Making Magic: Brewing Mead
by Rich Webb, Mead and brewing deity,
Brews Brothers tm 1993 Homebrewer of the year
At it's most simple, mead is a fermented beverage that uses honey as its primary
source of sugar. (This compares most favorably with wine, where the grapes
supply a ready source of sugar, and most unfavorably with beer or sake, where
the sugars come from starch in grain which is transformed into sugar by enzymes
or mold cultures.) Because the sugar is readily available, making mead is much
easier to make than beer, but slightly more difficult to make than wine. There
is no need to spend the entire day mashing grain, nor is there any need to
spend an hour or more in a full boil as with beer. Honey also mixes well with
other juices and sugar sources, and so leads to a great variety of fermentation
experiments. One of the favorite of these are the various fruits, with strawberries
leading the list. (One of the best strawberry meads that I've ever had was
made by our own 1995-1996 Overlord Don Johnson) I've also made meads with blueberry,
raspberry, apple, cherries, wine grape juice, chili peppers, spices, and malt
sugars. I've had no small measure of success with several of these, and I have
the ribbons and trophies to prove it.
A typical 5 gallon batch of mead starts with a gallon of honey. This will typically
run about $17-20, depending on the source. (Remember, it takes over 2 million
trips by a bee to a flower and back to the hive for each pound of honey, so
don't expect this stuff to come cheep!) This much honey in this much water
will yield a fermentable liquid (called "must" like beer is called "wort")
with a starting gravity of about 1.080. Adjust this up or down depending on
what you are trying to achieve. The higher gravities lead to a more wine-like
drink, while lighter gravities can seem more like champagne, or alcoholic soda
pop in the extreme.
As a process, start with the water. Bring your 4.5 or so gallons of water up
to a steady, rolling boil. Because honey does not have sufficient nutrients
to enable yeast to undergo a vigorous and healthy ferment, put perhaps 1 tsp
of yeast nutrient, or 3 tsp of yeast energizer (follow package directions,
but err on the side of less is better) into the vigorous boil. You will also
find that the sweetness of the mead requires the sour tartness of some sort
of acid in order to balance it out. I've added from 1 to 3 tsp of acid blend,
grape tannin, citric acid, or a combination thereof to this rapid boil. However,
the fermentation will be more vigorous if you wait until after fermentation
to add the acid. It is also easier to blend the acid to your taste if you wait
until after the fermentation. Your choice. Pour the honey into this hot bath,
and turn off the heat. Cover the must and hold this temperature for a while.
You can imagine that during those 24 million trips the bees made to gather
the nectar to make the honey, that somewhere along the line, some sort of contamination
managed to get into the honey. In fact, honey is actually well contaminated
with bacteria, fungus, spores, bee parts, protein, and God knows what else,
so steep the must at pasteurization temperatures for as long as half an hour,
but for at least 15 minutes. Instead of steeping, you may choose to boil your
honey for a while. This will make your final mead much clearer, but the penalty
you pay will be a reduced (or non-existent) honey aroma profile: you will have
boiled it all away. However, you can take the opportunity to boil and add Irish
Moss. A white to yellow scum will rise to the top of the boil. Use a skimming
spoon to remove this from the boil. Using some sort of heat exchanger, chill
the must as rapidly as possible, aerate, and add a healthy and vigorous yeast
starter.
Because mead is a rather high gravity ferment, good yeast techniques are more
important than in regular gravity beer ferments. This is good advice for all
brewing, but at higher gravities, make sure that you pitch a sufficient quantity
of yeast slurry. If in doubt, you aren't pitching enough. The more yeast cells
in your initial pitching, the faster and more complete your fermentation will
be. Same with aeration. If you can inject filtered atmosphere (or ultimately,
pure, medical quality oxygen), your yeast lag time (initial, reproductive)
phase of the ferment will be minimized, and a healthier fermentation will be
the result.
As far as yeast types go, I'd encourage experimentation. I've had excellent
luck with Red Star Pasteur Champagne yeast (in contrast with my comments in
the previous paragraph, I've often just chucked a package of dry yeast, right
out of the package, onto the cool must, shaken the hell out of it and then
let it go. We can't all be perfect all of the time!).
Epernay is NOT the same as champagne yeast. Champagne yeast is SO2
tolerant, Epernay (which is now called "cotes de blanc") is not.
Champagne yeast is very alcohol tolerant, epernay isn't. Champagne yeast
is nutural flavored and ferments to dryness, epernay leaves a residual
fruityness, but as far as yeast flavors go, is also "nutural."
Lately, I've tried some of the more popular
Wyeast cultures, owing to their lower attenuation characteristics compared
to the more traditional wine yeasts. (I haven't tried this with any of the
lager strains, but that is on my list of things to do!) Using the wine yeasts
will result in a more alcoholic mead, and one that is less sweet. If you prefer
sweeter wines, then choose a yeast that will peter out at a lower alcohol tolerance.
Mead making does take longer than beer making. This is true for a couple of
reasons. First, it is a high gravity ferment, and by definition, this takes
longer than a lower gravity ferment. Second, an insufficient yeast population
is often used, resulting in an even longer ferment. Third, it is often true
that the fermentation is done, but you simply find yourself waiting for the
yeast and suspended protein to settle out of the liquid. (If you have some
sort of filtration system that will remove these floaters, your wait will be
proportionately shorter.) Finally, if you used too much yeast nutrient, it
will take longer for the harsh, metallic "off-flavors" from these salts and
chemicals to recede into background levels. If you used too little nutrient,
then the yeast in your ferment is running a marathon with the nutrition of
a candy bar. There simply isn't a healthy enough environment for the yeasts
pleasure.
Finally a note on adding fruits, spices, or herbs to your mead. It might be
best to have a vigorous initial ferment with just honey, then rack onto the
crushed and pulverized fruit. (Don't use a food processor or blender to liquify
the fruit: Aeration of the fruit will lead to oxidation of the alcohol, leading
to wet cardboard type aromas and tastes) If you're worried about the sanitation
of the fruit, heat it up to pasteurization temperatures, but no higher. The
pectin in the fruit may set, leading to a permanent haze floating in your mead.
It may also be wise to add spices, herbs, and chili peppers to taste, because
too much of a good thing can be quite overwhelming. If you add fruits or malt
sugars, you can cut down on the yeast nutrients, as these sources bring much
needed natural nutrition to the fermentation.
********************************************************
Subject: Re: Making Magic: Brewing Mead, by Rich Webb, Mead and brewing Deity
From: simsj@esn126.scra.org (Jim Sims)
Date: Fri, 19 Jan 1996 11:05:14 -0500
The intent of this reply is NOT to cast doubt on Rich's obvious
success/credentials/abilities/parentage, etc :-) The intent is to make
folks aware of alternative thoughts on traditionally "accepted" or
"known" "facts" about yeast, brewing, etc.
My comments are based on my coupla years experience brewing beer and
making mead, and a few years reading HBD and MLD, where there are
lotsa folks who collectively know way more about this than any _one_
of us. I haven't done the side-by-side hard-core scientific method
experiments to validate my opinions, and since Rich didn't claim he had
either, I'll make the bold assumption (possibly false) that he hasn't
either.
In any case, folks need to be aware that opinions are opinions,
researched facts are something different and we should be careful and
label which type of information we are presenting to other folks.
Rich writes:
>> Because honey does not have sufficient nutrients to enable yeast to undergo a vigorous and healthy ferment
true. unquestionably
>>, put perhaps 1 tsp of yeast nutrient, or 3 tsp of yeast energizer
This is one of those "accepted facts". There is growing evidence this
is a bad idea. Rich himself illustrates one reason why:
>> if you used too much yeast nutrient, it will take longer for the harsh, metallic "off-flavors" from these salts and
chemicals to recede into background levels
More from Rich:
>> the sweetness of the mead requires the sour tartness of some sort
of acid in order to balance it out. I've added from 1 to 3 tsp of acid blend,
grape tannin, citric acid, or a combination thereof
This is another of those "accepted facts" that is
questionable. Here's one reason why:
>>the fermentation will be more vigorous if you wait until after fermentation
to add the acid
There have been a number of posts in the MLD and elsewhere suggesting
that pH (coupled with yeast nutrition) are one (two) of the most
important aspects of quick fermentation and "aging".
>> Same with aeration. If you can inject filtered atmosphere (or ultimately,
pure, medical quality oxygen), your yeast lag time (initial, reproductive)
phase of the ferment will be minimized, and a healthier fermentation will be
the result.
Another potential "urban legend". Check the recent discussion on the
Homebrew Digest. I don't recall _who_, but some microbiologist type
pointed out that aeration has little to nothing to do with yeast
reproduction because that is a anerobic (oxygen-free) process.
And in the _just_my_two_cents_ category:
>> It might be
best to have a vigorous initial ferment with just honey, then rack onto the
crushed and pulverized fruit.
I find that adding fruit with the initial fermentation accomplishes
multiple goals:
(1) It adds nutrient for the yeast, eliminating the need for
"energizers"
(2) the mead clears more quickly as the fruit seems to precipitate
the particulates faster
(3) adding fruit at the start eliminates the risk of
>> Aeration of the fruit will lead to oxidation of the alcohol, leading
to wet cardboard type aromas and tastes
more of _my_two_cents_
>> If you're worried about the sanitation
of the fruit, heat it up to pasteurization temperatures, but no higher. The
pectin in the fruit may set, leading to a permanent haze floating in your mead.
My preference is to rinse/soak the whole fruit in sanitizer (check
the winemaking supplies section of your homebrew shop/catalog), then
chop up the fruit and freeze it. Freezing bursts the cell walls far
more effectively than any food processor ever could....
**********************************************
On 20 Jan 96 at 11:28, simsj@esn126.scra.org (Jim Sims) wrote:
> The intent of this reply is NOT to cast doubt on Rich's obvious
success/credentials/abilities/parentage, etc :-) The intent is to
make folks aware of alternative thoughts on traditionally "accepted"
or "known" "facts" about yeast, brewing, etc.
Uh oh... here comes a "momily" speech.
> My comments are based on my coupla years experience brewing beer
and making mead, and a few years reading HBD and MLD, where there are
lotsa folks who collectively know way more about this than any _one_
of us.
Well, I respect your experience and any raw data that you may present
here but I have to take an opposing view on a few of these things
presented.
> >> Same with aeration. If you can inject filtered atmosphere (or
ultimately, pure, medical quality oxygen), your yeast lag time (initial,
reproductive) phase of the ferment will be minimized, and a
healthier fermentation will be the result.
Another potential "urban legend". Check the recent discussion on
the Homebrew Digest. I don't recall _who_, but some microbiologist type
pointed out that aeration has little to nothing to do with yeast
reproduction because that is a anerobic (oxygen-free) process.
We are a little off the track here.. whether or not the reproductive
phase is aerobic or anaerobic (and it by most accounts seems
anaerobic) is not the concern. What we are forgetting here is the
need of the yeast to build up reserves for the reproductive and
fermentation phases.
The first phase of the ferment the yeast go into an aerobic phase in
which they build up adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which is an
extremely important source of energy for the cell. Without this
respiratory phase, the yeast will autolyse causing many off flavors
in the must.
The mechanics of the respiratory phase are:
C6 H12 O6 (glucose) + 6 O2 --> 6 CO2 + 6 H2O
In an extremely brief and incomplete manner let's look at the
following:
The yeast reduce Pyruvic acid to oxaloacetate from which amino acids
and proteins can be synthesized. Another pathway would be from
oxaloacetate to acetyl Co A, an Acyl Co A or other acetic acid type
compounds than can be oxidized to fatty acids, lipids and complex
glycerides which are all required for cell wall formation and
strengthening. Oxygen is required for every one of these processes.
A deprivation of oxygen in the initial phases of the ferment will
retard the formation of the cell walls and the yeast will not be able
to regulate the uptake or selective uptake of the sugars in the wort
or must. Either the cells will die and lyse or develop abnormally both
of which results in off flavors.
Acytyl Co A eterifies fusel alcohols without the presence of
sufficient oxygen. Normally the yeast would metabolize these back to
oxo-acids. Lacking oxygen the yeast will excrete these fusel
alcohols or dehydrate them to esters by Acetyl Co A. One of the
major esters produced in this manner is ethyl acetate or that famous
banana aroma that we get from an under aerated must or wort.
Another symptom of under aeration is pyruvic acid, amino acids and
fatty acids being decarboxylated to aldehydes. This is a normal
function but without sufficient oxygen they will also be excreted.
The most predominant aldehyde being Acetaldehyde or the green-apple
smell.
Whew!
That was boring!
Anyway, I wanted to present fact rather than "Urban Legend" for you
all to chew on.
Some of the more significant research on this has been done by Dr. George
Fix and Dr. Maribeth Raines, all recommending oxygenating the wort
or must.
Then, as long as I'm de-lurking:
> I find that adding fruit with the initial fermentation accomplishes multiple goals:
*snip*
Well, I add the fruit or more accurately I add the must to the fruit
after the primary fermentation has died down. I do this for the
following reasons:
1. It prevents the vigour of the primary ferment from stripping
valuable and desired aromas from the fruit.
2. It allows you to do a "half batch" where you can rack half of the
batch onto the fruit.
3. It fits well in my sanitization scheme in which I take the frozen
fruit (I agree with this method for the reasons you specified) and
sanitize it with an appropriate amount of sulphites (1 tablet to 1
gallon of fruit) for 24 hours prior to racking the must onto the
fruit.
In this manner you can adequately sanitize the fruit without heat
(very desirable IMHO) and you don't run the risk of over-sulphiting
the must. I'll explain:
If you add 1 Campden tablet to 1 gallon of fruit, you get an
approximate concentration of 25 ppm sulphites. The acid in the fruit
rapidly liberate the SO2 which is the active sanitizing compound.
The rate of the liberation of the SO2 is proportional to the relative
acidity of the must. Even assuming a 25% drop in available or free
sodium metabisulphate (which is conservative IMHO owing to the
acidity) upon dilution by adding the must (in this discussion we'll
say 5 gallons for the sake of discussion) you end up with an overall
level (or addition) of 3.125 ppm sulphites:
25 ppm - 6.25 = 18.75 ppm (after 24 hours)
18.75/6 (total gallons must and fruit) = 3.125 ppm
I also use this method for my fruit beers with excellent results.
> (1) It adds nutrient for the yeast, eliminating the need for "energizers"
Not entirely true. It adds simple sugars which can induce the
"Crabtree effect" which will cause the yeast to bypass the normal
aerobic phase of energy storage and subsequent reproductive phase and
go directly into a fermentation phase which owing to the weakness of
the yeast and the relative low cell density in the must will cause a
long lag time and a sluggish initial fermentation. The normal cycle
then starts when the glucose level drops to a more normal level.
> (2) the mead clears more quickly as the fruit seems to precipitate
> the particulates faster
A fruit beer will clear faster but this effect is only delayed by
adding the fruit after the primary ferment.
> (3) adding fruit at the start eliminates the risk of Aeration of the fruit will lead to oxidation of the alcohol,
leading to wet cardboard type aromas and tastes
Not entirely a problem and not exactly true either. Firstly, you
have to rack it eventually. Adding oxygen to the must at the point
of racking to the secondary will have little ill effect. The
increased sugar level in the presence of the oxygen might cause the
yeast to go aerobic temporarily but that is of no real concern to us.
In fact, the tradition of aerating a beer or "dropping" as the
British call is has recently come into vogue again with beer brewers.
This entails the aeration of the wort while racking into the
secondary in order to enhance diacetyl production thereby making a
more complex beer.
While this may not be desirable in most meads, it's not a real
concern if you are careful. Oxidization of the must is highly
unlikely with viable and active yeast in the must.
Well, this was longer than I ever intended. Sorry for the length.
I'll go back into lurker mode again... I promise.
To Rich Webb:
In your paper, you highly recommended making a starter. However,
you did not go into detail about making one. I am quite familiar to
making wort starters for beer, but would like to know how the
experienced mead makers make their starters for the must. Although you
probably don't want to go into extreme detail on your paper in the
interest of keeping it a short introduction, I would suggest that you
give a few basic pointers for those who don't have many other
references to go by. Could you please send me a private e-mail of how
you go about preparing starters for your batches?
Any other MLD readers, I would appreciate your suggestions as well.
Thanks again to Rich Webb for sharing his paper with us.
Shane Lofland
(sslofl@ccmail.monsanto.com)
This page is authored and maintained by Rich Webb.You can send E-mail to me
by following this link to the contact page.
And feel free to contact me if you have any comments, criticisms, or suggestions. I remain, however, perfectly capable of ignoring your useless opinion...
This document was placed here on Dec 5, 1996, and has been viewed countless times.