First mead wine

Well I thought since I am sharing everything else I will put the recipe I used for my two first explorations into Mead.

Please keep in mind that this is my FIRST attempt, these recipes might make floor polish! Only time, temperature and fermentation will tell.

Basic Mead - 5 Liter demijohn

•  1.75 kg of Honey (Yellow Box)
• 1/2 Lime Juice
  
• 1/2 Lemon Juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Wine Yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon Yeast nutrient
• 1 Jar enough to fill about 1-2 cups of water
• Thermostat
  

I do mine a bit backwards to most recipes. We will see the results in a few weeks when I do the first rack off (rack off is to transfer the mead from the top which should have less yeast and sediment to another demijohn).

SO first things first! Filter water enough to fill the demijohn (How-To) that will take about 8-10 hours. In the mean time, get the yeast dancing and reproducing! I use an old salsa jar since these are historically the meeting ground for young yeasts, fill it with filtered water which allows the yeasts to find each other attractive, add the yeast nutrient, a classic yeast aphrodisiac,  and the yeast to the party jar, give it a stir and pop the top on. Leave it somewhere warm for the 8-10 hours, they like it hot baby!, and come back now and then to open the jar, give it a shake - being in a salsa jar they like a bit of the shake. This will get your yeast invigorated and growing!

8-10 hours have passed, your TOTALLY PSYCHED DOOD, what next? Well I took a pot added some of the filtered water from the demijohn and added the 1.75kg of honey. I bought the whole sticky mess to 60C (62C in the picture, close enough :P ) and kept it there for 22 minutes (See this web site for good information, do not boil, you will loose a lot of what the Honey can bring - Mead made complicated)

While I waited for the 22 minutes I added the citrus which made all the white gunk on the top of the honey/water collect. Very convenient for me since I need to remove this white stuff.

After it has set at 60C for 22minutes I careful transferred the whole sweet mess into the demijohn. Oddly enough the pot wasn't very sticky at all to clean up.

From there the demijohn went into the sink with water and a few ice packs to bring the temperature to blood temperature. Once we were there its time for the business end of things. Pour the yeast into the demijohn and fit a rubber top and airlock. I set it on the counter for a hour or two and watched the little air bubble in the airlock which is a sure sign we have action... I waited... and waited... and waited.. THEN a single bubble! Not quite the action I was expecting.... So I lodged it away for the night in the brew fridge and checked it next day where I was surprised to see signs of VIGOROUS  fermentation! Bubbles aplenty :D

Stay tuned for the results.....

Blood Plum Wine is about to be finished off. Excitement is in the air.