Semi-Sweet Plain Mead

If it's good for ancient Druids, runnin' nekkid through the wuids, Drinkin' strange fermented fluids, it's good enough for me! - Pete Seeger

Mission

Create a batch of premium quality traditional semi-sweet mead using a light colored honey. I'll include both 5 gallon and 3 gallon recipes.

Ingredients
  • 20-21 lbs (12-13 lbs) light colored honey (SG 1.130)
  • Water for about 5.2 gallons (3.2 gallons)
  • 10g (2 pkgs) Lalvin ICV-D47 (long aging, good mouthfeel, nutrient finicky) or 71B-1122 (quicker finish, less complex mouth feel, less nutrient finicky) dry yeast
  • Yeast happiness nutrients
  • Acid blend [to taste] (optional - post fermentation)
General Assembly

Clean and prep the primary fermentation bucket
  • Scrub, rinse and then soak the plastic primary bucket/lid/airlock overnight using warm water and Five Star PBW®.
  • Rinse the primary well, then use One Step® and some warm water in each, swish around and drain. Do not rinse again.
Prepare the must (no heat method)
  • Add 1 gallon of room temperature water to primary fermentation bucket.
  • Add 20-21 lbs (12-13 lbs) of honey to the primary fermentation bucket.
  • Add room temperature water up to recipe requirements (5.2 or 3.2 gallons).
  • Mix like crazy - do not skimp on this step
  • Take a SG reading and a temperature reading, and record these values with the date and time.
Make the yeast happy

Journals (bottled and currently brewing)