Ale Mead

Classification: mead

Source: justcoz@triton.unm.edu, r.c.b., 4/19/92

This was part of a long series of messages posted by justcoz on the history of mead. Preceding this message was a discussion of economic factors that caused the decline in popularity of mead and an explanation of how, at one time, most meads (such as those consumed by the Vikings) were of low strength, such as this mead.

Ingredients: (for 1 gallon)

1 pound, honey
1 ounce, hops
1/4 ounce, citric acid (or juice of 2 small lemons)
2 tablespoons, yeast nutrient
1 package, brewers yeast (ale yeast)
1 gallon, water

Procedure:

Dissolve the honey in 6 pints hot water and bring to the boil. Add the hops and boil vigorously for about 45 minutes. A few of the hops should not be added initially, but put in about 5 minutes before the wort reaches the end of the boiling period. Strain off the hops, add the citric acid and nutrients, allow to cool overnight (covered closely), then bring the volume up to 1 gallon with cold water. Add the yeast to the cool wort and allow to ferment to completion, skimming off the yeast as you would for a beer. Allow to settle for a few days after the fermentation ceases, then rack into quart bottles, adding one level teaspoonful of sugar to each bottle. Seal the bottles, store in a warm place for 2-3 days to ensure that bottle fermentation begins, then move to a cooler location to assist clarification. Subsequently treat as a bottled beer. Priming is not essential, and, after fermentation, the ale mead may be matured as a draught beer and drunk after a few months.