Comments on: A Simple Mead Recipe http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/ Growing grapes and making wine in Bellevue Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:41:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ted Major http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/comment-page-1/#comment-57360 Ted Major Wed, 21 Sep 2011 21:38:33 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/#comment-57360 Just stumbled across your site and thought I'd add a little historical perspective. The Reynolds Historical Library at the University of Alabama at Birmingham has a manuscript written around the middle of the 14th C. (probably somewhere around Norfolk or Suffolk) with what is as far as I know <a href="http://www.uab.edu/reynolds/manuscripts/tractatus/folios/49-tract20" rel="nofollow">the oldest extant mead recipe in English</a>. The basic proportions are just what you use here: 1 gallon of honey and 4 gallons of water. The recipe calls for boiling the must and then when it is cool pouring onto the lees from a batch of ale. Since they wouldn't have had yeast nutrients, pitching onto the lees provides a large population of yeast who have been happily fed on malt. The recipe calls for a very short fermentation which results in a very sweet relatively low alcohol mead, but it is also good fermented to completion and bottled. Just stumbled across your site and thought I’d add a little historical perspective. The Reynolds Historical Library at the University of Alabama at Birmingham has a manuscript written around the middle of the 14th C. (probably somewhere around Norfolk or Suffolk) with what is as far as I know the oldest extant mead recipe in English. The basic proportions are just what you use here: 1 gallon of honey and 4 gallons of water. The recipe calls for boiling the must and then when it is cool pouring onto the lees from a batch of ale. Since they wouldn’t have had yeast nutrients, pitching onto the lees provides a large population of yeast who have been happily fed on malt. The recipe calls for a very short fermentation which results in a very sweet relatively low alcohol mead, but it is also good fermented to completion and bottled.

]]> By: Juanita http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/comment-page-1/#comment-55419 Juanita Sun, 07 Aug 2011 20:10:50 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/#comment-55419 I brought Mead in Europe last month. Regret to say that was my first exposure to it. When I tasted it in the store I really liked it, now not as much. I think I remember the lady in the store saying that it could be mixed with something when drinking. What could that be? I brought Mead in Europe last month. Regret to say that was my first exposure to it. When I tasted it in the store I really liked it, now not as much. I think I remember the lady in the store saying that it could be mixed with something when drinking. What could that be?

]]> By: Mead Lover’s Digest Shutting Down? | Washington Winemaker http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/comment-page-1/#comment-52824 Mead Lover’s Digest Shutting Down? | Washington Winemaker Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:01:51 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/#comment-52824 [...] own Simple Mead Recipe is a great way to get started making [...] [...] own Simple Mead Recipe is a great way to get started making [...]

]]> By: Nice “wine Recipes” photos | Wiki Winemaking http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/comment-page-1/#comment-52778 Nice “wine Recipes” photos | Wiki Winemaking Sat, 11 Jun 2011 19:10:01 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/#comment-52778 [...] I make wine and mead at home, and I’m trying to show them in a better light than I have been. Wildflower mead (center) raspberry mead (left), and raspberry wine (right). The dark band in the neck of the [...] [...] I make wine and mead at home, and I’m trying to show them in a better light than I have been. Wildflower mead (center) raspberry mead (left), and raspberry wine (right). The dark band in the neck of the [...]

]]> By: Erroll http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/comment-page-1/#comment-41949 Erroll Wed, 03 Nov 2010 19:30:01 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/#comment-41949 Hi CuAllaidh, My approach keeps me to modern techniques, but I can see how making a mead during a camping trip would be exciting. Erroll Hi CuAllaidh,

My approach keeps me to modern techniques, but I can see how making a mead during a camping trip would be exciting.

Erroll

]]> By: CuAllaidh http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/comment-page-1/#comment-41450 CuAllaidh Mon, 18 Oct 2010 18:08:20 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/#comment-41450 Thought I'd come back and update you on a little experiment I ran in the summer. At a camping event for the Society for Creative Anachronisms. I made a slightly modified version of Sir Kenelm Digby's Weak Honey Drink. Its a mead that takes only three days from start to finish and can be made even while camping. yes there is certainly the risk of infection, but luckily it didn't happen with my batch. We had a stock pot full of the slightly carbonated mead, an excellent and only very slightly alcoholic beverage. Thought I’d come back and update you on a little experiment I ran in the summer. At a camping event for the Society for Creative Anachronisms. I made a slightly modified version of Sir Kenelm Digby’s Weak Honey Drink. Its a mead that takes only three days from start to finish and can be made even while camping. yes there is certainly the risk of infection, but luckily it didn’t happen with my batch. We had a stock pot full of the slightly carbonated mead, an excellent and only very slightly alcoholic beverage.

]]> By: Erroll http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/comment-page-1/#comment-35216 Erroll Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:34:25 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/#comment-35216 You and Mrs. Coager are romantics! There's something appealing about connecting with the past, and if that's what you want to do then an old recipe made with old methods might do the trick. I think you're risking infection or other faults (if bad luck should strike, <a href="http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2009/12/03/mulled-wine/" rel="nofollow">mulling spices</a> might save the day). Personally, I'd rather make good mead consistently with modern methods, then curl up with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553381687?ie=UTF8&tag=washinwinema-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0553381687" rel="nofollow">A Game of Thrones</a> or another good book. Have you read the Song of Ice and Fire books? The author has been taking his time with the latest installment, but it's world class fantasy that's perfect with a glass (or mug or tankard or ...) of mead. Erroll You and Mrs. Coager are romantics! There’s something appealing about connecting with the past, and if that’s what you want to do then an old recipe made with old methods might do the trick. I think you’re risking infection or other faults (if bad luck should strike, mulling spices might save the day).

Personally, I’d rather make good mead consistently with modern methods, then curl up with A Game of Thrones or another good book. Have you read the Song of Ice and Fire books? The author has been taking his time with the latest installment, but it’s world class fantasy that’s perfect with a glass (or mug or tankard or …) of mead.

Erroll

]]> By: CuAllaidh http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/comment-page-1/#comment-35209 CuAllaidh Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:03:38 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/#comment-35209 I thought I'd comment on Mrs. Coager question about how they made mead back in the day, a great source for that info is in The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight Opened published in the 17th century. One recipe called "Weak Honey Drink" would be something that you could whip up by the fire while camping with no more tools than a pot spoon and a towel, and thus is likely very like the mead that would have been made since prehistory. I plan on making this myself this summer at least once. And one must remember humanity has been making mead back to before recorded history, as such it was an ancient artform by the birth of the roman empire. Methods for ensuring sterility and making a well balanced beverage, while not as scientific, were well known even in the days of Aristotle. I thought I’d comment on Mrs. Coager question about how they made mead back in the day, a great source for that info is in The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight Opened published in the 17th century. One recipe called “Weak Honey Drink” would be something that you could whip up by the fire while camping with no more tools than a pot spoon and a towel, and thus is likely very like the mead that would have been made since prehistory. I plan on making this myself this summer at least once.

And one must remember humanity has been making mead back to before recorded history, as such it was an ancient artform by the birth of the roman empire. Methods for ensuring sterility and making a well balanced beverage, while not as scientific, were well known even in the days of Aristotle.

]]> By: Erroll http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/comment-page-1/#comment-34762 Erroll Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:56:25 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/#comment-34762 Hello Rich, I often reuse yeast just as you are doing. The biggest risk is infection, but adding sulfited must onto the lees immediately after racking is a good way to minimize that risk. So keep at it, but be quick, pay attention to cleanliness and sanitation, and be alert for off tastes or smells. Erroll Hello Rich,

I often reuse yeast just as you are doing. The biggest risk is infection, but adding sulfited must onto the lees immediately after racking is a good way to minimize that risk. So keep at it, but be quick, pay attention to cleanliness and sanitation, and be alert for off tastes or smells.

Erroll

]]> By: Rich http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/comment-page-1/#comment-34751 Rich Fri, 27 Nov 2009 08:26:50 +0000 http://www.washingtonwinemaker.com/blog/2007/05/06/a-simple-mead/#comment-34751 Hi Erroll, Thanks for sharing your knowledge of winemaking as well as describing your learning experiences. At the beginning of this month I started my second batch of mead. I used the yeast (ICV-D47) left behind in the fermenter after racking batch #1. The fermentation in batch 2 began vigorously. The SG dropped from 1.105 to 1.028 in three weeks. Today, I racked batch #2 and plan to begin batch #3 tomorrow, again using the left-over yeast. Is there any reason not to continue using the same culture indefinitely? Rich Hi Erroll,
Thanks for sharing your knowledge of winemaking as well as describing your learning experiences.
At the beginning of this month I started my second batch of mead. I used the yeast (ICV-D47) left behind in the fermenter after racking batch #1. The fermentation in batch 2 began vigorously. The SG dropped from 1.105 to 1.028 in three weeks. Today, I racked batch #2 and plan to begin batch #3 tomorrow, again using the left-over yeast. Is there any reason not to continue using the same culture indefinitely?
Rich

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