Thirsty Thursday Eve - Homemade Mead
I made my own mead once a little while back. It wasn’t great, but it didn’t kill anyone. I call that a win.
The whole idea started when I came across a simple recipe for mead from a tumblr user by the name of Recoil-Operated. He detailed steps to make mead with nothing more than a gallon jug of spring water, a few pounds of honey, and some bread yeast. It sounded simple enough that a software engineer could do it.
Several times over the course of a few years, I would remember that mead recipe and decide that I should make some. Every single time, I would eventually abandon the idea and forget about it. Finally, about a year ago, I went through with the process. The original post was lost to the annals of time, but an Internet Archive capture of the first part of the post was still available.
Besides a bunch of images, this is the only text available from the post:
As helpful as that is, especially with the ingredient list, it didn’t detail the full process. For whatever reason, the Internet Archive only caught the first post of presumably several. Fortunately for me, there are plenty of internet strangers who are similarly interested in cheap, homemade alcohol. In particular, it seems like a lot of people found success with Joe’s Ancient Orange Mead or JAOM for short. Even JAOM was a little too ambitious for me with the flavors and add-ins, but the process was pretty thoroughly documented.
After a few days, I went to inspect my bottle of hopefully-soon-to-be mead. The balloon wasn’t inflated at all. While that wasn’t a bad sign in and of itself, it also wasn’t a good sign. Most of the sites detailing homemade mead seemed to indicate that you should see substantial inflation within a few hours. I had given it a few days with no visible change.
The color was fine, a pale yellow color like most mead that I’ve had. The taste was decent. There was a slight note of vinegar, but nothing extreme. Honey was definitely heavy on the front, which is what I was hoping for. I’ve had worse mead when meaderies tried too hard for different flavors, so I think it was a decent first attempt. I brought a few jars into work one Thursday to share during beer cart, and the general consensus was ambivalent to slightly positive. What’s better, it didn’t make anybody sick!
The process wasn’t difficult, and the result was fine. I could see myself trying it again with maybe some additional ingredients for a different flavor profile. Being a master brewer at a meadery probably isn’t in the cards for me, but it was a cool thing to do and the whole thing was cheap and easy enough to not be a huge deal. Definitely worth trying if you like mead!
Sources:
Recoil-Operated. (2018, May 19). Recoil-operated’s $12 traditional mead: Tumblr. https://web.archive.org/web/20190320024607/Https://recoil-operated.tumblr.com/post/174031731511/so-one-of-the-most-common-things-i-see-on-my-mead
Yooper. (2007, December 26). Joe’s ancient Orange Mead. Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/joes-ancient-orange-mead.49106/
The whole idea started when I came across a simple recipe for mead from a tumblr user by the name of Recoil-Operated. He detailed steps to make mead with nothing more than a gallon jug of spring water, a few pounds of honey, and some bread yeast. It sounded simple enough that a software engineer could do it.
Several times over the course of a few years, I would remember that mead recipe and decide that I should make some. Every single time, I would eventually abandon the idea and forget about it. Finally, about a year ago, I went through with the process. The original post was lost to the annals of time, but an Internet Archive capture of the first part of the post was still available.
Besides a bunch of images, this is the only text available from the post:
“Recoil-operated’s $12 traditional mead:
So one of the most common things I see on my Mead posts is “I’d love to do that, but I don’t have the stuff”
We’ll sit down and buckle up. Because I’m about to show you how to make a $12.56 traditional mead.
Here’s the recipe:
1 gallon Deer Park/spring water. You don’t want distilled.
3 lb or 32 fluid ounces honey.
One package of yeast.
a party balloon.
The cost total is $13.49, but you only need one pack of yeast. So -$0.90.
Let’s begin:
Everything together on a clean work surface, you will need a clean glass. And while not entirely necessary, a measuring cup will be handy.
Pour a cup of water for yourself and drink it. Hydration is important. Also this will allow you headspace.
Remove about ehhhhh, a quart or so of water to drink later.
Trust me. You’re going to want itWash your drinking cup and mixing about a teaspoon of honey.”
Ancient Orange Mead (by Joe Mattioli)
1 gallon batch
3 1/2 lbs Clover or your choice honey or blend (will finish sweet)
1 Large orange (later cut in eights or smaller rind and all)
1 small handful of raisins (25 if you count but more or less ok)
1 stick of cinnamon
1 whole clove ( or 2 if you like - these are potent critters)
optional (a pinch of nutmeg and allspice )( very small )
1 teaspoon of Fleishmann’s bread yeast ( now don't get holy on me--- after all this is an ancient mead and that's all we had back then)
Balance water to one gallon
Process:
Use a clean 1 gallon carboy
Dissolve honey in some warm water and put in carboy
Wash orange well to remove any pesticides and slice in eights --add orange (you can push em through opening big boy -- rinds included -- its ok for this mead -- take my word for it -- ignore the experts)
Put in raisins, clove, cinnamon stick, any optional ingredients and fill to 3 inches from the top with cold water. ( need room for some foam -- you can top off with more water after the first few day frenzy)
Shake the heck out of the jug with top on, of course. This is your sophisticated aeration process.
When at room temperature in your kitchen, put in 1 teaspoon of bread yeast. ( No you don't have to rehydrate it first-- the ancients didn't even have that word in their vocabulary-- just put it in and give it a gentle swirl or not)(The yeast can fight for their own territory)
Install water airlock. Put in dark place. It will start working immediately or in an hour. (Don't use grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away in the 90's)( Wait 3 hours before you panic or call me) After major foaming stops in a few days add some water and then keep your hands off of it. (Don't shake it! Don't mess with them yeastees! Let them alone except its okay to open your cabinet to smell every once in a while.
Racking --- Don't you dare
additional feeding --- NO NO
More stirring or shaking -- Your not listening, don't touch
After 2 months and maybe a few days it will slow down to a stop and clear all by itself. (How about that) (You are not so important after all) Then you can put a hose in with a small cloth filter on the end into the clear part and siphon off the golden nectar. If you wait long enough even the oranges will sink to the bottom but I never waited that long. If it is clear it is ready. You don't need a cold basement. It does better in a kitchen in the dark. (Like in a cabinet) likes a little heat (70-80). If it didn't work out... you screwed up and didn't read my instructions (or used grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away) . If it didn't work out then take up another hobby. Mead is not for you. It is too complicated.
If you were successful, which I am 99% certain you will be, then enjoy your mead. When you get ready to make different mead you will probably have to unlearn some of these practices I have taught you, but hey--- This recipe and procedure works with these ingredients so don't knock it. It was your first mead. It was my tenth. Sometimes, even the experts can forget all they know and make good ancient mead.
I got my jug of water, a few bottles of honey, and some yeast packets. Taking absolutely zero care to sterilize anything, I followed the steps to begin this fermentation experiment. I combined all the ingredients, shook the bottle like crazy, and assembled my makeshift fermentation lock with a punctured latex balloon. We lived in a camper at that time, so I didn’t exactly have a dark place to stash the brew at a stable temperature. Instead, I stuck the bottle behind a wardrobe in my recently deceased grandparents’ bedroom. Sorry, Grandma. I’d let you try some of the finished product if you were around for it.
After a few days, I went to inspect my bottle of hopefully-soon-to-be mead. The balloon wasn’t inflated at all. While that wasn’t a bad sign in and of itself, it also wasn’t a good sign. Most of the sites detailing homemade mead seemed to indicate that you should see substantial inflation within a few hours. I had given it a few days with no visible change.
A couple of weeks later, I still wasn’t seeing any evidence of fermentation. At worst, I wasted 20 bucks and a few minutes throwing everything together. Still, I was a little frustrated that I had managed to mess up something so apparently simple. I stopped by a shop near my work that specializes in all things honey. I asked an employee how they manufacture their mead. She explained that they sourced it from a local meadery, and she wasn’t sure of their process. I told her of my problem and she suggested that I keep waiting. The process sometimes takes a little longer to kick off, and colder temperatures could slow it down even more. I decided there was no harm in giving it a few more weeks to sit.
Finally, after probably a month or longer, the balloon inflated and there were bubbles along the surface of the liquid. I’m not sure what caused the substantial delay, but we were actively fermenting. All I could do was wait and let nature run its course.
After a few months, the bubbles seemed to subside. The balloon was still inflated, which meant it had most likely kept a seal and not let oxygen in to ruin my hooch. I got a couple of clean mason jars fresh from the dishwasher (it’s probably sanitary) and decanted the contents of the jug.
Finally, after probably a month or longer, the balloon inflated and there were bubbles along the surface of the liquid. I’m not sure what caused the substantial delay, but we were actively fermenting. All I could do was wait and let nature run its course.
After a few months, the bubbles seemed to subside. The balloon was still inflated, which meant it had most likely kept a seal and not let oxygen in to ruin my hooch. I got a couple of clean mason jars fresh from the dishwasher (it’s probably sanitary) and decanted the contents of the jug.
The color was fine, a pale yellow color like most mead that I’ve had. The taste was decent. There was a slight note of vinegar, but nothing extreme. Honey was definitely heavy on the front, which is what I was hoping for. I’ve had worse mead when meaderies tried too hard for different flavors, so I think it was a decent first attempt. I brought a few jars into work one Thursday to share during beer cart, and the general consensus was ambivalent to slightly positive. What’s better, it didn’t make anybody sick!
The process wasn’t difficult, and the result was fine. I could see myself trying it again with maybe some additional ingredients for a different flavor profile. Being a master brewer at a meadery probably isn’t in the cards for me, but it was a cool thing to do and the whole thing was cheap and easy enough to not be a huge deal. Definitely worth trying if you like mead!
Sources:
Recoil-Operated. (2018, May 19). Recoil-operated’s $12 traditional mead: Tumblr. https://web.archive.org/web/20190320024607/Https://recoil-operated.tumblr.com/post/174031731511/so-one-of-the-most-common-things-i-see-on-my-mead
Yooper. (2007, December 26). Joe’s ancient Orange Mead. Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/joes-ancient-orange-mead.49106/
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