If you mix water and honey and then ferment it with yeast, you get mead, an alcoholic beverage often referred to as honey wine. There are more than 30 types of mead. In this article, we will provide a simple recipe that you can use.
Ingredients
(Adjust the amount to the volume of mead you want to make)
- Honey
- Water
- Yeast
- Fruits or spices (optional)
Step
Step 1. Prepare and clean all the equipment in the "Things You'll Need" section
Everything that is used in the process of making mead must be cleaned first. If the equipment is not cleaned properly, other microorganisms can also grow in the fermentation process. You can use a diluted bleach solution (remember to rinse properly), but it's best to use a cleaning solution available at brewery or wine supply stores and online stores.
Step 2. Mix about 1.5 liters of honey with 3.8 liters of distilled water
NO NEED TO HEAT OR BOIL IT. If you use honey that is registered with BPOM or clean drinking water, you don't need to boil this mixture again. Water needs to be boiled to kill any bacteria or germs in it. Meanwhile, honey is efficacious as a natural antibacterial.
- This mixture is called must.
- Fruits and spices can greatly affect the taste of the mead. Almost any kind of fruit or spice is suitable to be added to the mead. Trying out different flavors would be so much fun!
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Step 3. Wet the yeast of your choice according to the instructions on the package, then add it to the must
Step 4. Place in a large container with enough space left for fermentation to take place
If there's not enough room in the container, the fermented products can spill over and make things a mess. No air should enter the container, but carbon dioxide must still be able to flow out. One way that can be used is to punch holes in the balloon then attach it to the mouth of the bottle and tie it using a rubber band. Even so, this method is not good for closing the mead container because the balloon will prevent you from adding nutrients or mixed oxygen in it. As a result, the cap of this balloon must be replaced repeatedly. The best way is to buy an airlock from a fermentation supply store or online. This kind of lid is reusable, clean and not easy to break.
Step 5. Place the container in a quiet place at the optimal temperature for yeast growth
This information should be listed on the yeast package. If you have a hydrometer and know the initial density of must, you can calculate the breakdown of sugar in this fermentation process. To determine the three sugar breakdowns, use the initial density of must, then determine the final density based on the alcohol tolerance per yeast volume, and finally, divide the result by three. Do aeration (add oxygen) at least once a day during the first sugar breakdown, the more often the better.
Step 6. Determine if the mead has finished fermenting
There are a few different methods you can use:
- The most accurate way to find out is to measure the initial density of the must using a hydrometer and then repeat the measurements every two weeks. The yeast you are using has an alcohol tolerance value per volume, and measurements with a hydrometer can be used to determine the final density of the mead. Once this density is reached, wait at least 4-6 months before adding the mead to the bottle. That way, all the carbon dioxide held in the mead will be released. If you don't let it completely escape first, this carbon dioxide will also enter the bottle and risk causing an explosion if the temperature changes.
- Wait for at least 8 weeks. The time required for the mead fermentation process is determined by various factors. However, under most conditions, 8 weeks should suffice.
- If you are using an airlock cap, wait 3 weeks for the mead bubbles to disappear.
Step 7. Transfer the mead to a container with little or no space left to start the aging process, once the fermentation is complete
The less the surface of the mead is exposed to oxygen, the better. Move the mead with a siphon to minimize its sediment. The longer you wait, the better the mead will be. The average waiting time in making homemade mead is 8 months.
Step 8. Transfer the mead to a jar, close tightly, and store in a cool, dark place
Now, the mead you make is ready to drink. However, the taste will be more delicious the longer it is stored.
