mead ohyes

As we look back through history, women have been the driving force behind the brewing industry. In fact, the very term ‘Brewster’ was used to denote a female brewer. In the annals of old, we frequently find references to brewing ale (and assumedly then, Mead ) and it was very much considered a woman’s job. (Let’s face it, we men would just end up drinking the must before it ever got a chance to ferment) This was the common standard up till monks started brewing as a source of income, and where the church held power, men soon ended up taking over what was previously a woman’s domain. For centuries, where Christianity ruled, the number of women has at large been left out of this wondrous craft, with only a few women crafting in secrecy. But this story is focused on mead, and as mead is on the rise yet again, we are thrilled to see that women are easily regaining positions as crafters, artisans, and experts. Today  I am fortunate enough to talk with Alison Heath of Apoth...

Dandelion – making that lawn annoyance into golden drops Dandelion is a scourge for many lawn-lovers. Nothing messes up that perfect green carpet than this lone wolf who just pops up in the middle of it all, completely ruining this perfect green oasis of tranquility. And when they start coming .. you know the Dandelion is there to stay. So what do we do? We make dandelion mead! Pick those dandelions.. don’t be shy… This mead is best to prepare for in those easily summer mornings where nature is at its finest. I guess their exact blossoming depends a little on where you are in the world, but if you are unsure, just consult your local botanist or herbalist. The herbalists will also tell you fresh dandelions are great or more than just Mead. You can make tea also, and I know people who swear to them as part of their salads. For a closer look at all the goodness dandelion does to you, head over to Wellnessmama and have a look there. Back to our summer adventure. Now the secret to...

Chocolate mead – the Aztecs knew their shit. Using chocolate in mead is something I first came across online a few years back. Like most of you mead-freaks, I also made one, and it has since lingered in the back of my hear.I guess its time I share the recipe. Now- for those in the Imperial area of the world – break out yer calculators. Here be metrics Ingredients Primaries 8,2 kg Good quality honey (Oak or other darker ones works really well) 12-liter water 2 packets of high-quality yeast. (I like D47 myself) Yeast Nutrient I’m sure you can do TOSNA2.0 on this but I haven’t tried it, so ill be following a more traditional path… Secondaries 54gram  cocoa nibs 85 gram Dutch process cocoa , (a.k.a the chocolate) 1 vanilla bean Bentonite The Chocolate concoction (..  I have watched too much Big Bang Theory… ) Firstly, blend honey and water. I always try to have honey blended at under 30 degrees Celcius, as I want to make sure I don’t ruin any of the subtle...

Nature love us meaders Nature is a wonderful friend to all us meaders. we don’t always have to go far to get our best ingredients and best flavors to our brew. Nature provide – simple as that. Today I will be talking about some of the fine resources we have in the Nordic countries, which I occasionally – ok – often – use in my meads. Nature as the obvious partner – low hanging fruits Fruits and berries are abundant in autumn months. For all you melomel fans, your old fruit orchard is a goldmine. Apples, plums, cherries; if its treefruit you normally eat – it’s probably going to work in your mead. Little is as rewarding as going out into nature a fine autumn morning. Bring back a basket full of fresh apples, and by nightfall have it as a primary source in today’s batch. Let’s also not forget that garden harvested fruits contains tons and tons of natural nutrients that the yeast will love you for. Not to say that you shouldn’t use proper yeast nutrients when you make m...

We should not talk about mead without knowing its real roots. So in this article, I will talk about how I went to museum documents (online), found a mead recipe from medieval times, and recreated it at home…. For Mead it was said //ffor to make mede. Tak .I. galoun of fyne hony and to þat .4. galouns of water and hete þat water til it be as lengh þanne dissolue þe hony in þe water. thanne set hem ouer þe fier & let hem boyle and ever scomme it as longe as any filthe rysith þer on. and þanne tak it doun of þe fier and let it kole in oþer vesselle til it be as kold as melk whan it komith from þe koow. than tak drestis of þe fynest ale or elles berme and kast in to þe water & þe hony. and stere al wel to gedre but ferst loke er þu put þy berme in. that þe water with þe hony be put in a fayr stonde & þanne put in þy berme or elles þi drestis for þat is best & stere wel to gedre/ and ley straw or elles clothis a bowte þe vessel & a boue gif þe wedir be kolde and...

Today i want to talk about a mead type i think has been more prevalent with the vikings than we might like to think of; The Braggot hybrid of beer and mead.30 A braggot is an ale, a beer, that has been enhanced with honey and fermented as an ale. There’s countless recipies out there for such meads, so today i will not so much present a recipie as i will explain the goodness of the braggot itself. Beer – not pilsen OK, so im actually not so sure if braggots have, are or should be made with the use of pilsen brews. I don’t drink the stuff – it reminds me of .. well .. making love in a canoo … its pretty close to water … So i stick to what i know – dark beer. As always im a stickler for doing it from the ground up – so whenever i make Braggot , i make my own must. For those who frequently make their own beer, this is pretty straightforward. For those who has never made beer,its an adventure. Brewing the beer, bringing the braggot Guys and gals – you HAVE to allow yourself t...

Raspberry mead is one of the recipies that has the potency of becoming a stable in any mead-makers repertoire. Theres something special about the smell, the taste, the color and the clarity, it just goes straight to your heart and soul. A fantastic summer drink then cooled, and a great winterdrink when sitting in front of the fireplace, enjoying the season. Heck – just drink the mead, its great 365 days of the year – provided you have the stamina to let it age properly. Todays mead recipie is set for the standard 10 liter batch. I follow the metric system, so for those who want it imperial – grab yer calculators. You will notice i change yeast types for mead recipies frequently. This has a clear reason, as i believe the distinctiveness of any mead come from any of the ingredients, as well as the methods used. For this recipie i like to use Lalvin Ec-1118, which is a champagne type yeast. Ingredients: 2 liter honey of great quality – flower honey ( summer) is a great choice. 4 ki...