First I will tell you what you need to order or buy before you start.
Unfortunately you do need some equipment, I kept it to a minimum, I hate complicated things.
You will need to buy:
one gallon glass jugs (I use empty wine jugs)
Air vents
about 4 to 5 ft of rubber tubing
packets of champagne yeast
yeast nutrient
I ordered all this online from a store that sends my items quickly, they are awesome, and these things are not expensive.
Here is the address:
http://www.eckraus.com/index.htm
If ordering from there, you need
Senior air lock
#5 rubber stopper
is the right size for a one gallon wine jug you get at the store.
make sure you choose the one that is bored for the airlock.
I posted the pictures because I didn't know what to get, I am a newbie. So I thought picture may help.
Ok here we go!
Heat 1 gallon of water to 170 degrees. Use a food thermometer to measure the heat.
Add honey
2 lbs of sugar
5 tbsp of yeast nutrient
Stir until well dissolved
I used a 16 quart stock pot
Here is the yeast nutrient, waiting on the sidelines.
You are stirring, right? Keep stirring and bring up to 180 degrees. Make sure it doesn't boil at all. (my thermometer says 160 when it starts wanting to boil so I slow it down).
Add the 4 cans of concentrate
I used lemonade, and another batch of Welch's grape. This time it's strawberry guava. Make sure there are no preservatives except for citric acid.
Bring it back to 180.
Add at least a gallon of filtered water to cool before you transfer to carboy, filtering any pulp and stuff. (I didn't have any to worry about).
Make sure the mixture is room temperature before you add the yeast, or you will kill the yeast and it won't work out.
While it's cooling, get your jugs ready and the equipment you will use.
I place my vents and stoppers, all my jugs labeled with the flavor and the date in a row. All standing ready so I don't have to juggle later on.
I used gallon jugs, instead of a five gallon carboy. It is easier for me to manage. So once the mixture is room temperature, add a packet of yeast, swirl it with a super clean or sterilized ladle. and have your jugs ready and your clean sterilized funnel ready. (you can soak them in a little bleach with water, or put in dishwasher to make sure they are very clean).
I used the ladle before to pour into the jugs. Lately I find it more practical to use a measuring cup to scoop, It goes faster, just make sure you swirl and swirl. You should try to pour in the mixture evenly into the jugs so there is as even mixture as possible in each. (so the yeast doesn't go mostly to a couple and barely any to the rest).
Don't fill them as much as I did! because the lemon, foams up somewhat and the strawberry guava, a lot! and the foam shouldn't touch the vent, or it can clog it up and ruin your potions. :(
So fill a little bit above half way, add some water if necessary, I added some water that I had used to rinse out the leftover honey from the bottle.
Now place the airlocks into the stopper BEFORE you place them on the jugs, or they will not fit snug. after they are in place, add water to the little water line on it, and cover with it's lid.
When you are done, wipe the jugs so you don't get ants, and place in a place away from sunlight and at room temperature. I used this shield to keep the light down.
Now that you have all your mead in the jugs, watch for the bubbling. The airlocks will start bubbling soon. If like me it foams up too much and gets to the vent, take airlock and stopper out and rinse well, and replace. It calms down after about half a day.
It will bubble for about 2 weeks. When it stops bubbling you can rack it.
You will need about 5 or 6 ft of plastic tubing hose. I bought it from the link I shared at the beginning.
Place one full jug on something a little high. I used a little shelf that I had for stacking little bottles before. and place a sterilized jug next to it. Get a couple of very clean glasses and place nearby, just in case.
Siphon out the mead careful not to get any of the sediment, into the sterilized jug. Once you get towards the bottom, it will be sediment and murky. Just get rid of that when done siphoning the good stuff out. Add water to fill the jug a little more to taste.
When racking you can also add some sugar. I have added a cup of sugar and swirled then let it sit for the 2 weeks.
The glasses are so when you siphon, sometimes you get a mouthful and it is still kind of strong. If you don't like the flavor, you can always spit it out. I just drink it.
Now put a regular cap on your jug that is full (make sure it is also sterilized) and store for another 2 weeks. The longer it sits the more mellow the flavor. I don't have the patience, I drink it as soon as it's yummy. :)
