Mead is a nice, occasional diversion from making malt beverages
Mead is an interesting departure from the usual lager or ale and it can be very enjoyable to brew and consume. The nice thing about mead is that the production is usually simpler than that of homebrewed beer, and this is one of the key reasons most brewers give mead a try at some point. Here is a recipe to consider trying:
Ingredients:
1 pound clover honey
1 ounce Northern Brewer Hops
.25 ounce citric acid
2 tablespoons yeast nutrient
Ale yeast
Begin by dissolving the honey in 1.5 gallons of hot water. Bring the mixture to a boil, add the hops, and boil for 45 minutes. Next, add the citric acid and the yeast and allow the mixture to cool for several hours. Once cooled to room temperature, add cold water to bring the total content to one full gallon. Pitch the ale yeast and allow fermentation to begin. After several days, when fermentation has completed, rack the mead into one- liter bottles, with an additional teaspoon of sugar added, to produce secondary fermentation. Seal the bottles and allow to age for about a month.
This recipe produces a good, basic mead. The most annoying aspect is the aging process, because it takes so long. But good things come to those who wait and the finished product will taste even better if allowed to age even longer. Try it, and see what you think.
I think that little honey would enhance the taste of any beer formulation. Thanks for sharing.