Basic Mead Recipe
Equipment Needed
• Fermentation vessel: 1-gallon glass carboy or plastic jug
• Airlock and rubber stopper
• Sanitizer (such as Star San)
• Siphon or racking cane
• Thermometer and spoon
Ingredients for a 1-Gallon Batch
• 2.5 to 3 pounds honey (raw wildflower, orange blossom, or your preferred variety; 2 lbs makes a drier mead, 3 lbs makes it sweeter)
• 1 gallon filtered, spring, or distilled water (leaving room for headspace)
• 0.5 package wine or brewing yeast (such as Lalvin 71B, D-47, or K1-V1116;
avoid standard bread yeast for cleaner flavor)
• Yeast nutrient (about 0.5 tsp or per package instructions to help a healthy fermentation)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Sanitize everything: Thoroughly clean and sanitize your jug, airlock, stopper, funnel, and any tool that touches the must (the honey-water mixture).
- Dissolve the honey: Pour your honey into the sanitized jug. Add warm (not boiling) filtered water to help dissolve the honey completely, then top off with cool water until you have about 2 inches of headspace from the top.
- Pitch the yeast: Make sure the liquid temperature is below 90°F . Add the yeast nutrient and rehydrated or dry yeast to the jug.
- Aerate and seal: Stopper the jug and shake it vigorously for a minute to mix in oxygen. Fill your airlock with a little water, insert it into the rubber stopper, and place the jug in a cool, dark spot (around 60–70°F).
- Ferment: Bubbling in the airlock will start within 1 to 2 days. Let it ferment undisturbed for 3 to 6 weeks until bubbling stops and the yeast settles.
- Rack and age: Use a siphon to transfer (rack) the clear mead into a clean secondary container, leaving the sediment behind. Age it for a few more weeks or months to smooth out the flavor before bottling.
Let me know if you need equipment recommendations. I've been home brewing for 25 years.
I also took the liberty of converting to US "imperial" measurments.