Honey Wine (Mead)
Ingredients for a three gallon batch:
6lbs varietal honey of choice (alfalfa, clover, buckwheat, etc.)
3 gallons non chlorinated water (bottled preferable)plus 1 cup of water
.17 ounce (1 packet) of sweet wine or champagne yeast
3 tablespoons of sugar
Materials:
5 gallon stainless steel cook pot
3 gallon glass or plastic carboy, cleaned ( Sparklets drinking water Bottles work well)
Long handled wooden spoon
Floating thermometer (available online, cookware shop or at any brew supply)
2 cup measuring vessel
Funnel
Brewer's siphon (available online or at any brew supply)
Airlock (available online or at any brew supply)
1 to 2 cases twist top wine bottles (available online or at any brew supply)
1 bag of twist top caps (available online or at any brew supply)
To Make:
Pour the water into the cook pot (reserving one cup) and place on burner set to medium high. Do not let the water come to a boil. Add the honey and stir until dissolved. Using the floating thermometer keep tabs on the temperature keeping it between 80 and 110 degrees for 15 minutes. Draw off 1/2 cup of sweetened water and cool it with one cup of cold water (reserved) then add sugar and stir until dissolved. Add yeast to this water mix and cover with a wet paper towel and wait for the yeast mixture to build a head.
Check the temperature of the water in the pot, when the temperature reaches 80 degrees, pour it into the carboy using the funnel to prevent spills. Remove the paper towel from the yeast mixture and add the mix to the carboy and cover with the wet paper towel. Taking the cap off the airlock, fill it half way with water and then replace the cap. Remove the paper towel from the top of the carboy and insert the airlock into the neck of the bottle. This will prevent bacteria and wild yeasts from entering the carboy and souring the mead. Be sure to check the water level in the airlock and refill it when necessary being sure to leave it securely in the neck of the bottle. Place the carboy in a warm, dry place and check it daily. When there is no sign of activity in the carboy and airlock, the mead has finished fermenting (this can take up to a month). At this time, give the mead a few more days to settle out.
Bottling:
Clean each bottle and cap with hot water (no detergents or soaps) and place each bottle upside down in its case. Leave the caps floating in hot water in order to keep them clean as well. Remove the airlock from the carboy and place the siphon into the bottle sucking on one end to draw the mead out into a bowl or other vessel to prevent spills. Once the mead begins to draw, clamp off the line. Place the first bottle into the bowl or vessel and place the siphon into the neck and un clamp it. Fill the bottle but be sure to lead head room in the neck. Clamp off the siphon line and cap the bottle. Place it back in its case. IMPORTANT: Be sure that you are not drawing off any sediment from the bottom of the carboy as this can give your mead a bitter after flavor. Repeat this process until each bottle has been filled. Your mead is ready to drink now, but most people prefer to rack it and let it mellow for a year before drinking it. Either way: ENJOY.
Any of the material needed to make mead can be found at your local brew supply or online.
Disqualification Details
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Views since voting: 848 Views during voting: 349 Comments: 7 Favorites: 0
i really like the composition, lighting, the photo is well executed. little bit overexposed in some places, and i can tell you used a flash which put some hard reflections. the boarder is also not bad, doesn't distract my eyes while serving to finish the photo
You had me without the bordr;) I like the composition, and I'll be interested to read the details of the subjection. The flash/light is too harsh, the reflections detract. I'm going to ignore the border.
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