Mead... tell me about it.

Mongo

Mongo

Joined
Nov 5, 2001
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8,969
Howdy all, what exactly is mead? I'd like to try some, but don't know where I can buy it or what it is called. At several local liquor stores, there is both a honey wine and a honey liquour. I believe they are a polish brand and come in a bottle that looks like a barrel. Has anyone had these? Any reccs for brands/types to look for? Anybody ever tried to brew their own?

Please help satisfy Mongo's inner Viking!
 
its wine made from honey. i thought about making some if a buddy still has some honey from his bees. its a different taste for sure.
 
All of the local wine stores around me sell it. A warning: in my experience if you drink it, take with it a couple of B complex vitamins. It will clean up the free radicals that cause headaches later. Then later drink lots of water and more B complex vitamins. You can survive unscathed by the horrible hangovers that come with mead drinking.
 
It is very strong. It also tends to be sold way to young. Most meads need three to five years cellar time to be good. A lot of people who have tried mead don't like it because what they had was way to young.
 
Secret:
Mead doesn't need any additives.
I use the following method:
For Mead, 1:3 Honey to water, yeast, and time.
So 1 part Honey to 3 parts water. 5 Gallon batch takes 1 gallon and 1 qt.

Once it clears bottle it and drink, can (will) improve with age.

For Cyser: 1:4 honey water ratio.
or 1 gallon honey 4 gallons fresh cider.

So no need to yeast nutrients, acid blends,
gypsum, gelatin or (shudder) corn sugar.
 
I used to make mead back when I homebrewed ale. Everyone that tried it, loved it.

One - it needs to be honey from a farmer or a store where the women don't shave their legs. You want unprocessed honey - not the stuff that comes in little plastic bears.

Two - it can taste radically different depending on where the honey was collected. ie., what were the bees pollinating?

Three - Use champagne yeast. Basically, we're talking honey, water & yeast. Many people add irish moss. Sometimes I did, sometimes I didn't.

Four - I've tried three or four commercial meads. They've all tasted like crap. Overly sweet and syrupy. Don't discount mead until you've tried homebrewed.

Finally, "yes!" If you drink too much and you cab really feel it - that night AND in the morning.
 
Those are refreshing comments since most recipies I've seen add things like citris and spices , just like they do with dandelion wine. With the vast difference in honies and their flavors you should be able to make some mead with excellent flavors.
 
Love it. In fact I'm looking into have it for the toast at my wedding.

If you look around you can find Chaucer's tasty but as basic as your going to find commercially.

There lots of different styles. I like them sweet style, my girl like them dry. I have some champaign style a old roommate made that I give as gifts to good friends. I usually get a call asking what was in it, cause the guy can't sleep on his stomach for a day or two. ;)

Atwood has a few jugs that he brings out from time to time. That guy can do anything!

If you can find a SCA Masterbrewer make friends with them as quickly as possible.

BTW Honey Wine is white wine with honey added.
 
Paddling_man said:
a store where the women don't shave their legs.
Click to expand...

Sometimes, you scare me just a little bit, PM. :D

I've never tried mead but would like to. Of course, unless you have a giant mead hall and a warrior retinue, it's probably just not the same.


It burned in his spirit
To urge his folk to found a great building,
A mead-hall grander than men of the era
Ever had heard of, and in it to share
With young and old all of the blessings
The Lord had allowed him, save life and retainers.
Then the work I find afar was assigned
To many races in middle-earth's regions,
To adorn the great folk-hall. In due time it happened
Early 'mong men, that 'twas finished entirely,
The greatest of hall-buildings; Heorot he named it
Who wide-reaching word-sway wielded 'mong earlmen.
His promise he brake not, rings he lavished,
Treasure at banquet.
 
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