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MAKE MEAD:
The sweet wine of gods
Mead is a honey wine that is easy to make--it only requires honey, yeast and water. The hardest part is managing to find necessary materials: yeast, sanitizer and the airlock. These can most likely be procured from your local brew shop, though, if all else fails, there's always the internet.
Mead's history is so old that we will never know where or when humans started making it. The evidence points to the Ancient African bush, sometime before 20,000 BCE, where the distinct wet and dry seasons created a natural environment in which mead best ferments. Who knows when that first human found a hollow tree with a flooded bee hive in it. That first honey harvester pulled out the comb and was treated to an intoxicating, sweet liquid. When these bushmen left Africa, they took their knowledge of mead-making with them to the rest of the world.
Mead references have been sited in many religious texts throughout time. Bee Goddesses are very common early religious artifacts. Though, mead production died out ca. 1500-500 BCE as urbanization of the populace relegated honey to the larder of royalty. In the past few decades, however, mead has enjoyed a resurgence and, especially in the past few years, it has become a large growing sector of the small-scale alcohol producer. I have seen the number of burgeoning meaderies, from only a drink seen for Wiccan's and renaissance faire-goers to multiple variaties produced at a single meadery.
ingredients and materials:
- a one-gallon glass jug (think juice or wine)
- an airlock*
- sanitizer (like one-step)*
- 1 gallon of water
- 2.5 lb.s of local honey
- 1 teaspoon yeast nutrient*
- 1 tablespoon white wine or champagne yeast*
(Make sure to sanitize EVERYTHING prior to use!)
Combine water and honey in a 5-6 quart pot.
Bring to a boil, then
remove from heat.
Pour into SANITIZED one-gallon jug.
Allow the honey
& water mixture to cool to room temperature.
Add the yeast and
yeast nutrient, swirl gently to combine.
Place bung and airlock into
the mouth of the jug.
Allow your jug to sit, undisturbed, for
approximately 4-6 months, or until the airlock starts bubbling.
*These items can be purchased at a brew shop (check in your local phone
book!)... or, if you don't have a local brew shop, you can purchase
them on line.
Discussion
Drink responsibly and enjoy the product of your labor
Mead Information
http://www.medovina.com/history.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mead
www.gotmead.com/
Supplies
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/
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