Mead Making Mead Making 101101

(A Short Course)(A Short Course)

By: Andy HemkenBy: Andy Hemken

Bee & Mead GuyBee & Mead Guy

Big Bend, WisconsinBig Bend, Wisconsin

Despite what you have Despite what you have heard, mead is the heard, mead is the easiest alcoholic easiest alcoholic

beverage you can make beverage you can make in your spare time. Not in your spare time. Not

perfect, but easy.perfect, but easy.

Beekeepers are Beekeepers are Natural Natural

Mead MakersMead MakersChuck, Tony & PaulAt the club yard

MeadMead Worlds oldest fermented beverageWorlds oldest fermented beverage Newlyweds drink mead during the Newlyweds drink mead during the

honeymoon (first 30 days) to insure honeymoon (first 30 days) to insure fertilityfertility

Made from honey, water & yeastMade from honey, water & yeast Mead is the root for other beveragesMead is the root for other beverages Takes two years for the good stuffTakes two years for the good stuff Is relatively simple to make with basic Is relatively simple to make with basic

tools and materialstools and materials Cleanliness is next to godliness Cleanliness is next to godliness

Why am I so thirsty Why am I so thirsty when I had so much to when I had so much to

drink last night?drink last night?

““Other” MeadsOther” Meads Honey = meadHoney = mead Grapes = pymentGrapes = pyment Apples = ciserApples = ciser Fruit = melomelFruit = melomel Malted grain = braggotMalted grain = braggot Herbs or spices = metheglinHerbs or spices = metheglin Distilled mead = mead brandyDistilled mead = mead brandy Mead brandy + honey = honey Mead brandy + honey = honey

liqueurliqueur

Mead IngredientsMead Ingredients HoneyHoney

Mead will mirror the honey Mead will mirror the honey

WaterWater Spring water is best / no distilled, mineral, or Spring water is best / no distilled, mineral, or

chlorinatedchlorinated

YeastYeast Dry / liquid / slap packDry / liquid / slap pack

OtherOther Fruit (freeze & thaw) / nutrient powder / etcFruit (freeze & thaw) / nutrient powder / etc

Yeast feeds on the Yeast feeds on the sugars, and creates sugars, and creates

carbon dioxide carbon dioxide and alcohol as and alcohol as

waste products.waste products.

EquipmentEquipment

Starting MeadStarting Mead HoneyHoney

Do not boil or heat the honeyDo not boil or heat the honey Mix water & honey to dissolve the honeyMix water & honey to dissolve the honey

WaterWater Fruit or AdditivesFruit or Additives

Freeze & thaw fruit to unlock the flavorFreeze & thaw fruit to unlock the flavor Yeast nutrientYeast nutrient Check the Check the specific gravity specific gravity – – Important / Important /

progressprogress Yeast Yeast

Prepare the yeast ahead of time / add lastPrepare the yeast ahead of time / add last Record everythingRecord everything – – start / each racking / start / each racking /

finishfinish

Starting Mead - continuedStarting Mead - continued 1 gallon / 3 gallon / 5 gallon / 6 gallon 1 gallon / 3 gallon / 5 gallon / 6 gallon

batch; or morebatch; or more Primary fermentersPrimary fermenters

Bucket / fancy containersBucket / fancy containers Temperature; 60° - 80°Temperature; 60° - 80° Keep everything sanitizedKeep everything sanitized Active fermentation may take a week Active fermentation may take a week

or two – look at the bubblesor two – look at the bubbles

RecipesRecipes 15-20 pounds of honey for a 5 gallon batch15-20 pounds of honey for a 5 gallon batch Add water to make up starting gravityAdd water to make up starting gravity 10-20 pounds of fruit, depending on sugar 10-20 pounds of fruit, depending on sugar

contentcontent 10 grams of yeast nutrient10 grams of yeast nutrient Ciser or pyment, use fruit juice instead of Ciser or pyment, use fruit juice instead of

waterwater You are shooting for a balance of honey You are shooting for a balance of honey

and flavor – don’t over power your meadand flavor – don’t over power your mead Everyone has their own preferencesEveryone has their own preferences

Common Fruit in MeadCommon Fruit in Mead(fresh or juice, hand picked, store bought or (fresh or juice, hand picked, store bought or

bartered)bartered) RaspberryRaspberry CherryCherry Black CurrantBlack Currant BlueberryBlueberry StrawberryStrawberry BlackberryBlackberry Cranberry Cranberry ApplesApples GrapesGrapes

Documenting the ProcessDocumenting the Process Write everything downWrite everything down You can recreate a great meadYou can recreate a great mead You can tweak a so-so meadYou can tweak a so-so mead Record what works and what bombedRecord what works and what bombed Keep the record with the meadKeep the record with the mead Label your meads when bottlingLabel your meads when bottling See internet blogs for troubleshooting See internet blogs for troubleshooting

hintshints

The ProcessThe Process Storage of your working meadsStorage of your working meads Racking: removing sedimentRacking: removing sediment

Eventually the mead will get clearEventually the mead will get clear Keep the vapor lock full of waterKeep the vapor lock full of water

Oxygen is very bad for meadOxygen is very bad for mead Mead may be drinkable in several Mead may be drinkable in several

months, but will be better at 18-24 months, but will be better at 18-24 monthsmonths

Meads should continue to improve Meads should continue to improve with agewith age

Racking and SedimentRacking and Sediment

Your Mead AreaYour Mead Area(my mead area)(my mead area)

•Dark

•Clean

•Constant temperature

•Store your stuff

Bottling Your MeadBottling Your Mead Clean bottles, just like your honey Clean bottles, just like your honey

containers – they hold something you containers – they hold something you worked hard forworked hard for

Can use wine, beer or other bottlesCan use wine, beer or other bottles Last racking before bottlingLast racking before bottling Bottling bucketBottling bucket Corks – different kindsCorks – different kinds Create a good label; lots to choose fromCreate a good label; lots to choose from

Specific Gravity – What is it?Specific Gravity – What is it?Water is 1.000Water is 1.000

fruit juice is more / alcohol is lessfruit juice is more / alcohol is less

Specific GravitySpecific Gravity Starting gravity = 1.080 – 1.120Starting gravity = 1.080 – 1.120

Mine can be 1.170, depending on amount Mine can be 1.170, depending on amount of honeyof honey

Final GravityFinal Gravity Dry; 0.990 – 1.010Dry; 0.990 – 1.010 Semi-sweet; 1.010 – 1.025Semi-sweet; 1.010 – 1.025 Sweet; 1.025 – 1.050Sweet; 1.025 – 1.050

These are guidelinesThese are guidelines Beer and wine websites have Beer and wine websites have

calculatorscalculators

OopsOops-or, what the heck happened to my mead?-or, what the heck happened to my mead?

Use honey to sweeten a dry meadUse honey to sweeten a dry mead Blend a dry mead with a sweet meadBlend a dry mead with a sweet mead May need to add acid, tartaric, acid May need to add acid, tartaric, acid

blendblend Mead may go sparkling; not a bad Mead may go sparkling; not a bad

thingthing Never throw out a mead; play with itNever throw out a mead; play with it

Bragging RightsBragging Rights

Contests and judging can be a way to Contests and judging can be a way to get constructive advice. Take a get constructive advice. Take a chance!chance!

Iowa Homebrew ClubsIowa Homebrew ClubsA sample of sitesA sample of sites

Homebrew clubs are a great way to meet people, learn Homebrew clubs are a great way to meet people, learn how to homebrew, and sample really good homebrew!how to homebrew, and sample really good homebrew!

Ames, IA - Ames, IA - Ames Brewers League Burlington, IA - Burlington MOB (makers of Beer)Burlington, IA - Burlington MOB (makers of Beer) (319) 850-7143 (319) 850-7143 Cedar Falls, IA –Cedar Falls, IA –CRAZE (319) 269-3080 (319) 269-3080 Cedar Falls/Waterloo, IA - Cedar Falls/Waterloo, IA -

Cedar River Association of Zymurgy Enthusiasts (319) 273-2047 (319) 273-2047 Cedar Rapids, IA - Cedar Rapids, IA - Cedar Rapids Beer Nuts Cherokee, IA - Cherokee BrewersCherokee, IA - Cherokee Brewers (712) 225-8160 (712) 225-8160 Clear Lake, IA – North Iowa Wine ClubClear Lake, IA – North Iowa Wine Club (515) 357-2290 (515) 357-2290 Corning, IA - Adams County Brew Crew (AC/BC) Corning, IA - Adams County Brew Crew (AC/BC) (641) 202-6823(641) 202-6823 Davenport, IA - Davenport, IA - MUGZ2 (563) 326-9113 (563) 326-9113 River's Edge Fermentation Society (563) 320-9621(563) 320-9621 Denver, IA - Brewers of Bremer County (BoBCo.) Denver, IA - Brewers of Bremer County (BoBCo.) (319) 560-2736(319) 560-2736 Des Moines, IA - Des Moines, IA - Iowa Brewers Union (319) 290-7610 (319) 290-7610

Iowa Homebrew ClubsIowa Homebrew ClubsMore samplesMore samples

Raccoon River Brewers Association (515) 277-3231 (515) 277-3231 Dubuque, IA - Dubuque, IA - GotMead International Brewmasters (563) 556-4265 (563) 556-4265 Elkader, IA - Turkey River Utopian Brewers (TRUBs) Elkader, IA - Turkey River Utopian Brewers (TRUBs) (641) 782-0986(641) 782-0986 Glenwood, IA - Glenwood, IA - Keg Creek Homebrewers (712) 527-7273 (712) 527-7273 Iowa City, IA – Iowa City, IA – THIRSTY (319) 337-5742 (319) 337-5742 Marshalltown, IA - Marshalltown, IA - MASH - Marshalltown Area Soiety Homebrewers

(641) 751-8598(641) 751-8598 Milford, IA - Okoboji Homebrewers GuildMilford, IA - Okoboji Homebrewers Guild (712) 330-0465 (712) 330-0465 Monroe, IA - Cenosilicaphobia BrewersMonroe, IA - Cenosilicaphobia Brewers (641) 259-2017 (641) 259-2017 Northwood, IA - Northwood, IA - Iowa/Minn. Society of Brewers (IAMNSOB)

(507) 325-1276(507) 325-1276 Oskaloosa, IA - Oskaloosa, IA - Oskaloosa Beer Brewers (641) 676 5434(641) 676 5434 Schleswig, IA - Schleswig Wine & Bier ClubSchleswig, IA - Schleswig Wine & Bier Club (712) 643-5333 (712) 643-5333 Sibley, IA - Yeastie Boys Sibley, IA - Yeastie Boys (712) 461-1113(712) 461-1113 Sioux City, IA – RASCALSSioux City, IA – RASCALS (712) 258-0691 (712) 258-0691 Surf the internet to find homebrew clubsSurf the internet to find homebrew clubs

Questions?Questions?

Any Any QuestionsQuestions

at all?at all?

Time to go Time to go out and make out and make some some

mead!mead!