MEAD MADNESS

How to Make Honey Wine at Home

Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

This weekend workshop has been put together to provide some basic information that will allow
you begin your wonderful adventure with the brewing of honey wine at home.
The history of mead is as old as history itself. Long before the grape was used in winemaking,
honey was the sole sweet for fermentation. The mention of mead evokes images of heroes and
romantic tales, of castle feasts and chivalry. Legends surround it, that of golden nectar, swirling
in a goblet chased with silver, with the heady, erotic aroma of honey caressing the senses. We
see Vikings, downing great tankards of frothy mead after a successful raid. One can imagine a
beautiful maiden, holding the stirrup cup in her lithe hand, offering it along with a shy smile to the
handsome and chivalrous knight preparing to go off to battle.
Legend has it that the word honeymoon is derived from an ancient tradition of sending a newly
married couple off to seclusion for a month with much mead, to ensure their best chance to start
a family quickly. Mead has been, and still is, considered the drink of love.

November 2012
Page: 1

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

There are as many different kinds of mead as there are types of wine or beer. It can be sweet,
dry or sparkling. Each category of mead has its own name, depending upon the ingredients
used. For example, is the mead made with just honey and water? Or were fruit juices, grape
juices, apple juices or spices added? The list of names is far longer than what you see here.
These are a few of the more common mead types.

January 2012
Page: 2

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

Many wine & beer making suppliers offer wine making kits for those interested in making mead.
The suppliers used for making mead are identical to the supplies used for making wine. Only the
ingredients differ (honey versus grape juice). The quantity and size of the equipment you need is
proportional to the amount of mead you intend to make. I suggest starting small (to gain
experience) and scale up as you gain confidence and knowledge (just like beekeeping!).
A special word about the Hydrometer, as this is a very valuable tool to have when making any
kind of mead or wine. Essentially this is a special glass float, weighted at the large end, that is
used to measure the density of the Must and Mead to determine the alcohol content. The more
sugar there is, the denser the liquid and the higher the hydrometer will float. When the sugar is
converted into alcohol, the density decreases and the float drops further into the liquid. They
come in small tubes to hold the mead sample, although they can be floated in the open
fermenter as long as they have been properly sanitized. Make sure the one you buy is not
specifically made for beer, and follow the directions provided for calibration.

January 2012
Page: 3

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

Of course in addition to these ingredients and supplies, you will need honey. The type of honey
(dark or light) does not matter. Each honey will impart a unique flavor to your mead, just as
different grapes impact the flavor and characteristics of wine. Each variety of honey will
contribute its own aroma, complexity, and body to the Mead. But rest assured that no mead you
ever drink will taste as good as the mead made with your own honey!
There is no set rule for what you can and cannot put into Mead to add flavor. If you like the
taste of a particular fruit, vegetable, or spice, then give it a try and see what happens. My most
recent batch of mead was made by adding grape juice to the mix (putting it in the category of a
clarre or pymeat).

January 2012
Page: 4

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

I have made use of my basement for making mead. That was a decree made clear to me by my
good wife when she banished me from the kitchen after a rather spectacular mishap. The
disadvantage to the basement has been that I have no running water in my basement. So there
have been many trips up and down to the kitchen. But this sub-terrain venue has resulted in
domestic tranquility and a modicum of stair master exercise for this mead maker.
My basement, like many, tends to be cooler than the living quarters above. For storing bottled
wine this is very desirable. But the cool temperatures can impede proper fermentation. A space
heater placed near your fermentation tanks is the solution. Use one with a thermostat, and you
can keep the mead brewing environment at the desired 70-78 degrees.

January 2012
Page: 5

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

Probably the most important aspect of home brewing is sterilization and sanitation. This concept
of cleanliness can not be over emphasized. Many failed attempts in making mead are the result
of contamination of the product. All equipment must be sterilized before use. Keeping
everything clean is not a huge chore, but it is a discipline that should be followed religiously.
If you are not starting with a clean environment, you may find yourself brewing some fairly nasty
concoctions. One of the worst things a home brewer has to face is the prospect of pouring
gallons of undrinkable liquid down the drain. So, as you prepare to mix your first batch, repeat
these words over and over before ever even touching your ingredients: Sanitize Everything!
100% sterilization is not possible in the kind of environment most of us make our Mead in. This
is because there are always bacteria, spores, and wild yeasts floating around us, sitting on us,
and doing their best to get in where they are not wanted. We must therefore do our best to get
rid of the great majority so as to give our brewing yeast a head start in the Must. There are two
ways of doing this; by using heat or chemicals.
First, heat. This can be accomplished by either placing the equipment in boiling water for at
least 1 minute, or by heating the water to pasteurizing temperatures and keeping it there for
enough time to kill anything still lurking.
Second, chemicals. There are a whole slew of chemicals out there that can be used to sanitize
and sterilize, from regular household bleach to specialty brewery sanitizers. Each one has its
unique methods of use, such as needing to be rinsed after immersion, so it is important to read
the instructions.

January 2012
Page: 6

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

You need a container (5 gallons or more) in which to ferment your mead. In truth, you will need
several of these, as mead is routinely siphoned off from one container to the next (a process
called racking). More on this later.
The most common and least costly fermentation device is a glass carboy. For me, the
disadvantage is that they can get slippery when wet, and of course being glass, they are fragile.
Do you recall my earlier mention of a kitchen mishap? I gather that some suppliers now offer a
plastic version of the carboy.
The oak barrel approach has great romance to it, and it can impart a delightful mellowness to
the mead. But these containers are very difficult to keep clean and sanitary; they are very heavy;
and they are very expensive.

January 2012
Page: 7

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

I have given up my glass carboys in favor of fermentation tanks made just for this purpose. The
food-grade plastic ones are not very expensive, and they are easy to keep clean (that wide
opening makes washing out a breeze). They also have a spigot that makes the potentially
messy process of siphoning a thing of the past. I love these tanks. They come in 9, 14 and 22
gallon sizes.
The stainless steel tanks are also easy to clean, and some (like the one shown in the picture)
have variable tops, meaning you can adjust the position of the top as the mead level drops from
one raking to the next. This is important, as you never want too much air space above the mead
(too air space can lead to off-flavors). But be aware that these premium quality tanks come at a
considerable cost. Depending upon the size you get, they can run from $450 and up.

January 2012
Page: 8

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

Remember what I said about keeping everything sanitary? That also means not allowing any air
to get into the tanks following the initial fermentation stage (you actually want air and O2 during
the first or initial fermentation). But after that, the mead must not be exposed for any length of
time to airborne contaminants (wild yeasts, bacteria, dust, pollen, etc.).
There are a variety of fermentation locks available that allow for fermentation gasses to
escape, while preventing air from getting in. These locks are typically filled with sterilized water,
which serves as the barrier (gasses can bubble out, but air can not get into the tank). These
bubbles, by the way, are a great visual aid in determining how your fermentation is progressing.
Hint: Use food grade glycerin in the locks in place of water glycerin does not evaporate like
water. Its available from wine making suppliers.

January 2012
Page: 9

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

The second most common reason for failure (poor sanitation being the first) is poor temperature
control. A successful fermentation requires a fairly narrow temperature tolerance. When you
get outside of this range, yeast cells can become inactive or even die. Temperatures that are
too hot can also result in off-tasting meads.
I use a thermostatically controlled space heater in my basement to keep temperatures within
ideal ranges. And I monitor temperatures using an inexpensive outdoor thermometer
purchased at the hardware store.

January 2012
Page: 10

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

First and foremost, bread yeasts do not work well in mead or wine making. Dont use them.
They are not designed for this kind of fermentation.
There are many different kinds of wine yeasts. Each strain of yeast has its own unique
tolerances to certain conditions. These include alcohol level, pH level, sugar level, etc. Of most
concern to a brewer is the alcohol tolerance, since it is this value that will dictate the sweet/dry
characteristic of the Mead. It is therefore important for the brewer to decide early on what level
of sweetness is desired and to select the yeast based on its capacity to convert sugar to alcohol
(known as Attenuation).
For my mead making, I have had good success with Champagne yeasts. I like to pre-activate
the yeast before adding to the must by introducing it to a small quantity of warm (not hot)
water. About 100 degrees is ideal; and no more than 15 minutes in the water before adding to
the must. This gets the yeast going, so it has a bit of a head start when it is introduced to the
initial fermentation.
Note that for mead making, its important to add some yeast nutrients to the must. As with any
living organism, yeast have to be fed to survive. Unfortunately, honey does not have much in
the way of nutrients, particularly if it has been boiled. It is therefore up to the brewer to ensure
the right combination of nutrients is added to the Must to ensure a healthy fermentation. If this is
not done, then the Mead could experience a number of negative results, such as Stuck
Fermentation and Hydrogen Sulfide Contamination (Rotten Egg Smell). Fortunately, it is fairly
easy to meet the nutritional needs of the yeast. Use between 0.5 1 tsp. of Nutrient per gallon
of Must. They can be added during the boil, or directly to the fermenter if the no-boil method is
used.

January 2012
Page: 11

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

These tablets are very handy, as they take the guesswork out of measuring out doses to
maintain the correct parts per million of sulfer dioxide. Just add one tablet per gallon at each
racking and prior to bottling. Crush tablets and pre-dissolve in a small amount of your mead
before adding to the fermentation tank.
Larger doses of Camden tablets in water can be used to sanitize equipment.

January 2012
Page: 12

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

I sulfite the must 24 hours prior to the primary fermentation. And then I usually add one tablet
per gallon at every racking and at bottling time.

January 2012
Page: 13

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

Yeast is a peculiar organism in that it does not necessarily need straight oxygen to
survive. Instead, it can obtain the O2 required to reproduce by fermenting any available
sugars. But, since O2 is used to build up strong cell walls, the yeast is able to reproduce far
quicker, and with fewer unwanted byproducts, if it can get the O2 without having to break it off
from the sugar molecules. It is therefore important to introduce O2 into the Must before the
yeast is pitched, and for the first 2 to 3 days until the yeast population has grown sufficiently.
In the case of this initial fermentation, I like to vigorously stir and splash the must to introduce
lots of bubbles prior to this primary fermentation. Commercial mead makers sometimes actually
add oxygen at this stage, as this helps with a fast and effective fermentation. The container
must not be sealed up at this stage. I simply lay a clean towel over the top (to keep dirt out,
while allowing the must to breathe). Make certain to leave lots of head space, as the bubbling
and foaming can quickly overflow a container that is filled too full!

January 2012
Page: 14

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

This process of racking is done several times during the process of brewing mead. Mead
seems to need more racking than when making grape wine. With each racking the mead
becomes more and more clear. Patience makes perfect..
The purpose of racking is fourfold:
1. To stop fermentation by removing the Mead from the yeast and adding Sulfites and
Sorbates.
2. To remove the Mead from the Lees (layer of yeast on the bottom of the fermenter) so as to
avoid a yeasty flavor imparted by the breakdown of yeast cells before bulk aging.
3. To add additional ingredients for flavor during secondary fermentation.
4. To help clarification by removing the Mead from the Lees before bottling.
It is absolutely vital that the Mead not be mixed with too much air during racking as this will
introduce oxygen that will affect the flavor. Also, as always, make sure all of the equipment
that will be coming into contact with the Mead is thoroughly sanitized.

January 2012
Page: 15

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

Dont forget to sterilize your corks before you insert them in the bottles. Soak in an a nonchlorinated disinfecting solution for a few hours before bottling, and then dry them off with a
clean towel.
It is also advisable to filter your mead (through a wine filter) at bottling time. This results is a
sparkling clear wine, free from haze and sediments. Such filters are available at wine making
supply houses. The manual pump variety are not expensive. The electric pump variety can
cost hundreds of dollars.

January 2012
Page: 16

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

If you dont want to design your own label, some of the wine making supply houses sell premade generic labels that are quite nice looking (see below).

January 2012
Page: 17

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

This is the hardest part of mead making: the waiting time. Be patient, as the results are far more
rewarding when you give the mead time to mature.
This is not to say that no Meads can be enjoyed within a few weeks of fermentation, but most
Meads will improve if given a little time to mature. Aging allows the desired flavors to blend
and come to the front, as well as having the advantage of allowing certain unwanted off
flavors to dissipate. The following guidelines will help you age your Mead properly:

Try to keep your Mead as close to 60F as possible (avoid high temperatures). Slight
changes in temperature around the 60F will not have a negative effect as long as they are
gradual.

Store the bottles on their side to keep the cork moist and prevent shrinking. This is not a
concern if you are using artificial corks.

Keep the Mead away from the light as this causes oxidation and off flavors.

Avoid vibrations and shaking.

If possible, bulk-age your Mead rather than bottling and letting it age individually.

The amount of time needed for the Mead to mature is subjective. Some people enjoy drinking it
young, while others prefer to let it sit for many years. A rule of thumb seems to be that at
least 1 to 2 years is fine. Sample the Mead every few months or so until you feel that it is at
its best, then bottle and drink away.

January 2012
Page: 18

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

Note that this mead recipe calls for the addition of spices. That makes it metheglin. I love the
subtle blend of honey, cinnamon and ginger. Yummy! Today youll have a chance to taste this
very recipe.

January 2012
Page: 19

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

Note that I recently learned from a master mead maker that he no longer boils the honey and
water mixture prior to fermentation. This step has been a tradition for years (is supposed to help
with the clarity of the end-product). He finds that there are no significant advantages, and that
not boiling seems to impart a superior honey flavor to the finished product. Boiling also
reduces the amount of 02 in the must. So the revelation of not boiling came as good news, as
this step is quite a chore. For my most recent batch of mead, there was no boiling involved.
Time will tell.
Pros of Not Boiling:
Not boiling the honey greatly minimizes the loss of any volatile components in the honey,
resulting in a Mead that retains much of the true floral flavor and bouquet of the honey being
used.
No boiling, no heating, no fuss. Easy and quick.
You can pitch the yeast immediately since the Must is already at the correct temperature.
Cons of Not Boiling :
Slight potential for contamination, mostly from the water supply rather than the honey.
Harder to dissolve the honey. Most new Mead makers completely underestimate the stirring
involved for complete dissolution of the honey into the water and as a result leave some
unblended honey at the bottom of the vessel. Stratification of the must can slow, stress or stall
your fermentation and result in off flavors. Get ready for a good deal of shaking and stirring.
The chlorine must be removed from chlorinated water prior to pitching of the yeast, or you can
use distilled water.

January 2012
Page: 20

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

The actual time for this initial fermentation will depend on your batch, conditions, etc. You can
observe fermentation activity by peeking under the hood. When the vigorous initial fermentation
has settled down to nary a bubble, its time to conduct the first racking. For my most recent
batch, that took three weeks.

January 2012
Page: 21

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

This is where a variable-top fermentation tank comes in handy. After each racking there is less
and less liquid, and thus the head space becomes greater and greater as the level of liquid
drops. Since you objective is to minimize head space, you only have two options with a fixed-top
fermentation tank: you can add water to top it off (not good if you need to add more than a few
pints); you can add mead from a previous batch; or you can add sterilized glass marbles to the
tank to raise the level of the liquid.

January 2012
Page: 22

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

Waiting to drink the product is the hardest part of this adventure. One solution is to always start
a new batch right after bottling a previous batch. In time, you will always have drinkable mead
on hand while you wait for new batches to mature.

January 2012
Page: 23

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

The prices and variety of products at Maltose Express in Monroe is respectable. On Saturdays
the shop can get very busy, so this is not an ideal time to pick the brain of the shop keepers.
The online option (E.C. Kraus) has a much larger selection of supplies, but their prices are
higher than the shop in Monroe. In their favor, Kraus dos not charge for shipping (on larger
orders), their service is excellent, and they are more than willing to answer questions on the
phone or via email.

January 2012
Page: 24

BYBA Weekend Workshop with Howland Blackiston

There are a number of titles out there on Mead making. These are a couple of my favorites. The
one on the left (The Complete Meadmaker) has the most detailed explanation of mead making
and contains many recipes. The book on the right (Brewing Mead) is 80% about the history of
mead, and 20% about how to make the product.
Another great information resource is on the web: www.gotmead.com. There is much free info
and recipes, and even more if you sign up as a member. Be sure to visit this site.
If you have questions following this workshop, or if you run into a problem during your mead
making adventures, please feel free to call or email me. Im no master mead maker, but I have
been playing around with this for 20 years and I am happy to share my ignorance.
Happy mead making!
Howland Blackiston
11 Lilac Lane, Weston, CT 06883
blackiston@sprynet.com
(203) 226-6303 (home)
(203) 570-6303 (mobile)

January 2012
Page: 25