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INGREDIENTS for each gallon of mead to be made:
2 1/2 to 3 lbs. (about 26 - 32 fl. oz.)unprocessed honey (dry to semi-sweet)
Water to one gallon (Specific Gravity - 1.085 - 1.105)
1 tsp. Super Ferment (or 2 tsp. regular "nutrient")
2 tsp. acid blend (or 3/4 tsp. tartaric acid & 1 1/4 tsp. malic acid)
1/4 tsp grape tannin
1 campden tablet* (crushed- or substitute 1/8 tsp. sodium metabisulfite)
1-2 pkgs. wine (e.g. Premier Cuvee, Champagne, Cote des Blancs, Sherry)
or mead yeast
PROCEDURE:
1. Mix all the ingredients EXCEPT the yeast and the campden tablet. Stir
the must until the honey and additives are completely dissolved. Cover
the pail to keep out dust and air with the large plastic sheet.
2. Crush and dissolve the campden tablet in 1 oz. of warm water. Add this
to the must and stir well. Cover the pail again and tie down the plastic
sheet. Let the must stand for one day, stirring several times.
*ALTERNATIVE: Heat honey with an equal volume of water to 180°F and
let stand for 15 minutes to pasteurize. (DO NOT BOIL!) Cool and add remainder
of water before proceeding to next step.
3. Rehydrate the dried yeast by sprinkling it into 1/2 cup lukewarm (95
- 100° F) water in a sanitized jar and cover for 20 minutes. (If using
"Mead" yeast, prepare a starter 48 hours prior to using.) Add
the yeast "slurry "/starter to mixture. Re-cover the primary
fermenter and allow fermentation to proceed for 5-7 days or until foaming
subsides.
4. Syphon the mead into a sterile glass jug. Avoid the transfer of sediment
and aeration as much as possible. Be sure the mead completely fills the
jug - into the neck. Attach a fermentation lock and allow the fermentation
to go to completion (.995 - 1.020 S.G.).
5. One week after fermentation has ceased, syphon the mead into another
sterile glass jug. Again, avoid the transfer of sediment and aeration.
Crush, dissolve and add 1/2 campden tablet per gallon to the mead. Allow
the mead to stand for one month in a cool dark place and repeat "racking"
process. If at the end of three months, the mead is clear - bottle it.
If it is not clear, repeat this step every month until it is clear and
then bottle it. The mead may be sweetened to taste with additional honey,
if desired, after stabilization (1/2 tsp. potassium sorbate & 1/2
campden tablet per gallon).
Note: All equipment should be well washed and sterilized with a solution of sodium metabisulphite. Fermentation temperatures should be no lower than 60 degrees F. or higher than 80 degrees F.
For an interesting variation, try adding a 6 oz. can frozen juice (e.g. orange, apple, cranberry) and cut back on the acid blend by 1 tsp.
Ratio for different meads - (parts by volume honey: parts
by volume water)
DRY: 1:4 (2 1/2 lbs. honey per gallon)
SEMI-DRY: 1:3 (3 lbs. honey per gallon)
SWEET: 1:2.5 (4 lbs. honey per gallon)
