One of the traditions I started early in my meadmaking career was producing Winter Solstice Mead. Every December 21st, I make mead. For many years I would make a 10-gallon (38 L) batch leaving half of it traditional and half with either vanilla beans or vanilla beans and cinnamon sticks. I would age it two years and then serve it at the annual Winter Solstice party from a special bottle. Serve 3-6 ounces at a time, very cold or mulled. — David Myers
This mead is sweet... just like you (awww). And it's award-winning!
This mead is not as sweet (or alcoholic) as a sweet mead, but retains enough sweetness to round out the orange blossom honey’s characteristics. The Lalvin D-47 yeast is used by winemakers for fermenting dry or off-dry white wines. I used the “no heat” method described in Ken Schramm’s book, “The Compleat Meadmaker” (2003, Brewers Publications) and held my breath, but everything turned out fine. In the no heat method, you don’t heat the must, add sulfite or do anything to sanitize the must — you just mix up the honey and water and let ‘er rip. You can add more or less acid to suit your own taste.
- BYO Editor, Chris Colby
Paul Zocco was the 2003 National Meadmaker of the Year and 2001-2004 New England Meadmaker of the Year.
An old recipe, perhaps originally the result of thrifty brewers wanting to make a less-expensive mead. It’s malty like a Munich helles but big and powerful like a Belgian tripel.
Is cinnamon an aphrodisiac? Lets find out...
Melomel = mead with added fruit. This is a great substitute for dry champagne.
A thirst-quenching but deceptively strong sparkling brew. Darker than most, because of the cider. Serve chilled.
A light, still straight mead, similar to a sweet white wine. Perfect as an aperitif or with dessert.
We found that hummingbirds loved Celestial Seasonings’ Red Zinger tea. Once we tasted this metheglin, we knew why!
