Minimum equipment needed for making mead
So you're thinking about making mead...
For years I have stopped at the store before meeting up with friends to grab a 6-pack or a bottle of wine - spending anywhere from $8 to 20. This was a purchase that I didn't think much about - as we enjoyed a few beverages every now and then and it was much cheaper than going to the bars.
This is where the magic happens. You'll need a carboy before you can make your first batch. A common beginner size is 1 gallon. A 1 gallon batch will yield you approximate 5 750ml bottles of mead. There are a few different ways you can obtain your carboy:
I will add that just because you are a beginner doesn't mean you have to buy a 1 gallon carboy. Carboys come in all different sizes - and if you think this is something that you will have a knack for it may not hurt to invest in something bigger. You can always make a 1 gallon batch in a 5 gallon carboy if you want to practice. And once you get a hang of mead-making, you will rarely use your 1 gallon carboy!
For years I have stopped at the store before meeting up with friends to grab a 6-pack or a bottle of wine - spending anywhere from $8 to 20. This was a purchase that I didn't think much about - as we enjoyed a few beverages every now and then and it was much cheaper than going to the bars.
Several years ago I started researching ways to make alcohol at home. I enjoyed working in the kitchen and the idea of sharing a drink with friends that I created myself excited me. I looked into making hard alcohol, but quickly learned that it is complicated and oh yeah... ILLEGAL!! I'm not a huge beer fan, so I landed on wine making. I wanted to start with an easy recipe. I came across a recipe for a mead (honey wine) that sounded pretty simple. All you needed to do was pour some yeast in honey water - I could handle that!
COVID19 update: Knowing how to make a batch of alcohol in quarantine without ever leaving your house can really come in handy. If you are like and enjoy having a few beverages now and then - it is great to not have to work about making a trip out of the house to pick up alcohol. Most mead-making supplies can be found online and making a small batch of mead is quick and easy.
Does the simplicity of mead making sounds appealing to you? Does the - you will need to get your hands on a few pieces of equipment to get started. I have compiled a list of the bare essential equipment you need to get start making your first mead.
- A glass carboy (a jug)
This is where the magic happens. You'll need a carboy before you can make your first batch. A common beginner size is 1 gallon. A 1 gallon batch will yield you approximate 5 750ml bottles of mead. There are a few different ways you can obtain your carboy:
- Craigslist or Facebook - there are plenty people on these sites looking to sell old equipment.
- Your local homebrew store
- On-line stores
- Antique shops - believe it or not I have seen old 1 gallon carboys countless times at antique stores.
- A grocery store! - you can often find fancy juices in 1 gallon glass jugs. Purchase some of this juice and you get a free carboy! I once bought several gallon jugs of organic apple cider from whole foods, added some honey and yeast to it and made some apple cider mead, and obtained several 1 gallon carboys in the process!
I will add that just because you are a beginner doesn't mean you have to buy a 1 gallon carboy. Carboys come in all different sizes - and if you think this is something that you will have a knack for it may not hurt to invest in something bigger. You can always make a 1 gallon batch in a 5 gallon carboy if you want to practice. And once you get a hang of mead-making, you will rarely use your 1 gallon carboy!
2. An airlock
An airlock lets air and gases escape from your batch, but does not let sure in. This is good because air can sure ruin your concoction! You can buy this online or at your local homebrew store
3. A siphon
You'll want a siphon to rack and bottle your mead. Some simple plastic tonight will do, but it'll make your life easier if you get the pump that goes with it.
4. Sanitizer
Sanitize, sanitize, and sanitize some more. Everything that comes in contact with your mead needs to be sanitized. There are a few products available on the market for sanitizing. I always use star-San and this is generally the go to for winemakers.
Now that you have the four essential pieces of equipment need to make your first batch of mead, there are three essential ingredients.
1. Water
This sounds simple and it is. Bottled water works great, but so does tap water (as long as yours isn't icky.
2. Honey
If you want to make a mead, you'll need some honey. See if you can find some raw local honey at a Farmer's market. If your just getting started and want to practice using something cheaper - you can stock up from your local supermarket. Just keep in mind - all honey is not created equally. High quality honey usually comes with a higher price tag - but you can usually taste the difference in your mead.
3. Yeast
Yeast consumers sugar (in the honey) and produces alcohol
Your only going to be able to find yeast online or at your local homebrew store. Sometimes you can find it at a wine and beer superstore, but I haven't had much luck with this. In a bind, you can use bread yeast, but bread yeast was made for bread, not honey wine. Bread yeast does not see quite as easily and can not typically withstand higher alcohol contents
That's it! (Assuming you already have a pot and stove). You are ready to get started on your first batch of mead!
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