I’ve been growing my own medical marijuana for the 3rd year now, and I was able to cut down on my spending. So I figured why not brew my own drink. Awesome channel and videos
IDEA 1: get your own hives and use the honey they make while hanging out on your weed plants to make mead. IDEA 2: pulverize two or three weed plants and make a wine out of it. Will probably taste like shit and I have no idea what the process will do the the THC, but that is why you need to try it, to see what magic comes out of the bottle…. Don’t forget to make UA-cam videos of the results, enquiring minds want to know. (No I can’t perform those little science experiments myself, I am employed by Uncle Sam and he doesn’t like his employees to partake of the chronic)….
I just started this , I'm beyond broke so I'm using everything not in this video. So far it been 3 days and I've made a mess, but it seems to be fermenting. I like this new hobby. Thanx man!!
The first mead I ever made was as a Peace Corps volunteer in a tiny village. I used a plastic oil jug and made an airlock with old fuel injection line running into a soda bottle full of water. Doesn't need to be fancy!
I made this as my first mead 3 months ago today. Stabilized and back sweetened it after about 3 weeks, and bottled 2 weeks later. Just opened a bottle today and tried it. I was extremely surprised on how well it turned out. Thanks for getting me started!
Afaik our ominid ancestors used to hide fruits in trees then forget that they were there after a long time, then when they remembered and went to eat them the fruits were fermented, which is we have evolved to have a high alcohol tolerance, after this it was just a matter of trying out which foods fermented and trying out stuff
Working on my first batch now and I keep coming back to this video just to recap some info. This is a great and quick source of actually good information.
This is so informative and you touch on so many bases without wasting time. A perfect video to rewatch, take notes from and revisit during the process. Thank you so much, it could not be better, you earned another sub. Can't wait to work on my Christmas gifts this Summer!
Mead was the very first drink I made. I had some wine fermenting and I decided to throw some honey water and yeast in a small water bottle just to see what I can get, and boy it it turn out amazing. I think I prefer it over my wine, perhaps I just need to let my wine age until it tastes better
Watched so many mead videos as I embark on this journey and this is far and away the best. I’m a beekeeper so I figure I might as well use all this honey for something other than sweetener!
Ive never had the chance to try mead, and i came across an "easy to make!" raspberry mead video the other day that got me really itching to try to make mead. So here i am, to bingewatch your channel because you're both informative and entertaining.
Brewing my first mead today and felt I had to freshen up and this is, by far, the single best info video for mead making. All brewing instructions should follow your lead. Keep it up!
Be sure to degas your mead if you are adding yeast nutrient any time after fermentation.. I learned this the hard way. Added it to some active fermentation even though I likely didn't need it. It immediately fizzed up, I slammed the airlock on and it slowly made its way through my airlock. The water in it is now mead.
This is a fantastic video. I pretty much did it this way over the years with minimal variation. I usually cold crashed to stabilize and clear. I never really added any sweetening after ferment. That sounds pretty cool and worth trying though.
Got into the hobby recently. My first two batches were one with jalapeno and cinnamon, and one with raspberries and blackberries that I grew myself. Currently fermenting one classical mead (basically this recipe but with M05) and one with orange, tangerine and some spices. The key ingredient from myself is patience, which is not what I am known for - so here's hoping this hobby teaches me some!
As someone who has thought "I'd like to make my own mead some day" a few times, but only understands the basic concept, I thought this was a really nice overview of what I would need to have and know to get started. Thanks! Maybe for Christmas this year people will be getting a homebrewed mead from me! Edit: thanks for adding the info about adding other things to the mead like fruit! I'm an Alaskan so making raspberry, blueberry, and fireweed mead is the long term goal :)
This is the best how to mead video I have seen in all my research. You explain every step and the optional steps wanting to share the information and paywall people. THANK YOU SIR!!!
Thanks for this video! I just started this hobby with my own honey from my hives. I have a regular mead and a cherry melomel going, and was kind of confused what to do next. Both have been racked, so I was wondering g what to do next. Their ABV is pretty high, so I’m going to let them just sit for awhile. Very helpful video for a novice! ☺️
This is the BEST resource I've seen for a beginner so far. Super descriptive and well informed. But also simple. Thank you so much for sharing your process. You are the best!
I added graham cracker crumbs to my banana wine today. I never would’ve thought to do that without your videos! It tastes great as is, but I think the graham cracker is going to make it even better!
I mean, grahams do taste good, but I worry doing that would cause the same problem I had when I made kvass at home. You strain it and, somehow, someone ends up with soggy whatever at the bottom of their glass.
An absolutely fantastic video. I've just started making mead myself and your videos have proved most informative and helpful! Many thanks from England!
I just started up my first ever mead attempt, 2x5l carboys. First one is just honey and water. The second one is made with honey, strawberries and water. The strawberry one has an oddly low starting gravity but I decided to let it sit a few days before checking again if needed. Very exited to see how they turn out! :D
Thanks for the video! Just followed this tonight and now waiting for fermentation! Question about the bottling...I have plastic PET bottles, will they be okay? All I see are people using glass bottles and I'd hate to waste my 15 empty unused plastic ones I paid for lol. Looking forward to seeing how this mead turns out!
Good trick on pasteurizing the mead to kill the yeast after fermentation to help clear it. I've been home brewing for years and never heard that before. Time for an experiment. Thank you.
This is super helpful, thank you! I'm gonna try to make a blackberry-raspberry mead that has a hint of lavender or mint once I have all the stuff to actually make it.
Thank god I found this video!...I am 5 days into a ferment...I was confused at what racking was, how long to age, if I add preservative before or after racking, how I sweeten more without a second ferment...I just kinda jumped in head first with barely a clue...thank u so very much for making the instructions mostly clear...I still got a bit confused so I rewatched 7 times 😂
I just started my first "big" batch this afternoon. 5 gallon bochet cyser with half a cup of brown sugar. Fermentation was going within 2 hours and I installed a blowoff tube 3 to 4 hours in because the Red Star Classique yeast is going nuts. I plan on adding cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, and allspice to secondary for a little while. Thanks for all the helpful info and advice in your videos!
Hell yeah! Just tried my first mead today. It was viking blood, of course. Lol i was thinking about making a Florida version with hibiscus, guava, and local honey. Will give it a go in December!
I have several beer,wine,kombucha ferments under my belt. Mead seems like a really fun small batch to add to the mix. Especially since I love the flavor of honey
I love how detailed this is, however, a little concerned when you checked the initial gravity, I saw you add a little water to the top without mixing it, then it was poured it into the little vial to check the gravity.. would that make it a little off considering the water on the top wasn’t agitated and mixed throughout the solution?
Nice method..here is mine. I buy a plastic gallon jug of water, then pour some out. I pour in honey until the jug is full again. I poke a hole in the cap, after I add some yeast that I didn't start up first. I usually wait a few days, then I pour out some unfinished mead (this goes into my mouth of course) then I add more honey until the jug is full again. I try to add about 3-4 lbs of honey in all. I usually add some nutrient and Energizer. Then when I think its about done, I drink most of it without aging, usually only saving 1/3 in a bottle to age. I've been doing this for about 5 years now. Never had a stuck fermentation, mold, off flavors, or any trouble in general. Lately I've been using local honey. It's the best.
I'm planning to start my very own mead after discovering your videos by accident. I do have a question though ... If you taste test the young mead, what tastes would be a warning sign that the mead will be sub-par and what steps could you take to fix them? For instance: I taste test and taste a lot of XYZ, that means I will have to add some ABC to save this mead. Or I taste a lot of XYZ and it's probably best to not waste too much time on this and start over. Thanks for your help.
Generally it gets better over time without doing much. Age just helps mead. But if you notice it's not sweet enough, you can add more honey. If it doesn't have enough body you can add some wine tannin or oak. There are fixes for pretty much any issue you might run into!
Coming from a beer maker point of view, when adding honey to sweeten. You stir it in, wouldn't this oxygenate your mead reducing the shelf life? And your thoughts on carbinated mead?
Thanks so much for sharing your mead knowledge! I don't have a second demijohn, should I - transfer to plastic then clean out my demijohn and transfer back Or - put it straight into glass swing top bottles and just leave it
You won’t have any bottles explode or anything as long as you have a yeast that doesn’t necessarily keep going when it experiences hydrostatic pressure like a champagne you still gonna have a problem with but 71b I use often and don’t have an issue with bottling after backswing. You won’t have a problem just in case you were wondering nothing gonna explode or anything
I made my first mead on 11-19-22. Just water, honey and yeast. OG 1.081. I added yeast nutrient a couple different times while fermenting. The yeast I used was A38 Juice ale yeast, it's what I had on hand. I left it in the fermenter until 12-31-22 then threw it into the fridge to cold crash. Did I goof up by not transferring to secondary first? Today is 1-5-23. Also, I didn't take a gravity reading before crashing it. I'm guessing it will probably be a little sweeter because of the yeast I used. I'm guessing I can still transfer to secondary but will it hurt to just leave it sitting on the yeast? I haven't tasted it yet either. Thanks for your advice. Vince
Damn as of 7/18/21 only 18 down votes. That speaks volumes on how awesome this video really is. Thank you for posting this and getting me excited to try myself.
Awesome video my guy. Factual throughout and the tips options at rhe end is great vs some other videos where your subjected to hosts longer stories making it harder to find info. Cheers
Well I started my first batch today! I used 2.5 lbs of wildflower raw honey and 2G of Ec1118. Was 2G enough or do I need more? My SG was a little above 1.100.
that is a great video! i haven't tried fermenting booze aside from failing at making hard cider 15 years ago and failing using a Cooper Stout kit (too hoppy) 2 years ago. i've always wanted to try making mead and your video has inspired me. i'm gonna do it!!!!
Just started my first batch using your video as reference, At first I was intimidated by the processes and santization, bingeing your videos back to back and taking notes your instructions are very clear and understandable! Tyvm for posting your content for all home brewers to see. One question, I ordered Fermaid O off Amazon and added it after my yeast, I noticed that there were Fermaid K and other options for nutrients. Is there a best for all? Or is most yeast nutrient the same? Much love from Canada🤘🏼
I'll give this a try, I buy mead every 2 weeks on a local market. €12 for 0.75L and they only use yeast, water and honey. I was like maybe I can make it myself so it won't cost me that much :D
can mead or wine stay in a carboy after stabilizers for a couple weeks before backsweeten and bottling? great job on videos just getting into making my own wine and meads
Okay so i recently had a cherrymead that was laid on a cask of peated whiskey, this was THE best Mead i have ever had. From a beekeeper (that likes to make his own Mead and give it away to like "friends" of his Ephesus) i got 20 liters of Mead, which after tasting tasted pretty good (had better had worse) Now im wondering that if without fermentation it would be possible to give some cherry hints to it and if it would be okay to throw in some wood from a whiskey barrel (i recently got an old whiskey barrel for a beer project that me and a friend brewed) would it be possible? Or do i need to ferment it again/ make a new batch myself/give the barrel to the beekeeper?
Hey MMM, thanks again for all your wonderful content. I have a question regarding stabilization. I take that since you do that a lot you know by now reliable ratios between the 2 sulfites which work well. How much do you use in grams per liter? Last time i stabilized a mead and then added honey, for some reason the fermentation restarted, and I don't know why.
I have a question, is it possible to make just 1.5 litres of mead without doing anything but adding water, honey and yeast letting it sit in a cool or room temp area and then how long ? Then after it's done just drink it without having to stop the fermentation process because it's not going to last for weeks I'm going to drink it as soon as it finishes.?
You can definitely just let it set after you mix everything up! It will probably take 2 - 4 weeks to finish fermenting. You want to rack it off the dead yeast and let it clear some. You don't want to drink yeast! After racking, as long as it doesn't have a ton of oxygen on the top of it, you can let it age for awhile!
@@ManMadeMead So, after 2-4 weeks rack it off and I could probably drink it after that? I noticed after that racking you did it didn't change as far as the hydrometer showed, I could probably just drink it then , or should I let it set a week or two, after racking it off is what your saying and then it's gonna be fine or could I drink it after racking it off. Or just because it's gonna clear up a bit let it sit because it's gonna be a bit better in a week or so... ? basically I'm looking for a mead that in four weeks is gonna proof off to be 15 to 20% maybe I should use a yeast that is suited to a higher alcohol leave in 4-5 weeks.? After racking off ?
I haven't done any of it this way 🤣 or any way others have done it. I mixed the water and honey on the stoveon low-med heat until dissolved. I carved a stick from outside which I washed lightly to remove dirt and stuck it in the pot while it cooled. Then I added herbs the Vikings would of used: elderberry, hibiscus, yarrow, meadowsweet, raisins. Raisins have natural yeast on them and help with natural fermentation. Filtered the herbs after 24 hours and put it in my bottle, still with my totem stick, and cloth wrapped around it. Natural fermentation, which is what they would of done. I've successfully made wine with elderberry and cherries (bit dry but pleasant flavour)
I've done 2 batches so far, both have seemed to be "hot" still even after bottling stage. I know I just need to wait but I'm so impatient! Anyways great video :)
A few questions. If I like it the way it is and I let it ferment for a few more weeks, am I safe to bottle it after a few weeks have passed or do I need to stabilize it and or kill the yeast then as well...? Second question Is bottling it in mason jars and acceptable option? Third Will letting it sit for those few weeks while its continuing the fermenting process increase the alcohol content making it stronger but still altering the taste? What about it staying for a few more weeks prevents the flavor from changing
You don't have to stabilize it if it's totally done fermenting! You can try using mason jars... I haven't done it before! The only thing that increases the alcohol is if there is still sugar for the yeast to consume and convert into alcohol . You don't want to bottle something that is still bubbling.
Good info, I'll be referencing this when I make mine some time next week. 2 things I have to ask: (1) can I bottle and then let it age, or let it age in the carboy after its been racked? (2) the colour of the other carboys in the background were pretty dark, can mead get that dark or were you doing some other projects in them?
How would I be able to get a higher alcohol content at from the start? I generally looking to get around 12-15% it is simply add a few more ounces of honey? If so what amount? Sorry I’m new to the hobby 😅
It's not that ABV before fermentation. It has a potential of that ABV if it ferments through all the sugar. You take the starting gravity reading (1.060 Example) and a gravity reading after fermentation (1.000 Example). And plug it into a formula or ABV calculator to figure out the ABV.
I am a newbie. Still confused...I plan on sticking with 1 Gallon Batches. When you make your Primary in a 1 Gallon carboy, you have little headspace. When you make your primary in a 2 Gallon bucket, you end up fermenting with lots of headspace. Is one method better than the other?
As I keep making me, I get new questions for example this one. How much nutrients do I add? I was following a step-by-step, but gave me packets to use, but no measurements behind the packets. So how much yeast am I allowed to use and how much nutrients should I use for a gallon versus a 5 gallon?
hello !!! great video for us beginners, my silly question now is -do i have to bottle it? or can leave it room temp and help myself when i want some? 25 live at home don't want my parents to trip out with loads of mead where they can see lol! thanks
So sorry! I don’t know how I missed this. If you take mead off of a full bottle, it will have oxygen on top. Oxygen and mead don’t really mix! So bottling your brew allows you to drink it without chancing it oxidizing in a larger batch!
I’ve been growing my own medical marijuana for the 3rd year now, and I was able to cut down on my spending. So I figured why not brew my own drink. Awesome channel and videos
Maybe you could show us a video on your grow.
A couple great wine suggestions I'd have are Apple pie wine, jolly rancher wine coolers and pear wine
"medical marijuana" lol
Add the Marijuana to the mead.
IDEA 1: get your own hives and use the honey they make while hanging out on your weed plants to make mead.
IDEA 2: pulverize two or three weed plants and make a wine out of it. Will probably taste like shit and I have no idea what the process will do the the THC, but that is why you need to try it, to see what magic comes out of the bottle….
Don’t forget to make UA-cam videos of the results, enquiring minds want to know. (No I can’t perform those little science experiments myself, I am employed by Uncle Sam and he doesn’t like his employees to partake of the chronic)….
I just started this , I'm beyond broke so I'm using everything not in this video. So far it been 3 days and I've made a mess, but it seems to be fermenting. I like this new hobby. Thanx man!!
The first mead I ever made was as a Peace Corps volunteer in a tiny village. I used a plastic oil jug and made an airlock with old fuel injection line running into a soda bottle full of water. Doesn't need to be fancy!
@@millerryan46Mason jar with a hole in the lid sealed with tape and running a flex tube into a water bottle.
I made this as my first mead 3 months ago today. Stabilized and back sweetened it after about 3 weeks, and bottled 2 weeks later. Just opened a bottle today and tried it. I was extremely surprised on how well it turned out. Thanks for getting me started!
I'm happy I was able to help! Happy brewing!
Helps me appreciate how people figured out how to do this without all the fancy tools.
Afaik our ominid ancestors used to hide fruits in trees then forget that they were there after a long time, then when they remembered and went to eat them the fruits were fermented, which is we have evolved to have a high alcohol tolerance, after this it was just a matter of trying out which foods fermented and trying out stuff
Working on my first batch now and I keep coming back to this video just to recap some info. This is a great and quick source of actually good information.
Awesome video. Way better than the guys who are trying to sell you kits, you gave us simple instruction.
This is so informative and you touch on so many bases without wasting time. A perfect video to rewatch, take notes from and revisit during the process. Thank you so much, it could not be better, you earned another sub. Can't wait to work on my Christmas gifts this Summer!
I’m happy to share!
Mead was the very first drink I made. I had some wine fermenting and I decided to throw some honey water and yeast in a small water bottle just to see what I can get, and boy it it turn out amazing. I think I prefer it over my wine, perhaps I just need to let my wine age until it tastes better
Very impressed with the quality and style of this video.
Thank you very much!
I’m very impressed that the info is correct current and doesn’t make my scream NO like most UA-cam videos 😂
Watched so many mead videos as I embark on this journey and this is far and away the best. I’m a beekeeper so I figure I might as well use all this honey for something other than sweetener!
Ive never had the chance to try mead, and i came across an "easy to make!" raspberry mead video the other day that got me really itching to try to make mead.
So here i am, to bingewatch your channel because you're both informative and entertaining.
I'm happy you found me! Let me know if I can help!
Brewing my first mead today and felt I had to freshen up and this is, by far, the single best info video for mead making. All brewing instructions should follow your lead. Keep it up!
How did it go
Be sure to degas your mead if you are adding yeast nutrient any time after fermentation.. I learned this the hard way. Added it to some active fermentation even though I likely didn't need it. It immediately fizzed up, I slammed the airlock on and it slowly made its way through my airlock. The water in it is now mead.
Oh yes! I didn’t mention that before!
This is a fantastic video. I pretty much did it this way over the years with minimal variation. I usually cold crashed to stabilize and clear. I never really added any sweetening after ferment. That sounds pretty cool and worth trying though.
Thank you!
Got into the hobby recently. My first two batches were one with jalapeno and cinnamon, and one with raspberries and blackberries that I grew myself. Currently fermenting one classical mead (basically this recipe but with M05) and one with orange, tangerine and some spices. The key ingredient from myself is patience, which is not what I am known for - so here's hoping this hobby teaches me some!
As someone who has thought "I'd like to make my own mead some day" a few times, but only understands the basic concept, I thought this was a really nice overview of what I would need to have and know to get started.
Thanks!
Maybe for Christmas this year people will be getting a homebrewed mead from me!
Edit: thanks for adding the info about adding other things to the mead like fruit! I'm an Alaskan so making raspberry, blueberry, and fireweed mead is the long term goal :)
Doing my first brew today! I'll be back to share the results once finished.
Thinking of doing the same within the next few weeks. Lemme know how it goes, genuinely interested, good luck!
This is the best how to mead video I have seen in all my research. You explain every step and the optional steps wanting to share the information and paywall people.
THANK YOU SIR!!!
Thank you! I’m glad it helped!
Thanks for this video! I just started this hobby with my own honey from my hives. I have a regular mead and a cherry melomel going, and was kind of confused what to do next. Both have been racked, so I was wondering g what to do next. Their ABV is pretty high, so I’m going to let them just sit for awhile. Very helpful video for a novice! ☺️
Honey from your own hives? You're living my dream 😍 I'd be interested to know how your mead turned out if you ever want to update us!
Thank you, this was very helpful and informative! We're about to start on our first ever batch and we'll be following your instructions!
This is the best mead UA-cam channel!
This is the BEST resource I've seen for a beginner so far. Super descriptive and well informed. But also simple. Thank you so much for sharing your process. You are the best!
I'm happy to share! Happy mead making!
I added graham cracker crumbs to my banana wine today. I never would’ve thought to do that without your videos! It tastes great as is, but I think the graham cracker is going to make it even better!
I mean, grahams do taste good, but I worry doing that would cause the same problem I had when I made kvass at home. You strain it and, somehow, someone ends up with soggy whatever at the bottom of their glass.
An absolutely fantastic video. I've just started making mead myself and your videos have proved most informative and helpful! Many thanks from England!
Thank you so much! I’m glad you’re getting into it! Let me know how your first brews go.
I just started up my first ever mead attempt, 2x5l carboys. First one is just honey and water. The second one is made with honey, strawberries and water.
The strawberry one has an oddly low starting gravity but I decided to let it sit a few days before checking again if needed.
Very exited to see how they turn out! :D
Thanks for the video! Just followed this tonight and now waiting for fermentation!
Question about the bottling...I have plastic PET bottles, will they be okay? All I see are people using glass bottles and I'd hate to waste my 15 empty unused plastic ones I paid for lol.
Looking forward to seeing how this mead turns out!
Thanks Ryan Gosling!
Good trick on pasteurizing the mead to kill the yeast after fermentation to help clear it. I've been home brewing for years and never heard that before. Time for an experiment. Thank you.
This is super helpful, thank you! I'm gonna try to make a blackberry-raspberry mead that has a hint of lavender or mint once I have all the stuff to actually make it.
That sounds so good! Let me know how that turns out!
How'd it end up?
@@kita7647 Lol I totally forgot about this, I never actually did make it
@@SHEP_Music1 Lmao, if you ever do let me know. I'll try it one day.
Great show 👍 I'll use a clear hose I got from a pool shop to rack my wine, I'll use an old bottle and don't need a cork😊
So glad I found this video! this will definitely help.
Thank god I found this video!...I am 5 days into a ferment...I was confused at what racking was, how long to age, if I add preservative before or after racking, how I sweeten more without a second ferment...I just kinda jumped in head first with barely a clue...thank u so very much for making the instructions mostly clear...I still got a bit confused so I rewatched 7 times 😂
I'm happy I could help!
Awesome video I so enjoyed watching it I had to watch about 12 times just to take all the notes that I needed. 👍👍👍
Great video for me starting my mead journey.
very concise as well as intuitive
I just started my first "big" batch this afternoon. 5 gallon bochet cyser with half a cup of brown sugar. Fermentation was going within 2 hours and I installed a blowoff tube 3 to 4 hours in because the Red Star Classique yeast is going nuts. I plan on adding cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, and allspice to secondary for a little while. Thanks for all the helpful info and advice in your videos!
That sounds fantastic! Let me know how it turns out!
I definitely will!
Hell yeah! Just tried my first mead today. It was viking blood, of course. Lol i was thinking about making a Florida version with hibiscus, guava, and local honey. Will give it a go in December!
I have several beer,wine,kombucha ferments under my belt. Mead seems like a really fun small batch to add to the mix. Especially since I love the flavor of honey
Thank you for clear instruction.
You are welcome!
I love how detailed this is, however, a little concerned when you checked the initial gravity, I saw you add a little water to the top without mixing it, then it was poured it into the little vial to check the gravity.. would that make it a little off considering the water on the top wasn’t agitated and mixed throughout the solution?
You are right that could have slightly askewed the gravity reading! I should have shook it up some more.
@@ManMadeMead I’m a bit confused. How was there an 8% ABV before you even fermented?
@@psilocypher It was an 8% potential ABV. The hydrometer measures potential gravity!!
Nice method..here is mine.
I buy a plastic gallon jug of water, then pour some out. I pour in honey until the jug is full again. I poke a hole in the cap, after I add some yeast that I didn't start up first. I usually wait a few days, then I pour out some unfinished mead (this goes into my mouth of course) then I add more honey until the jug is full again. I try to add about 3-4 lbs of honey in all. I usually add some nutrient and Energizer. Then when I think its about done, I drink most of it without aging, usually only saving 1/3 in a bottle to age. I've been doing this for about 5 years now. Never had a stuck fermentation, mold, off flavors, or any trouble in general. Lately I've been using local honey. It's the best.
Man, this is so cool! I've got a pair of dusty carboys in the attic, and I think I know what to do with them now.
I love it! You're going to love the hobby!
I'm planning to start my very own mead after discovering your videos by accident. I do have a question though ... If you taste test the young mead, what tastes would be a warning sign that the mead will be sub-par and what steps could you take to fix them? For instance: I taste test and taste a lot of XYZ, that means I will have to add some ABC to save this mead. Or I taste a lot of XYZ and it's probably best to not waste too much time on this and start over. Thanks for your help.
Generally it gets better over time without doing much. Age just helps mead. But if you notice it's not sweet enough, you can add more honey. If it doesn't have enough body you can add some wine tannin or oak. There are fixes for pretty much any issue you might run into!
Wow! This is extremely helpful! So many things packed in such a short video! Well done! :)
Coming from a beer maker point of view, when adding honey to sweeten. You stir it in, wouldn't this oxygenate your mead reducing the shelf life? And your thoughts on carbinated mead?
What I don’t quite understand is how mead gets better with age but beer doesn’t. Maybe it has to do with the malt or hops? I guess wines the same way.
@Aristides Gonzalez no I haven’t bothered looking into it
Thanks so much for sharing your mead knowledge!
I don't have a second demijohn, should I
- transfer to plastic then clean out my demijohn and transfer back
Or
- put it straight into glass swing top bottles and just leave it
I would transfer out of the demijohn and then back in after your clean the container!
made my first mead with this video. OG 1080 FG 1000= 10.50% very usefull video
I’m happy I could help!
Great video, great starting point for a new brewer for sure.
Thank you!
Thanks man, really inspired me to try making mead.
I’m happy to share!
thanks! can't wait to bring homemead mead to class. meads for everyone !
You won’t have any bottles explode or anything as long as you have a yeast that doesn’t necessarily keep going when it experiences hydrostatic pressure like a champagne you still gonna have a problem with but 71b I use often and don’t have an issue with bottling after backswing. You won’t have a problem just in case you were wondering nothing gonna explode or anything
Do I have to stabilize my mead even if I don’t want to add more sweetener?
Awesome video, found it very interesting and helpful
Excellent Content, thank you!!
Thank you!
Will start making mead soon, thanks to your videos!😁
you have your own TRBOS! I can tell this is a pro channel already
I made my first mead on 11-19-22. Just water, honey and yeast. OG 1.081. I added yeast nutrient a couple different times while fermenting. The yeast I used was A38 Juice ale yeast, it's what I had on hand. I left it in the fermenter until 12-31-22 then threw it into the fridge to cold crash. Did I goof up by not transferring to secondary first? Today is 1-5-23. Also, I didn't take a gravity reading before crashing it. I'm guessing it will probably be a little sweeter because of the yeast I used. I'm guessing I can still transfer to secondary but will it hurt to just leave it sitting on the yeast? I haven't tasted it yet either. Thanks for your advice.
Vince
Damn as of 7/18/21 only 18 down votes. That speaks volumes on how awesome this video really is. Thank you for posting this and getting me excited to try myself.
Thank you so much!
Awesome video my guy. Factual throughout and the tips options at rhe end is great vs some other videos where your subjected to hosts longer stories making it harder to find info.
Cheers
I appreciate you!
Don’t forget about option 3 for clarifying! You can always cold crash and then re-rack.
Very plain and simple. Thank you for this :)
Thanks for the detailed video.
Happy to share!
Hi M.M.M.... is it possible to make sparkling mead?? if so how? thanks!
I love your videos! You inspired me to start brewing meads 🍻 thanks for sharing your knowledge with us
Thank you so much! I love making these!
incredible at explaining man, thanks a lot.
Happy to help!
What temperature should the sourounding room have during the three stages?
I keep my room between 68 - 72 F generally!
Ok thank you ☺️
Giving this a try tomorrow
Great video, this answered a lot of questions I had. Thanks again Triple M ;)
I'm happy to help!
Homeboy is running a bootleg operation! Did you see how many bottles of fermenting mead behind him. Love it!
Haha!
Well I started my first batch today! I used 2.5 lbs of wildflower raw honey and 2G of Ec1118. Was 2G enough or do I need more? My SG was a little above 1.100.
I've only made cysers and melomels but really want to try a capsicumel. I have 3 aging in carboys and a new one to rack into a carboy this week.
I have no idea what your talking about 😆 but I want to do the same
that is a great video! i haven't tried fermenting booze aside from failing at making hard cider 15 years ago and failing using a Cooper Stout kit (too hoppy) 2 years ago. i've always wanted to try making mead and your video has inspired me. i'm gonna do it!!!!
You should try it!!
Right on! Thank you
Just started my first batch using your video as reference, At first I was intimidated by the processes and santization, bingeing your videos back to back and taking notes your instructions are very clear and understandable! Tyvm for posting your content for all home brewers to see. One question, I ordered Fermaid O off Amazon and added it after my yeast, I noticed that there were Fermaid K and other options for nutrients. Is there a best for all? Or is most yeast nutrient the same?
Much love from Canada🤘🏼
I use Fermaid O almost all the time! It’s much easier to use
Im currently working on a triple mango mead I'm very exited to taste
I'll give this a try, I buy mead every 2 weeks on a local market. €12 for 0.75L and they only use yeast, water and honey. I was like maybe I can make it myself so it won't cost me that much :D
can mead or wine stay in a carboy after stabilizers for a couple weeks before backsweeten and bottling? great job on videos just getting into making my own wine and meads
Of course it can!
awesome quick video, i plan on doing some of your recipes soon
Awesome!!
Shared. Clear and concise.
Thank you so much!
@@ManMadeMead Most welcome. Got a buddy who brews at home. Saved your vid for source and reference.
Okay so i recently had a cherrymead that was laid on a cask of peated whiskey, this was THE best Mead i have ever had.
From a beekeeper (that likes to make his own Mead and give it away to like "friends" of his Ephesus) i got 20 liters of Mead, which after tasting tasted pretty good (had better had worse)
Now im wondering that if without fermentation it would be possible to give some cherry hints to it and if it would be okay to throw in some wood from a whiskey barrel (i recently got an old whiskey barrel for a beer project that me and a friend brewed) would it be possible? Or do i need to ferment it again/ make a new batch myself/give the barrel to the beekeeper?
great video, man. well done, sir!
Thank you so much!
Hey MMM, thanks again for all your wonderful content. I have a question regarding stabilization. I take that since you do that a lot you know by now reliable ratios between the 2 sulfites which work well. How much do you use in grams per liter? Last time i stabilized a mead and then added honey, for some reason the fermentation restarted, and I don't know why.
I have a question, is it possible to make just 1.5 litres of mead without doing anything but adding water, honey and yeast letting it sit in a cool or room temp area and then how long ? Then after it's done just drink it without having to stop the fermentation process because it's not going to last for weeks I'm going to drink it as soon as it finishes.?
You can definitely just let it set after you mix everything up! It will probably take 2 - 4 weeks to finish fermenting. You want to rack it off the dead yeast and let it clear some. You don't want to drink yeast! After racking, as long as it doesn't have a ton of oxygen on the top of it, you can let it age for awhile!
@@ManMadeMead So, after 2-4 weeks rack it off and I could probably drink it after that? I noticed after that racking you did it didn't change as far as the hydrometer showed, I could probably just drink it then , or should I let it set a week or two, after racking it off is what your saying and then it's gonna be fine or could I drink it after racking it off. Or just because it's gonna clear up a bit let it sit because it's gonna be a bit better in a week or so... ? basically I'm looking for a mead that in four weeks is gonna proof off to be 15 to 20% maybe I should use a yeast that is suited to a higher alcohol leave in 4-5 weeks.? After racking off ?
I haven't done any of it this way 🤣 or any way others have done it. I mixed the water and honey on the stoveon low-med heat until dissolved. I carved a stick from outside which I washed lightly to remove dirt and stuck it in the pot while it cooled. Then I added herbs the Vikings would of used: elderberry, hibiscus, yarrow, meadowsweet, raisins. Raisins have natural yeast on them and help with natural fermentation. Filtered the herbs after 24 hours and put it in my bottle, still with my totem stick, and cloth wrapped around it. Natural fermentation, which is what they would of done. I've successfully made wine with elderberry and cherries (bit dry but pleasant flavour)
Working on an orange and elderflower mead now!!
That sounds great!
When adding the secondary ingredients to add different flavours to the mead, when's typically the best time to make those additions?
Wow man,it looks like you've got the carboy super full ,but unlike grains, maybe it doesnt foam as bad
It won't go too wild unless you have some fruit or something in it! In that case you don't want it to clog!
Good job.. thanks for the info…
I've done 2 batches so far, both have seemed to be "hot" still even after bottling stage. I know I just need to wait but I'm so impatient! Anyways great video :)
Patience will fix a lot of those things!
A few questions.
If I like it the way it is and I let it ferment for a few more weeks, am I safe to bottle it after a few weeks have passed or do I need to stabilize it and or kill the yeast then as well...?
Second question
Is bottling it in mason jars and acceptable option?
Third
Will letting it sit for those few weeks while its continuing the fermenting process increase the alcohol content making it stronger but still altering the taste? What about it staying for a few more weeks prevents the flavor from changing
You don't have to stabilize it if it's totally done fermenting! You can try using mason jars... I haven't done it before! The only thing that increases the alcohol is if there is still sugar for the yeast to consume and convert into alcohol . You don't want to bottle something that is still bubbling.
Good info, I'll be referencing this when I make mine some time next week. 2 things I have to ask: (1) can I bottle and then let it age, or let it age in the carboy after its been racked? (2) the colour of the other carboys in the background were pretty dark, can mead get that dark or were you doing some other projects in them?
You can bottle age it or carboy age! Either way works! Those meads are different kinds. different honey and ingredients can produce different colors!
@@ManMadeMead cheers for the help
How would I be able to get a higher alcohol content at from the start? I generally looking to get around 12-15% it is simply add a few more ounces of honey? If so what amount?
Sorry I’m new to the hobby 😅
Very useful thank you.
Want to add some herbs do i just put these in at step 2 with the water and honey?
How is the ABV 8.53% BEFORE fermenting (1:39)?
It's not that ABV before fermentation. It has a potential of that ABV if it ferments through all the sugar. You take the starting gravity reading (1.060 Example) and a gravity reading after fermentation (1.000 Example). And plug it into a formula or ABV calculator to figure out the ABV.
Thank you!
I am a newbie. Still confused...I plan on sticking with 1 Gallon Batches. When you make your Primary in a 1 Gallon carboy, you have little headspace. When you make your primary in a 2 Gallon bucket, you end up fermenting with lots of headspace. Is one method better than the other?
During the primary fermentation headspace doesn’t matter. It makes a difference during the aging stage
As I keep making me, I get new questions for example this one. How much nutrients do I add? I was following a step-by-step, but gave me packets to use, but no measurements behind the packets. So how much yeast am I allowed to use and how much nutrients should I use for a gallon versus a 5 gallon?
hello !!! great video for us beginners, my silly question now is -do i have to bottle it? or can leave it room temp and help myself when i want some? 25 live at home don't want my parents to trip out with loads of mead where they can see lol! thanks
So sorry! I don’t know how I missed this. If you take mead off of a full bottle, it will have oxygen on top. Oxygen and mead don’t really mix! So bottling your brew allows you to drink it without chancing it oxidizing in a larger batch!
literal perfect vid
Awesome Video!
Cool I am going to try this...BTW how long did primary fermentation take? And how long for secondary?
Primary was about 2 - 3 weeks and secondary is about the same