Happy Happy Mead!

Classification: mead, metheglin

Source: Richard Bainter (pug@interval.net), r.c.b., 10/16/96

Ingredients:

12 lbs Honey (preferably local)
5 lbs White Granulated Sugar
6 to 8 Small Lemons
2 Large Oranges
1 1/2 Cups Orange Juice
1 4" pc Ginger Root (bruise with the flat of a knife)
3 sticks Cinnamon
6 bags Twinning Earl Grey Tea
2 whole Star Anise
1/8 tsp Cardamom (no more than 1/8
2 pkgs Champagne or Ale Yeast

Procedure:

In a large pot, bring 1 gal. water to a boil. Add honey slowly, keeping near boiling. Bring mixture back to full boil. Remove sudsy foam. This is beeswax and will kill the yeast.

Add sugar and dissolve. Cut oranges and lemons into halves and squeeze into mixture. (use strainer) Add Orange juice. Add squeezed peels. (use cheese cloth bag)

Remove from heat. Add tea and rest of seasonings. After 45 min. remove teabags.

Let cool to 98 degrees and add yeast. Let cool to 80 degrees and remove all seasonings. (I recommend letting this cool at room temp. so that the seaonings will have time to steep.)

Pour into 5 gal. carboy and add water to 5 gal. Mix as best as possible. I'd recommend shaking the bottle once 3/4 full, mixing a full carboy is difficult.

Seal with airlock and store in cool dry place.

Rack after 2-3 months. Mead should start to clear after about 3 months. (This is when I usually rack it.)