# Mead recipe



## kutya (Jan 9, 2007)

someone posted a recipe for mead made with bread yeast, mix it up and let her sit. I can't remember the name of it, but I would like to have it again if I could. Waldo, I think you posted it.....


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## masta (Jan 9, 2007)

*Joe Mattioli's Ancient Orange and Spice Mead*
It's good stuff kutya...A little too sweet for me but good. Follow the recipe exactly. DO NOT DEVIATE !!! 
Recipe for a 1 gallon batch is:
3 1/2 lbs Clover or your choice honey or blend (will finish sweet) 
1 Large orange (later cut in eights or smaller rind and all) 
1 small handful of raisins (25 if you count but more or less ok) 
1 stick of cinnamon 
1 whole clove ( or 2 if you like - these are potent critters) 
optional (a pinch of nutmeg and allspice )( very small ) 
1 teaspoon of Fleishmann’s bread yeast ( now don't get holy on me--- after all this is an ancient mead and that's all we had back then) 
Balance water to one gallon 

Process: 

Use a clean 1 gallon carboy 

Dissolve honey in some warm water and put in carboy 

Wash orange well to remove any pesticides and slice in eights --add orange (you can push em through opening big boy -- rinds included -- its ok for this mead -- take my word for it -- ignore the experts) 

Put in raisins, clove, cinnamon stick, any optional ingredients and fill to 3 inches from the top with cold water. ( need room for some foam -- you can top off with more water after the first few day frenzy) 

Shake the heck out of the jug with top on, of course. This is your sophisticated aeration process. 

When at room temperature in your kitchen, put in 1 teaspoon of bread yeast. ( No you don't have to rehydrate it first-- the ancients didn't even have that word in their vocabulary-- just put it in and give it a gentle swirl or not)(The yeast can fight for their own territory) 

Install water airlock. Put in dark place. It will start working immediately or in an hour. (Don't use grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away in the 90's)( Wait 3 hours before you panic or call me) After major foaming stops in a few days add some water and then keep your hands off of it. (Don't shake it! Don't mess with them yeastees! Let them alone except its okay to open your cabinet to smell every once in a while. 

Racking --- Don't you dare 
additional feeding --- NO NO 
More stirring or shaking -- Your not listening, don't touch 

After 2 months and maybe a few days it will slow down to a stop and clear all by itself. (How about that) (You are not so important after all) Then you can put a hose in with a small cloth filter on the end into the clear part and siphon off the golden nectar. If you wait long enough even the oranges will sink to the bottom but I never waited that long. If it is clear it is ready. You don't need a cold basement. It does better in a kitchen in the dark. (Like in a cabinet) likes a little heat (70-80). If it didn't work out... you screwed up and didn't read my instructions (or used grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away) . If it didn't work out then take up another hobby. Mead is not for you. It is too complicated. 
If you were successful, which I am 99% certain you will be, then enjoy your mead. When you get ready to make different mead you will probably have to unlearn some of these practices I have taught you, but hey--- This recipe and procedure works with these ingredients so don't knock it. It was your first mead. It was my tenth. Sometimes, even the experts can forget all they know and make good ancient mead.


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## PolishWineP (Jan 9, 2007)

Or, you can deviate like I did and use wine yeast because you don't have any bread yeast...


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## sangwitch (Jan 10, 2007)

I have two batches in the primary bubbling away. In one I used the bread yeast and in the other I used Lalvin 71b-1122.


One has a starting SG of 1.160 and the other is 1.120. I'm not sure what the target should be. I was going to try and equal them out since my intent was to do a comparison, but they were the last of eight batches and I was tired so...


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## kutya (Jan 10, 2007)

Thank you all, I'm going to give it a try...


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## Coaster (Feb 10, 2007)

Just started mine. 1.168 starting SG.3 gal batch with orange blossom honey. I used sweet mead yeast. Should have a pic soon.


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## Coaster (Feb 11, 2007)

I mixed and added water up to the shoulder.


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## Wade E (Feb 11, 2007)

Ah, another A/O. I have got to try this this year!


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## kutya (Feb 13, 2007)

Coaster, looks great. I'm still planning on making a batch, just been really busy lately...


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## smurfe (Feb 13, 2007)

I have made two batches. One was a gallon made to the letter of the law. The second was a 5 gallon batch made a bit modified and using Kumquats. I used bread yeast for both. The Kumquat was much better than the Orange. Not as acidic. I have had quite a few rave reviews for that batch. I brought some to Winestock and it recieved quite a few very nice compliments. It really made me proud to be a wine maker!The first batch (orange)was good but not as good as the second batch (Kumquat). 


One thing I can add to this is many worry because the fruit hasn't dropped yet. If the stuff is clear and the fruit is still floating. Rack it to degas it. In my opinion it is better to do it then than to wait fro the fruit to fall. I degassed my last batch with vacuum and the fruit dropped. I had8-10 inches of fruit on the bottom of the carboy. I lost probably a gallon of wine as it was close to impossible to rack off the bottom with all of the gunk on the bottom. I could of strained it but those here that know me know how lazy I can be at times. 


Smurfe






Here is a few pics from the Kumquat batch. I know Wade will appreciate them. He digs them pics!



































































*Edited by: smurfe *


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## Harry (Feb 14, 2007)

Smurfe that Kumquat looks really good i think i will have to make a batch.


Harry


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## Wade E (Feb 14, 2007)

I have never tried a kumquat. The smallest looking orange Ive had is a
tangelo and there a little bigger than that! Sure love them pics
though!


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## Waldo (Feb 14, 2007)

That is awesome looking smurf....If it tastes just half as good as it looks it has to be a winner. Great job !!!


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## Coaster (Feb 15, 2007)

Bah, I used sweet mead yeast and left a good head-space in case of violent fermentation. After three days it was going slowly but well enough. Looked like the sweet mead yeast was a low foamer so I topped up. Had to clean up the mess yesterday night while cooking the Valentine's dinner =/.


Shoulda waited a few more days I guess, but on the upside, it tasted good.


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## smurfe (Feb 15, 2007)

Coaster said:


> Bah, I used sweet mead yeast and left a good head-space in case of violent fermentation. After three days it was going slowly but well enough. Looked like the sweet mead yeast was a low foamer so I topped up. Had to clean up the mess yesterday night while cooking the Valentine's dinner =/.
> 
> 
> Shoulda waited a few more days I guess, but on the upside, it tasted good.


I had the same thing with the bread yeast. I let it ferment a few days and it slowed down quite a bit. Decided to top up and about 2-3 hours later I had yeast spew all over the counter, floor, you name it. Had to end up drawing a bit off. It was probably 2 weeks before I could top it up. Next time I make this I will use a primary and rack to glass later.

Smurfe


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## kutya (Feb 15, 2007)

Smurfe: great pictures.


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## dsiddall (Mar 25, 2007)

any specific kind of honey or the stuff you get from the store? I really wanna try this one!

De


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## Wade E (Mar 25, 2007)

Fresh honey from a local bee keeper is probably the best but any will
do wether it be wildflower or clover. You can even get Raspberry spun
or Blueberry spun or other flavors Im sure.


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## dsiddall (Mar 25, 2007)

so clover honey from the grocery store would work? anything i should be wary of? thanks for the help.
de


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## masta (Mar 25, 2007)

Honey from the grocery store will work but the best meads are made from raw unprocessed honey. Some honey that is sold in the store has been heatedand filtered to make it look clear and pure in the bottle but when that is done it can remove the true aroma and flavor of the honey. When I first started to make mead I thought all honey was the same until I had 6 different honeys at one time and compared the flavors and aromas and it was quite amazing!

One of the best books you can get to learn more about honey and how to make mead is "The Compleat MeadMaker" by KenSchramm. 


Here is an article I wrote a while back and it will provide more info and my thoughts on making mead: http://www.finevinewines.com/Introduction-to-making-mead.htm

*Edited by: masta *


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## Coaster (May 4, 2007)

Oh Manare the spices overpowering in this Ancient Orange Mead! 


I was going to bottle but hit the bottom while siphoning. SoI got all I could including more lees and topped up with marbles. Now I am wondering if I should have used water. Too too much. Very sweet too. Oh well, I'll bottle soon enough to free up the carboy.


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