment that requires.

CR

[Sensei Warrior]

Beer doesn't take as long as mead. I personally suggest you do both. Start a batch of mead, then whip up some beer to occupy your time through the 6 month wait. Heck in the middle you could try making some poteen that Banquo's Ghost suggested.

[drone]

You probably don't need to wait 6 months, but it will make the drink smoother. Complete fermentation for mead does take a while though. A basic ale will need to ferment for 1 week, although I usually go an extra week with a secondary fermenter.

My advice to you would be to either buy or check out from the library the book mentioned in the other thread, The New Complete Joy of Homebrewing, by Charlie Papazian. Read through it, and get a feel for how involved you want to get. Also, search around your area to find out who sells homebrew supplies. You can get everything online, but it's nice to see the stuff first and be able to ask questions.

[macsen rufus]

It all depends how authentic you want your heritage experience, really....

First catch your swarm of bees ...... etc etc etc :beam:

[King Henry V]

OK, so I've finally got round to making some mead, or metheglin to be more precise. I found a recipe in my old Dorset Cookbook. It looks as though it's easy to make, and the maturing period is a lot shorter.

Metheglin Or Spiced Mead:

Ingredients:

5 lbs (2.25 kg) honey
8 pints (4.5 litres) water
Juice and thinly peeled rind of 1 orange
Two Sticks of Cinnamon (or a sprig or rosemary if you prefer)
6 pieces of clove (or a sprig of marjoram)
A small piece of ginger root
1/2 oz (20g) fresh baker's yeast

Optional (to make your mead more succesful):

1 1/3 level teaspoon of yeast nutrient

1 1/3 campden tablets, crushed

Sterilise the containers with sterilising agent.

Put the water, orage rind, cinnamon, clove and ginger into a large saucepan.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 mintues.

Stain the liquid.

Pour the strained liquid on to the honey.

Stir until the honey has dissolved.

Leave the liquid until it is hand-hot.

Add the orange juice, the yeast, the crushed campden tablets and the yeast nutrient.

Cover and leave to ferment for 24 hours.

Pour into a fermentation jar with an airlock.

Leave in a warm place to finish fermenting.

Leave in a cool place for at least three weeks.

Pour into bottles and store.