The Evil Californian's Infamous Chili Mead

Classification: honey, metheglin, pepper mead, chili mead, habanero

Source: Leigh Ann Hussey (leighann@sybase.com), Mead Digest #507, 11/3/96

You can get "chili honey" from the manufacturer by calling 505-758-4350, or through some hot sauce catalogs. To make an acceptable substitute, grind 2 parts dried hot red NM chilis with 1 part honey in a food processor until pasty. This would also work well with 3 lb honey for a sweeter mead.

Ingredients: (1 gallon)

2 lb honey (I usually use "Wild Mountain" coz it's cheap)
8 oz Taos brand "chili honey"
1 t crushed dried habanero
1/2 t tannin powder
1/4 t citric acid
1/2 t champagne yeast
1 t yeast nutrient

Procedure:

Boil the honeys together with 1 gal water for 5 minutes; add crushed dried chili right at the end. Pour into a gallon wine jug, add acid and tannin and let cool, then add yeast and nutrient. Set airlock on it and let ferment until clear. You may want to rack it off the lees at least once during the ferment. Bottle and age as desired.