If you’re new to my YouTube channel, or you somehow stumbled across my website while researching mead, but don’t really know what it is or how to make it, you’ve come to the right place!
Admittedly I’ve never really make a “beginners” course on mead making, but that’s because my friends have covered everything really well on the topic. Perhaps I should still make my own little series, let me know what you think by leaving a comment!
The one recipe I’ve created where I go into real detail is my Strawberry Mead start to finish video! I don’t know what it is about strawberry mead, but everyone loves it, and it seems to be an instant go-to for folks.
So, let’s start at the beginning here… What is Mead???
Mead is an alcoholic beverage where honey is used as the primary fermentable sugar. Many folks will tell you that honey needs to make up at least 50% of the fermentable sugars, so you could add some regular sugar to boost the overall level if you’d like.
Depending on where you look on the internet, some people will tell you a mead can be made with 3 simple ingredients… honey, water, and yeast. And while… sure, you could make mead that way, it will most likely taste a bit like rocket fuel unfortunately.
So how do you make GOOD mead? Well, on another page I will have a full list of equipment and additions you will need for your mead making journey. But just to lay out some basics, you will need a yeast nutrient which is composed of organic compounds that yeast need to thrive (the most important), and you will need something called StarSan, which is a safe no-rinse solution you add to water that will sanitize all of your equipment and bottles. This way you will drastically reduce the chances of bacteria spoiling your mead!
Basically, the goal is to create the happiest possible environment for your yeast to thrive in. Yeast are what we depend on to produce alcohol, and in that process they create various esters and things that affect both flavor and aroma. If they’re in a stressed environment, they will often create offensive off-flavors and aromas that can takes years to age out.
Getting all the equipment and creating great mead can seem daunting, but it’s really not! Everything is quite affordable, and usually the most expensive ingredient you’ll need is the honey.
One of the really fun things about making mead is how creative you can get, with the additions of fruits, herbs, and spices. There are so many varieties of honey and types of yeast that alter flavors in a big way, the flavor possibilities are endless!
Feel free to check out my blog where I post videos and comment on various meads I’ve created, or shoot me an email if you’ve got questions!
Faewood Mead 