How Do You Make Mead?

The Short Version:

1.  Mix Honey and Water: In your primary fermenting bucket, combine 3-3.5 pounds of honey per gallon of mead.

2.  Yeast and Nutrition: Add mead yeast along with some nutritional source like Fermaid-K to support yeast growth.

3.  Fermentation Starts: Attach an airlock to your fermentation vessel. Yeast will convert sugars into alcohol, with CO2 escaping through the airlock. This initial fermentation could last from 1-2 weeks.

4. Secondary Fermentation: Once the bubbling slows down or stops, transfer your mead to a secondary fermenter like a carboy, leaving the sediment behind. Be sure to fill the carboy almost to the top! Let it sit for about 2 months in a dark place.

5.  Bottling: After aging, bottle your mead and label it for personal enjoyment or gifting.

For a detailed mead recipe, check out this link: Traditional Mead Recipe 

Is It Legal to Make Mead in the US?

Yes, for personal consumption. You'll need a license to sell it commercially.

How Much Honey Do I Need for 1 Gallon of Mead?

You'll need 3-3.5 pounds of honey for each gallon of mead.

Can I Use Tap Water for Mead?

Yes, if it's filtered, safe, and tastes good. However, spring water is often recommended for its mineral content beneficial for fermentation. If using tap water do one of the following:

• Boil it to remove chlorine.
• Let it sit overnight to evaporate chlorine.
• Use potassium metabisulfite or Campden tablets.
• Employ a filter system to remove chloramine and other impurities.

Avoid distilled water due to its lack of minerals.

Is Raw Honey OK for Mead?

Absolutely! Raw honey is excellent for mead because it's packed with natural sugars, minerals, and nutrients that enhance taste and fermentation.

How Long Does Mead Ferment?

Primary fermentation generally takes 7-14 days, with secondary fermentation and aging lasting 1-6 months.

How Alcoholic Can Mead Get?

Mead can range from 3.5% to over 20% ABV. With the right yeast and nutrients, you can achieve up to 18% ABV, though meads over 15% might taste "hot" if not properly managed.

How to Stop Fermentation in Mead?

Use potassium sorbate to halt yeast activity. About 1/2 teaspoon per gallon once fermentation is complete.

How Do You Age Mead?

Aging involves:

By following these guidelines, you can craft mead that not only tastes great but also reflects the ancient art of brewing. Whether you're a seasoned brewer or a curious novice, mead-making can be a delightful journey into the past with a sweet twist on modern home brewing. Enjoy your mead-making adventure!

• Size #7 Corks: 13/16 inch (21 mm)
• Size #8 Corks: 7/8 inch (22 mm)
• Size #9 Corks: 15/16 inch (23 mm)
  (Synthetic corks are only available in size #9.)

• Your wine bottle corker
• How quickly you want the wine to age

Size #7 Corks

If you don’t have a wine bottle corker, you’ll be limited to size #7 corks, as they’re the only ones that can (sometimes) be inserted by hand. Even so, inserting them without a corker can be challenging. Size #7 corks allow faster oxygen transfer, promoting quicker aging but reducing shelf life. If possible, avoid size #7 corks unless rapid aging is your goal.

Size #8 Corks

A hand-plunger corker can handle size #8 corks. These corks are slightly easier to insert and remove than size #9 corks. However, size #8 corks are only available as first-quality natural corks, meaning they’re best for wines you plan to consume within 2–3 years.

Size #9 Corks

Size #9 corks are the standard for long-term aging. They come in synthetic, first-quality natural, and premium natural materials. Due to their larger diameter, you’ll need a floor-model corker or a double-lever corker (and some strength!) to insert them. Size #9 corks are more challenging to remove but are ideal for wines you intend to age for over 3 years.

What do they do?
Pectic enzymes aren’t classified as fining agents, but they can significantly improve fining and filtering by breaking down pectins. Pectins, naturally occurring in wines, are often a cause of cloudiness.

When to use them:

• For grape wines: Add pectic enzymes after the crushing operation.
• For fruit and country wines: Add them before primary fermentation, as these wines tend to have higher pectin content.

How to use them:
Follow the package instructions for proper dosage.

Pectic enzymes are especially beneficial for press-run wines (from grapes) and fruit wines, but keep in mind that you’ll still likely need a final fining agent before bottling to ensure complete clarity.

What is it?
Bentonite is a super-absorbent clay derived from volcanic ash. It’s highly effective at binding to and removing proteins and other wine-clouding compounds during fermentation.

When to use it:
Bentonite is best added before primary fermentation.

How to use it:

1. Mix bentonite vigorously with water to create a slurry.
2. Add the slurry to the must, stirring thoroughly to prevent clumping.

How does it work?

• During fermentation, bentonite absorbs floating compounds, such as stray proteins and dead yeast cells.
• These compounds add weight to the bentonite, causing it to fall to the bottom of the fermenter.
• As it settles, the bentonite collects additional clouding agents, leaving your wine clearer.

Using bentonite before fermentation is much more effective than adding it later, as the fermentation activity helps distribute it evenly throughout the must.

Learn more about Bentonite

• Pectic Enzymes: Break down pectins to reduce cloudiness, especially in fruit wines. Add them before fermentation.
• Bentonite: Absorbs and removes proteins and other haze-causing compounds. Add it as a slurry before primary fermentation.

By incorporating these techniques during primary fermentation, you can simplify your clearing process later on and produce beautifully clear wines. Cheers to your winemaking journey!

Cleaning removes dirt and residue from your equipment, while sanitizing uses a chemical solution to kill or prevent the growth of spoilage organisms like molds, wild yeasts, and bacteria. Important: Always clean your equipment before sanitizing. You can’t properly sanitize surfaces that still have residue on them.

Yes, you do! Household cleaners, like dish soap, often contain oils or fragrances that can stick to your equipment and cause off flavors—or worse, spoilage. The good news? Cleaners and sanitizers designed for brewing and wine-making are not only effective but also affordable—usually cheaper than regular household soaps.

Bleach is not recommended. While it can be used on glass, it should never be used on plastic because plastic absorbs it, leading to off flavors in your wine or beer. Bleach is also unsuitable for stainless steel, as it can corrode the material. On top of that, bleach requires heavy rinsing to remove its chlorine smell, which also reduces its sanitizing effectiveness.

Yes! Cleaners and sanitizers serve different purposes. A cleaner removes dirt, but it doesn’t sanitize. You need to do both.

No, you don’t need to rinse most sanitizers. They’re designed to be left on your equipment.

For cleaners, we recommend Easy Clean, One Step, and PBW. For sanitizers, we recommend Star San for beer and Sodium Metabisulfite for wine. To mix them, always follow the label instructions—everything you need to know will be there!