So, about 10 gallons from 2 hives this year. I will get some pics up soon from the flowhive harvest. I have been trying to figure out what I want to do so I am going to make some mead! I am thinking 3 gallons, 1 peach, 1 blueberry, 1 cherry! I will let y’all know how it turns out. Anyone else try their hand at it? I have made lots of wine so same idea and I have all the equipment might as well try something new.
4 Likes
I’m thinking you get a heap of advice on making mead. I visited a place in NSW, Australia that was into making mead of different tastes I was legless when I was ‘sampling’. I have never had a go at making it myself.
A nice way of ‘value adding’ to honey if you have some to spare. Enjoy. 
Cheers
1 Like
I never have enough honey to make mead. We are lucky in California if I get 20 or 30lb per hive. Many years I get nothing. Last time I put my honey on a local web site for sale, we ran out in under 24 hours! 
If I did have extra, I would definitely try mead. I made wine with my father for years as a kid, so I know what you are talking about. There are some experienced mead-makers on the forum. @Rodderick, are you one of them? I have definitely seen recipes posted here in the last 3 years. Might be worth a try with the search tool to see what comes up.
Please let us know what you decide, and keep up updated when it has aged properly!
1 Like
I ordered some yeast and nutrients! So all I have to do is have my wife dig out some carboys from under the house and I should be in buisness next weekend! The flow hive is at 9 quarts and still draining!
Dawn, I sold a bunch of our honey too. The stuff from the flow hive has a few floaters so I don’t mind using it for mead. Also, it is much darker than the honey from the traditional frames!
2 Likes
I started with a simple guaranteed recipe;
Mmmmmmm.
I really need to make some more.
2 Likes
Thanks @skeggley. I am going to experiment a bit, I am not much of a wine drinker anyway I like my beer so all that I make will most likely just be handed out as gifts. I am looking forward to trying something new to make.
I made my first batch this past winter using a few jars of last year’s harvest (my first year as a beek - my bees were strong and the Flow frames worked beautifully!). I stuck with a basic mead for my first attempt. Came out a little stronger than I’d have liked (I’ll probably use a less potent yeast next time), but I’m hoping it’ll mellow out with enough aging.
3 Likes
Which yeast did you use @BrianS? I ordered some D47
I used Lalvin K1-1116 at the recommendation of the guy who runs the local brewing supply shop. Has a tolerance of 18%, and my last reading had my batch at around 15%. If I could do it again I’d choose something with a lower potential like your D47. Although I’ve read that high alcohol meads can turn out great if they’re aged a good long time.
1 Like
Wow, that sounds like sake-grade yeast, although rice wines use bacteria rather than yeast, if I remember right. Impressive stuff! 
1 Like
Ha, I’m not much into white wine either and am partial to a beer or six. I last made 4 batches and experimented with slightly altering the ingredients and I finished pouring 2 out after waiting a year to taste… My favourite tasted like a good port. My friends were amazed it was honey based as there was no honey hints. Great for a nightcap. Or two.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m not experimenting so much now after waiting a year before finding out I stuffed up… Next batch will be back to the above linked one which, by the way, uses bread yeast.
3 Likes
Mead has to be one of the most underestimated alcoholic beverages… as with a few of the guys here, I also am not much of a wine drinker, but Mead is something else if made well. Winter in Australia is the best time for me to make the stuff, so all my carboys are bubbling away. I like to keep the temp under 20C (68F) if I can, just seems work better with our honey here… eucalyptus tends to leave some of their menthol flavours behind so it needs time to settle and mellow. Orange Blossom honey is a favourite for Mead and I am about to head off to the almonds for a beekeepers tour and pickup a few buckets while I am there. I like your choice of D47, its ferments to a good clean finish.
5 Likes
Looks great @Rodderick, I am pretty excited to give it a try!
Hey Sarge! Here’s a link to a great thread from ye olden forum tymes, in case you haven’t stumbled upon it:
1 Like
Thanks @Eva I have been reading through them. There is an awesome YouTube channel called city-steading with Brian and Derica, and they make every kind of mead you can imagine. It is awesome, I watched about all their videos. I would totally recommend anyone making it to check out their channel. If I get my cast cut off on Thursday and get a boot I plan on making my first batch next Saturday!
1 Like
and here I was thinking California was the land of milk and honey?
4 Likes
Hi
Are these yeast styles like D47 international codes. Is there information somewhere about the various yeasts you can get!
I make home brew beer or lager or stout. That includes a beer made with the dregs of the honey settling tank. And I never question the yeast. Sounds more exciting if I could pick the yeast. Help…quickly as this sounds too exciting to wait too long over.
I have wanted to make mead for some time. Included in that sentence should be …is strong alcohol, strong taste and a good colour and Chrystal clear of course.
I look forward to more use of honey entries on the forum
1 Like
Been and read it. I think I like Joe already.
1 Like