Mead?
- Thread starter Glaucus
- Start date
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I made one last August time. Still isn't ready to drink so can't really comment I'm afraid 
Not a drink for the impatient
(the 8 weeks for beer is usually tough enough for me!).
Not a drink for the impatient
(the 8 weeks for beer is usually tough enough for me!).
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I just did a 1 gallon batch (4.5l). IIRC I used about 1.5kg honey (3 pots). I racked mine much earlier (as per the instructions I used), but wish I had left it longer as there is still sediment floating about.
I may just rack it from the bottles & pass it through some muslin at some point.
I had a homebrew book out the library and it said to use 2kg of honey in a gallon demijohn. I guess it depends how strong tasting you want it, because about 1kg of honey is all that's needed for the yeast to exhaust itself and the rest is sweetness in the final product. It also said there's no nutrient in honey for yeast, so to get the alcohol levels up you need to use a teaspoon of yeast nutrient.
That's it, going to try cheap option, I can't afford expensive option.
Think I will give this one a try and possibly add vanilla as that sounds a good combo to me.
as it takes 6 months perhaps I'll make a few bathces some plain some not and see what's what.
http://www.blue-n-gold.com/halfdan/meadrecp.htm
Think I will give this one a try and possibly add vanilla as that sounds a good combo to me.
as it takes 6 months perhaps I'll make a few bathces some plain some not and see what's what.
http://www.blue-n-gold.com/halfdan/meadrecp.htm
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Yup it's very expensive to use quality honey. I went for smaller batch and nicer honey.
It's not the cheapest drink to make. I'm waiting until I've got a few more brews under my belt before I try it. Because of the added expense and time it's one of those ones I want to know I'll get right. You also have to rack it off the original yeast quite quickly otherwise the flavour can get tainted.
Any reason you want to make so much of it? Don't forget it's going to roll out at nearly 20% ABV with that much honey.
Any reason you want to make so much of it? Don't forget it's going to roll out at nearly 20% ABV with that much honey.
2 reasons, one as all my equipment is 5 gallons and second it takes a minimum of 6months and gets better with age.
That's the eaxct reason I'm thinking cheap honey will be fine for first batch just incase it goes wrong and could try a few different flavours out.
I may see how much some smaller equipment is. Still waiting for my tax disc, so can't get down the brewery shop.
That's the eaxct reason I'm thinking cheap honey will be fine for first batch just incase it goes wrong and could try a few different flavours out.
I may see how much some smaller equipment is. Still waiting for my tax disc, so can't get down the brewery shop.
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You can get 1 gallon plastic demijohns for a couple of quid.
Wilkinson do glass gallon demijohns for £6.50 too. Stoppers and airlocks to suit it were another £1.50-£2 each.