Getting started making mead.

After extracting the honey with Mark, I felt like I wanted to do something honey-related.  But, I knew that my bees and hives were at least 6 months away.  So, I decided to try my hand at mead-making.  I didn't have the ability to convince my wife to allow me to get "true" mead-making supplies.  However, this website has a very simple mead recipe that uses ingredients that most people have around the home already.  I made one batch on November 13, 2012.  Below are some of the ingredients.

Basically, I followed the directions on the site linked above.  In the end, I had about one gallon of mead brewing with probably about $10 - $15 of supplies.  My wife was guilty about not letting me get actual mead-making supplies, so I was able to cajole her into letting me brew the mead in a spare cupboard in the laundry room.  The first batch of mead was just "regular" mead, with no added spices or fruit or other flavors.

The cupboard that I chose was so wide that Batch #1 looked lonely.  With a bit of effort, I convinced the powers-that-be to allow two more batches.  Batch #2 is a cinnamon mead and Batch #3 is a cardamom mead.

Batches #2 and #3 were started 4 days after Batch #1.  You can see that #1's balloon is already inflated with carbon dioxide.  If I had a closer picture, you can see the bubbles forming throughout the mead, rising to the top.  Batches #2 and #3 have flaccid balloons that will soon inflate.

The batches have now gone through at least two rackings.  This is where I remove the liquid via siphoning and leave the sediment, or yeast cake, behind.  The three batches are now in their final stage of fermentation.  I should be able to bottle them in about June.