Mead is a fermented (contains alcohol) drink that is made with honey as the sugar. It is similar but different from wine. It can be made dry or sweet. Using different types of honey and yeast will give it a distinct flavor. Adding fruit (melomel), grapes (pyment) or spices (methoglin) add variety.

For information on making mead go to “free bees” at  WWW.EXTENSION.UMN.EDU/HONEYBEES

For more information on making mead see “The Compleat Meadmaker” by Ken Schramm.

For more recipes for mead see “Making Wild Wines and Meads” by Pattie Vargas and Rich Gulling

Traditional Mead

(makes 5 gallons)

15# Honey

Water to make 5 gallons

1 tsp. Fermaid K

2 pkg. Yeast (cotes des blancs or Lavin D10 or Lavin 71B or Lavin EC1118)

Cranberry Melomel

2 ½ # Fresh Cranberries. (Boil in 2 cups water until they crack then mash)

Use traditional mead recipe. Put in ½ of the water then add cranberries then the rest of the water. Mix well.

Strawberry Melomel

11 # Fresh Strawberries. (Freeze then thaw and mash)

Use traditional mead recipe. Put in ½ of the water then add strawberries then the rest of the water. Mix well.

Cinnamon Nutmeg Metheglin

4 Tblsp. Nutmeg, ground

2 cinnamon sticks (or 2 tsp ground)

Use traditional mead recipe. Put in ½ of the water then add spices then the rest of the water. Mix well.