Making Magic: Brewing Mead

by Rich Webb, Mead and brewing deity, Brews Brothers tm 1993 Homebrewer of the year

At it's most simple, mead is a fermented beverage that uses honey as its primary source of sugar. (This compares most favorably with wine, where the grapes supply a ready source of sugar, and most unfavorably with beer or sake, where the sugars come from starch in grain which is transformed into sugar by enzymes or mold cultures.) Because the sugar is readily available, making mead is much easier to make than beer, but slightly more difficult to make than wine. There is no need to spend the entire day mashing grain, nor is there any need to spend an hour or more in a full boil as with beer. Honey also mixes well with other juices and sugar sources, and so leads to a great variety of fermentation experiments. One of the favorite of these are the various fruits, with strawberries leading the list. (One of the best strawberry meads that I've ever had was made by our own 1995-1996 Overlord Don Johnson) I've also made meads with blueberry, raspberry, apple, cherries, wine grape juice, chili peppers, spices, and malt sugars. I've had no small measure of success with several of these, and I have the ribbons and trophies to prove it.

A typical 5 gallon batch of mead starts with a gallon of honey. This will typically run about $17-20, depending on the source. (Remember, it takes over 2 million trips by a bee to a flower and back to the hive for each pound of honey, so don't expect this stuff to come cheep!) This much honey in this much water will yield a fermentable liquid (called "must" like beer is called "wort") with a starting gravity of about 1.080. Adjust this up or down depending on what you are trying to achieve. The higher gravities lead to a more wine-like drink, while lighter gravities can seem more like champagne, or alcoholic soda pop in the extreme.

As a process, start with the water. Bring your 4.5 or so gallons of water up to a steady, rolling boil. Because honey does not have sufficient nutrients to enable yeast to undergo a vigorous and healthy ferment, put perhaps 1 tsp of yeast nutrient, or 3 tsp of yeast energizer (follow package directions, but err on the side of less is better) into the vigorous boil. You will also find that the sweetness of the mead requires the sour tartness of some sort of acid in order to balance it out. I've added from 1 to 3 tsp of acid blend, grape tannin, citric acid, or a combination thereof to this rapid boil. However, the fermentation will be more vigorous if you wait until after fermentation to add the acid. It is also easier to blend the acid to your taste if you wait until after the fermentation. Your choice. Pour the honey into this hot bath, and turn off the heat. Cover the must and hold this temperature for a while. You can imagine that during those 24 million trips the bees made to gather the nectar to make the honey, that somewhere along the line, some sort of contamination managed to get into the honey. In fact, honey is actually well contaminated with bacteria, fungus, spores, bee parts, protein, and God knows what else, so steep the must at pasteurization temperatures for as long as half an hour, but for at least 15 minutes. Instead of steeping, you may choose to boil your honey for a while. This will make your final mead much clearer, but the penalty you pay will be a reduced (or non-existent) honey aroma profile: you will have boiled it all away. However, you can take the opportunity to boil and add Irish Moss. A white to yellow scum will rise to the top of the boil. Use a skimming spoon to remove this from the boil. Using some sort of heat exchanger, chill the must as rapidly as possible, aerate, and add a healthy and vigorous yeast starter.

Because mead is a rather high gravity ferment, good yeast techniques are more important than in regular gravity beer ferments. This is good advice for all brewing, but at higher gravities, make sure that you pitch a sufficient quantity of yeast slurry. If in doubt, you aren't pitching enough. The more yeast cells in your initial pitching, the faster and more complete your fermentation will be. Same with aeration. If you can inject filtered atmosphere (or ultimately, pure, medical quality oxygen), your yeast lag time (initial, reproductive) phase of the ferment will be minimized, and a healthier fermentation will be the result.

As far as yeast types go, I'd encourage experimentation. I've had excellent luck with Red Star Pasteur Champagne yeast (in contrast with my comments in the previous paragraph, I've often just chucked a package of dry yeast, right out of the package, onto the cool must, shaken the hell out of it and then let it go. We can't all be perfect all of the time!). Epernay is NOT the same as champagne yeast. Champagne yeast is SO2 tolerant, Epernay (which is now called "cotes de blanc") is not. Champagne yeast is very alcohol tolerant, epernay isn't. Champagne yeast is nutural flavored and ferments to dryness, epernay leaves a residual fruityness, but as far as yeast flavors go, is also "nutural."

Lately, I've tried some of the more popular Wyeast cultures, owing to their lower attenuation characteristics compared to the more traditional wine yeasts. (I haven't tried this with any of the lager strains, but that is on my list of things to do!) Using the wine yeasts will result in a more alcoholic mead, and one that is less sweet. If you prefer sweeter wines, then choose a yeast that will peter out at a lower alcohol tolerance.

Mead making does take longer than beer making. This is true for a couple of reasons. First, it is a high gravity ferment, and by definition, this takes longer than a lower gravity ferment. Second, an insufficient yeast population is often used, resulting in an even longer ferment. Third, it is often true that the fermentation is done, but you simply find yourself waiting for the yeast and suspended protein to settle out of the liquid. (If you have some sort of filtration system that will remove these floaters, your wait will be proportionately shorter.) Finally, if you used too much yeast nutrient, it will take longer for the harsh, metallic "off-flavors" from these salts and chemicals to recede into background levels. If you used too little nutrient, then the yeast in your ferment is running a marathon with the nutrition of a candy bar. There simply isn't a healthy enough environment for the yeasts pleasure.

Finally a note on adding fruits, spices, or herbs to your mead. It might be best to have a vigorous initial ferment with just honey, then rack onto the crushed and pulverized fruit. (Don't use a food processor or blender to liquify the fruit: Aeration of the fruit will lead to oxidation of the alcohol, leading to wet cardboard type aromas and tastes) If you're worried about the sanitation of the fruit, heat it up to pasteurization temperatures, but no higher. The pectin in the fruit may set, leading to a permanent haze floating in your mead. It may also be wise to add spices, herbs, and chili peppers to taste, because too much of a good thing can be quite overwhelming. If you add fruits or malt sugars, you can cut down on the yeast nutrients, as these sources bring much needed natural nutrition to the fermentation.


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Subject: Re: Making Magic: Brewing Mead, by Rich Webb, Mead and brewing Deity
From: simsj@esn126.scra.org (Jim Sims)
Date: Fri, 19 Jan 1996 11:05:14 -0500

The intent of this reply is NOT to cast doubt on Rich's obvious success/credentials/abilities/parentage, etc :-) The intent is to make folks aware of alternative thoughts on traditionally "accepted" or "known" "facts" about yeast, brewing, etc.

My comments are based on my coupla years experience brewing beer and making mead, and a few years reading HBD and MLD, where there are lotsa folks who collectively know way more about this than any _one_ of us. I haven't done the side-by-side hard-core scientific method experiments to validate my opinions, and since Rich didn't claim he had either, I'll make the bold assumption (possibly false) that he hasn't either.

In any case, folks need to be aware that opinions are opinions, researched facts are something different and we should be careful and label which type of information we are presenting to other folks.

Rich writes:

>> Because honey does not have sufficient nutrients to enable yeast to undergo a vigorous and healthy ferment

true. unquestionably

>>, put perhaps 1 tsp of yeast nutrient, or 3 tsp of yeast energizer

This is one of those "accepted facts". There is growing evidence this is a bad idea. Rich himself illustrates one reason why:

>> if you used too much yeast nutrient, it will take longer for the harsh, metallic "off-flavors" from these salts and chemicals to recede into background levels

More from Rich:

>> the sweetness of the mead requires the sour tartness of some sort of acid in order to balance it out. I've added from 1 to 3 tsp of acid blend, grape tannin, citric acid, or a combination thereof

This is another of those "accepted facts" that is questionable. Here's one reason why:

>>the fermentation will be more vigorous if you wait until after fermentation to add the acid

There have been a number of posts in the MLD and elsewhere suggesting that pH (coupled with yeast nutrition) are one (two) of the most important aspects of quick fermentation and "aging".

>> Same with aeration. If you can inject filtered atmosphere (or ultimately, pure, medical quality oxygen), your yeast lag time (initial, reproductive) phase of the ferment will be minimized, and a healthier fermentation will be the result.

Another potential "urban legend". Check the recent discussion on the Homebrew Digest. I don't recall _who_, but some microbiologist type pointed out that aeration has little to nothing to do with yeast reproduction because that is a anerobic (oxygen-free) process.

And in the _just_my_two_cents_ category:

>> It might be best to have a vigorous initial ferment with just honey, then rack onto the crushed and pulverized fruit.

I find that adding fruit with the initial fermentation accomplishes multiple goals:

(1) It adds nutrient for the yeast, eliminating the need for "energizers"

(2) the mead clears more quickly as the fruit seems to precipitate the particulates faster

(3) adding fruit at the start eliminates the risk of

>> Aeration of the fruit will lead to oxidation of the alcohol, leading to wet cardboard type aromas and tastes

more of _my_two_cents_

>> If you're worried about the sanitation of the fruit, heat it up to pasteurization temperatures, but no higher. The pectin in the fruit may set, leading to a permanent haze floating in your mead.

My preference is to rinse/soak the whole fruit in sanitizer (check the winemaking supplies section of your homebrew shop/catalog), then chop up the fruit and freeze it. Freezing bursts the cell walls far more effectively than any food processor ever could....

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On 20 Jan 96 at 11:28, simsj@esn126.scra.org (Jim Sims) wrote:

> The intent of this reply is NOT to cast doubt on Rich's obvious success/credentials/abilities/parentage, etc :-) The intent is to make folks aware of alternative thoughts on traditionally "accepted" or "known" "facts" about yeast, brewing, etc.

Uh oh... here comes a "momily" speech.

> My comments are based on my coupla years experience brewing beer and making mead, and a few years reading HBD and MLD, where there are lotsa folks who collectively know way more about this than any _one_ of us.

Well, I respect your experience and any raw data that you may present here but I have to take an opposing view on a few of these things presented.

> >> Same with aeration. If you can inject filtered atmosphere (or ultimately, pure, medical quality oxygen), your yeast lag time (initial, reproductive) phase of the ferment will be minimized, and a healthier fermentation will be the result. Another potential "urban legend". Check the recent discussion on the Homebrew Digest. I don't recall _who_, but some microbiologist type pointed out that aeration has little to nothing to do with yeast reproduction because that is a anerobic (oxygen-free) process.

We are a little off the track here.. whether or not the reproductive phase is aerobic or anaerobic (and it by most accounts seems anaerobic) is not the concern. What we are forgetting here is the need of the yeast to build up reserves for the reproductive and fermentation phases.

The first phase of the ferment the yeast go into an aerobic phase in which they build up adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which is an extremely important source of energy for the cell. Without this respiratory phase, the yeast will autolyse causing many off flavors in the must.

The mechanics of the respiratory phase are:

C6 H12 O6 (glucose) + 6 O2 --> 6 CO2 + 6 H2O

In an extremely brief and incomplete manner let's look at the following:

The yeast reduce Pyruvic acid to oxaloacetate from which amino acids and proteins can be synthesized. Another pathway would be from oxaloacetate to acetyl Co A, an Acyl Co A or other acetic acid type compounds than can be oxidized to fatty acids, lipids and complex glycerides which are all required for cell wall formation and strengthening. Oxygen is required for every one of these processes.

A deprivation of oxygen in the initial phases of the ferment will retard the formation of the cell walls and the yeast will not be able to regulate the uptake or selective uptake of the sugars in the wort or must. Either the cells will die and lyse or develop abnormally both of which results in off flavors.

Acytyl Co A eterifies fusel alcohols without the presence of sufficient oxygen. Normally the yeast would metabolize these back to oxo-acids. Lacking oxygen the yeast will excrete these fusel alcohols or dehydrate them to esters by Acetyl Co A. One of the major esters produced in this manner is ethyl acetate or that famous banana aroma that we get from an under aerated must or wort.

Another symptom of under aeration is pyruvic acid, amino acids and fatty acids being decarboxylated to aldehydes. This is a normal function but without sufficient oxygen they will also be excreted. The most predominant aldehyde being Acetaldehyde or the green-apple smell.

Whew!

That was boring!

Anyway, I wanted to present fact rather than "Urban Legend" for you all to chew on.

Some of the more significant research on this has been done by Dr. George Fix and Dr. Maribeth Raines, all recommending oxygenating the wort or must.

Then, as long as I'm de-lurking:

> I find that adding fruit with the initial fermentation accomplishes multiple goals:

*snip*

Well, I add the fruit or more accurately I add the must to the fruit after the primary fermentation has died down. I do this for the following reasons:

1. It prevents the vigour of the primary ferment from stripping valuable and desired aromas from the fruit.

2. It allows you to do a "half batch" where you can rack half of the batch onto the fruit.

3. It fits well in my sanitization scheme in which I take the frozen fruit (I agree with this method for the reasons you specified) and sanitize it with an appropriate amount of sulphites (1 tablet to 1 gallon of fruit) for 24 hours prior to racking the must onto the fruit.

In this manner you can adequately sanitize the fruit without heat (very desirable IMHO) and you don't run the risk of over-sulphiting the must. I'll explain:

If you add 1 Campden tablet to 1 gallon of fruit, you get an approximate concentration of 25 ppm sulphites. The acid in the fruit rapidly liberate the SO2 which is the active sanitizing compound. The rate of the liberation of the SO2 is proportional to the relative acidity of the must. Even assuming a 25% drop in available or free sodium metabisulphate (which is conservative IMHO owing to the acidity) upon dilution by adding the must (in this discussion we'll say 5 gallons for the sake of discussion) you end up with an overall level (or addition) of 3.125 ppm sulphites:

25 ppm - 6.25 = 18.75 ppm (after 24 hours)

18.75/6 (total gallons must and fruit) = 3.125 ppm

I also use this method for my fruit beers with excellent results.

> (1) It adds nutrient for the yeast, eliminating the need for "energizers"

Not entirely true. It adds simple sugars which can induce the "Crabtree effect" which will cause the yeast to bypass the normal aerobic phase of energy storage and subsequent reproductive phase and go directly into a fermentation phase which owing to the weakness of the yeast and the relative low cell density in the must will cause a long lag time and a sluggish initial fermentation. The normal cycle then starts when the glucose level drops to a more normal level.

> (2) the mead clears more quickly as the fruit seems to precipitate > the particulates faster

A fruit beer will clear faster but this effect is only delayed by adding the fruit after the primary ferment.

> (3) adding fruit at the start eliminates the risk of Aeration of the fruit will lead to oxidation of the alcohol, leading to wet cardboard type aromas and tastes

Not entirely a problem and not exactly true either. Firstly, you have to rack it eventually. Adding oxygen to the must at the point of racking to the secondary will have little ill effect. The increased sugar level in the presence of the oxygen might cause the yeast to go aerobic temporarily but that is of no real concern to us. In fact, the tradition of aerating a beer or "dropping" as the British call is has recently come into vogue again with beer brewers. This entails the aeration of the wort while racking into the secondary in order to enhance diacetyl production thereby making a more complex beer.

While this may not be desirable in most meads, it's not a real concern if you are careful. Oxidization of the must is highly unlikely with viable and active yeast in the must.

Well, this was longer than I ever intended. Sorry for the length. I'll go back into lurker mode again... I promise.
To Rich Webb: In your paper, you highly recommended making a starter. However, you did not go into detail about making one. I am quite familiar to making wort starters for beer, but would like to know how the experienced mead makers make their starters for the must. Although you probably don't want to go into extreme detail on your paper in the interest of keeping it a short introduction, I would suggest that you give a few basic pointers for those who don't have many other references to go by. Could you please send me a private e-mail of how you go about preparing starters for your batches? Any other MLD readers, I would appreciate your suggestions as well. Thanks again to Rich Webb for sharing his paper with us.

Shane Lofland

(sslofl@ccmail.monsanto.com)


This page is authored and maintained by Rich Webb.You can send E-mail to me by following this link to the contact page. And feel free to contact me if you have any comments, criticisms, or suggestions. I remain, however, perfectly capable of ignoring your useless opinion...

This document was placed here on Dec 5, 1996, and has been viewed countless times.