When you first hear about mead, many people are surprised to learn that honey can still be used to make wine. The answer is yes. Mead (also known as mead) is very common in Europe and America. It is not easy to buy mead. So, why not make your own mead that is both economical and authentic. In fact, it is very easy to do. The principle is the same as for homemade wine. The yeast converts the sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The difference is that honey itself is not fermented, so it is necessary to create the right fermentation conditions to make the yeast active. For more information, please refer to the following popular home brewing processes in Europe and the United States.
1. How to choose honey
The first thing you should know about homemade wine is how to choose the grapes. Likewise, we should know how to choose honey when making our own mead. The European and American methods recommend using raw honey, which is the original product of the bee farm and has not been processed in any way. Of course, this type of raw honey is not easily available. You can also choose refined honey at the supermarket. Most of the bottled honey sold in the market is processed by a specific process. It is important to note that the quality of honey varies, so it is best to choose a major brand or quality honey. Also, if the package is labeled with a Boehme rating, the higher the Boehme rating, the better. Boehmicity is a measure of the strength of honey and can range from 39-42 or higher.
Depending on the source of the honey, it can taste very different and produce different styles of wine. You can make a wine with one type of honey or a mixture of several types of honey. It is also popular in Europe and the United States to add fruits such as cherries, strawberries, and plums to make a unique fruit wine. Or add spices such as cloves and cinnamon to give it a different flavor. If using a type of honey (single nectar), it is recommended to use a honey with a rich or distinctive flavor, such as orange blossom honey, which is most commonly used in Europe and the Americas. If you are making a fruit honey, choose a honey with a lighter, softer flavor so that the fruit itself is not masked, such as lilac honey, which is most commonly used in Europe and the United States. The two most common types of honey used in Europe and the United States are not abundant domestically, so you can choose the ingredients according to your local conditions. It is important to choose a good quality natural honey. Each type of nectar has its own unique product.
How much honey should I buy? How do I choose my honey yeast? It depends on your taste (see below for popular European and American recipes). Generally speaking, honey can be classified as sweet/semi-sweet/semi-dry/dry depending on its sweetness. In addition, the production of mead is also related to the yeast and the recipe.
To make 3.8 liters (1 gallon) of dry wine-style mead, 2.2 kg (2.4 lbs) of honey is required.
To make 3.8 liters (1 gallon) of balanced mead you will need 2.7 pounds (3.0 lbs) of honey
To make 3.8 liters (1 gallon) of sweet mead you will need 3.24 pounds (3.6 lbs) of honey.
Tip: To make mead, any type of yeast must be matched with yeast nutrients. It is recommended that first brewers start with one type of honey and not make too much at one time. As you gain experience, you can adjust the ratio of honey, water and other ingredients yourself. As you become an experienced homebrewer, you will discover that homebrewing rice wine is actually an art, and your taste and creativity may create something amazing. From now on, we will be releasing various mead recipes for your reference
2. The three most basic ingredients
Honey / Honey yeast / Yeast nutrients
Homemade mead process (raw, unprocessed honey): ① Pre-fermentation honey processing → ② Main fermentation period → ③ Expiration date → ④ Rice wine bottling
3、 Pre-fermentation honey processing
(1) Sterilization of brewing containers and tools: As the recipe does not use bactericidal and antioxidant auxiliary materials, ensure that all containers and tools that directly or indirectly come into contact with the white wine are clean and sanitary.
(2) Dilution of honey: Since the honey itself is not of the right consistency for fermentation, dilution with water is the most essential condition. Dilute the honey twice. Dilute the honey with an equal amount of distilled or purified water.
The weight of honey required to make 3.8 liters (1 gallon) of balanced mead is 2.7 pounds, as shown in the diagram. Dilute and stir the honey with 1350ml of distilled or purified water (hereafter referred to as honey solution).
(3) Heat: Heat the honey solution to 60-65°C and stir gently. Keep at this temperature and cook for 20-30 minutes. Heating has three advantages: 1) It inhibits the bacteria (spores) carried by the honey and controls their overgrowth, which can lead to spoilage of the white wine. ② Honey dissolves more easily in water. ③ Removal of excess protein and wax from honey. During the heating process, white foam and oily floats (which are actually proteins and waxes in the honey) will appear on the surface of the solution. Use a spoon to remove these bubbles and floats (just like skimming excess oil off the surface of soup after cooking)
Note: ① The heating temperature should not exceed 65°C, otherwise the natural nutrients and aroma of honey will be easily damaged. (2) If you are using supermarket honey in a bottle, skip the heating step (generally, honey in a bottle is already heated during the batch production process).
(4) Re-dilute the honey: add pure water to 3800ml and allow the honey solution to cool naturally.
(5) Add Yeast Nutrients: Since honey itself is not fermented, it is essential to provide the nutrients needed for yeast biology in order to keep the yeast functioning properly in the mead. Dilute the yeast nutrients with a small cup of pure water, stir and pour into the honey solution and mix thoroughly. At this point, the honey solution is ready for fermentation. Main fermentation of the mead (3-4 weeks or longer).
(7) Main fermentation time: The honey solution starts fermenting within 24-72 hours after the yeast is added. The optimal fermentation temperature is 15-20°C and the fermentation time is 3-4 weeks or longer.
Note: ① During the fermentation process of mead, the yeast converts the sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. It is important to ensure the smooth discharge of carbon dioxide and the isolation of oxygen. It is recommended to use a one-way venting device to determine the level of fermentation by observing the bubble status at the outlet of the venting valve.
(8) Pouring: Generally speaking, the main fermentation time is 3-4 weeks or longer, depending on the fermentation conditions. When should I pour the cans? If you are using a one-way venting device, when the interval between bubbles is 30 seconds or longer, the fermentation is almost over and it is time to pour the can. You may also consider pouring if the wine has obvious sediment. Pour into the pot 1-2 times until no sediment is released and the mead is ready to mature.
Mead maturing (1-6 months or longer)
(9) Adding Oak Chips: A type of mead that is commonly aged in oak barrels in Europe and the United States. The natural tannins and natural aromatic notes of oak greatly enrich the texture of the mead and make it more robust. Natural oak barrels are expensive, so you can make your own and use oak chips instead. The oak chips are sterilized and soaked in the mead for 2-8 weeks or longer. The dosage is 1-4 g/L, depending on your taste. Check the taste every two weeks. If satisfied, remove the oak chips.
(10) The maturation period of mead is 1-6 months or longer. Generally speaking, the higher the amount of honey used, the longer the maturation period. The higher the sweetness, the higher the alcohol content (8-16 degrees alcohol). Note: ① If precipitates appear during the process, separate the precipitates from the cleaning solution. ② It is important to fill the jar at this stage to ensure complete isolation from the air, otherwise it will be easily oxidized and spoiled. ③ Clean and hygienic mead has a long shelf life. Generally speaking, the longer the period, the better the taste.
(11) After 1-6 months or more, try mead. if you feel it is advisable, your mead can be cut into ribbons. If you drink too much wine, it is advisable to bottle it separately (bottles should be filled and sealed) for easy storage and drinking. Addendum: If you are interested, can you still make it in already brewed coffee?
