How to Make a Gallon of Mead: A Simple Mead Recipe (2024)

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You may have heard of mead before or maybe you haven’t, but one image that always seems to come to mind when mead is mentioned is Vikings drinking their grog. I don’t know a whole lot about Vikings, but I do know a bit about mead! Mead is a fermented honey and water mixture, some call it honey wine, and it is quite possibly the first fermented drink that humans purposefully made. Luckily for us, it’s quite easy to make your own mead! I’m going to show you how to make one gallon of mead with this simple blueberry orange mead recipe.

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Simple Mead Making eBook

Want to learn more about making mead? I have a Simple Mead Making for Beginners eBook just for you!

It has ingredient and equipment checklists, detailed instructions for brewing and bottling your mead, and simple mead recipe ideas! Be sure to check it out if you’re new to the mead making process and want a step by step guide.

One Gallon Mead Recipe

Here is my simple method for making one gallon of mead!

What is Mead?

Mead is a fermented alcoholic beverage that is traditionally made with just honey and water, and maybe some yeast (wild yeast is often used).

Whenever you add fruit to mead it’s technically called a melomel rather than mead. I still usually default to calling it mead, though.

You could also use apple cider instead of water and then you’d have what’s called a cyser. If you add herbs and spices or other flavorings it’s called a metheglin.

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Mead Equipment and Ingredients

There is some special equipment and ingredients that you will need to make this mead.

Rather than list it all here, I’ve created a page that has links to all of my favorite mead ingredients and equipment: .

There you will find links to the sanitizer, brewing jugs and buckets, airlocks, yeast, tubing, bottles, and honey and I recommend!

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How to Make Mead: One Gallon Mead Recipe

Alright, let’s get started on making this mead!

This is a recipe for one gallon of mead, but I’m always of the mind that if you’re making one you might as well make two.

You can split a package of brewing yeast up between two jugs (one package can make up to 5 gallons of mead).

Sanitize Everything

The first thing to do is sanitize everything that will be used in the brewing process: the jug, airlock, big pot, spoon and funnel.

Simply follow the directions on the sanitizer and don’t throw it out until you’re totally done (just in case your dog licks the funnel or you drop your spoon).

Make the Mead Must

Once everything is sanitized, put about 1/2 gallon of non-chlorinated (filtered) water in a large pot on medium heat. When it’s warm, but not boiling, add the honey and stir until it dissolves.

Using two pounds of honey will make a very “dry” mead (not sweet), while three pounds will create a sweeter mead.

The type of yeast you use will also affect how dry or sweet the mead is.

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Turn the heat off. It may be a little foamy, but that’s ok.

In the meantime, put the berries (or any fruit of your liking), orange slices (skin and all), and raisins into the one gallon jug.

Raisins are added as a natural nutrient for the yeast. You will not notice any flavor from them in the finished mead.

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Then, using the funnel, carefully pour the honey water mixture (technically called “must”) into the jug.

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Top off the jug with cool non-chlorinated (filtered) water, leaving at least 2 inches of head space on top.

Then put the lid on the jug and gently mix everything around a bit. If you bought a jug that came with an airlock it may not come with a lid, so you’ll have to find a lid that fits or improvise a bit here. A solid cork (without a hole for the airlock) would work.

Pitch the Yeast

The next step is to add the yeast, but you need to make sure that it isn’t too hot, which will make your yeast inactive. It should feel lukewarm, no more than 90° F (32° C). I recommend using a thermometer before adding the yeast to be sure.

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Once it is less then 90° F you can pitch the yeast into the jug.

You don’t need to use the whole package of yeast for one gallon, 1/2 package is enough (it doesn’t have to be an exact measurement). Store the opened yeast package with the remaining yeast in an airtight zip top bag in the refrigerator for later use.

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Now the fermentation fun can begin!

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Once you’ve pitched the yeast, put the lid back on tightly and this time you’re really going to shake it up for several minutes.

It’s a good workout for your arm muscles, so you can skip the gym on days when you make mead!

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Add the Airlock

Put a little water in the airlock to the line, then put the rubber stopper into the jug.

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In a few hours you should start to see bubbles forming in the jug and in the airlock.

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After several hours or overnight, you may see a lot of bubbles rising up the neck of the bottle! The whole top might get a little foamy at first, but things will settle down.

Don’t worry if the bubbles rise up into the airlock for the first couple of days, that just means that you have a very active (and happy) batch of mead! You can periodically remove the airlock to rinse it out, then replace it back into the jug.

I love watching all the little bubbles! Fermentation is so cool.

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Set Aside to Ferment

Keep the jug in a cool (not cold) dark place out of direct sunlight to ferment.

Mead can take longer to ferment than hard cider or beer, depending on the ambient temperature it will take anywhere from 3-6 weeks.

I usually give it 5-6 weeks before bottling to be on the safe side, as you don’t want any broken bottle explosions! I’ve definitely had some very champagne like mead before.

You want to wait until you don’t see any bubbles in the jug and your airlock is still before bottling.

Bottle the Mead

Bottling one or two gallons of mead is the same process as bottling hard cider. Follow my tutorial there to get a detailed process.

You may want to wait a while to drink your mead as it definitely gets better with age.

I often drink it “green” (young) as I enjoy it either way. It is fun to save a couple of bottles for several months, or even a year, just to see how the taste changes with age.

More Mead Recipes

Now that I’ve shown you how to make this simple one gallon of mead recipe, chances are you will want to make more soon!

I have written posts on How to Make 5 Gallons of Mead and How to Bottle 5 Gallons of Mead if you want to try making a larger batch.

I have one gallon mead recipes for Wildflower Mead, Dandelion Mead, Blackberry Mead, Elderberry Mead, Elderflower Sparkling Mead, and Maple Orange Mead that are all delicious and follow this same basic mead recipe.

See my post on 15 Easy Mead Recipes for Beginners for even more!

If hard cider is your thing, see my posts on brewing hard cider and making hard cider with wild yeast.

Be sure to check out my Simple Mead Making: A Beginner’s Guide to One Gallon Batches eBook for more detailed information on brewing, bottling, and recipe ideas!

Cheers and happy mead making!

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4.53 from 189 votes

Simple One Gallon Mead Recipe

This is a simple mead recipe that is very easy to put together. Learn how to make mead using this beginner's recipe!

Course Drinks

Cuisine American, European

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Fermenting Time 28 days days

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 32

Calories 156kcal

Author Colleen @ Grow Forage Cook Ferment

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

  • water non-chlorinated or filtered
  • 2-3 pounds honey depending on how sweet you want to end product to be.
  • berries or fruit of any kind fresh or frozen, about a cup
  • 1 orange
  • 10 raisins
  • 1/2 package champagne yeast or other wine yeast

Instructions

  • Sanitize everything that will be used in the brewing process.

  • Heat about 1/2 gallon of non chlorinated water in the pot on medium heat. Once it's warm, but not boiling, add the honey and stir it so it all dissolves. Turn off the heat.

  • Put the berries or other fruit, orange slices (skin and all), and raisins into the one gallon jug.

  • Use the funnel and carefully pour the honey water mixture into the jug.

  • Top off the jug with cold (preferably filtered) water, leaving at least 2 inches of head space on top. Put the lid on the jug and gently mix everything around a bit.

  • Make sure that the temperature of the must is below 90°F, then add 1/2 packet of champagne yeast. Put the lid back on tightly and this time shake the jug for a minute or two to distribute the yeast.

  • Put a little water in the airlock to the line, then put the rubber stopper end into the jug. Put the jug in a dark place. It should start bubbling within 12-24 hours.

  • After about 4-6 weeks of fermenting, once all bubbles have stopped rising in the jug and airlock, the mead can be bottled and aged.

Notes

  • Please see my Mead Equipment and Ingredients page for a detailed list of what you need to get started.
  • Use my tutorial on Bottling Hard Cider to bottle the mead - the process is the same. The flavor of homemade mead will improve after bottling and aging.
  • My Simple Mead Making eBook is a helpful resource if you are just getting started with making your own mead.

Nutrition

Serving: 4ounces | Calories: 156kcal

How to Make a Gallon of Mead: A Simple Mead Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How much honey do you need for 1 gallon of mead? ›

The average mead recipe calls for 3 to 3.5 pounds of honey per gallon of finished mead, depending on the sugar content of the honey. This makes strong mead in the range of 14 percent alcohol.

How much fruit do I need for 1 gallon of mead? ›

A good starting point with most fruits is about 3 pounds of fruit per gallon of mead, though I have been known to use 5 or even 6 pounds of fruit. Fruit blends can produce some great-tasting meads.

How long does it take to ferment one gallon of mead? ›

The fermenting process depends on various factors, like temperature, the amount of honey, the type of yeast, and the presence of additives and nutrients. Depending on how active the yeast is, it will take around 2 to 6 weeks.

How much mead yeast for 1 gallon? ›

Dosing Instructions. Generally, you will dose yeast nutrient at 1 tsp per gallon of must and yeast energizer at 1/2 tsp per gallon of must. I will address yeast rehydration later in the Basic Recipe section.

What happens if I add too much honey to mead? ›

If you put in a bunch of honey and you get enough yeast (the right kind of yeast where it ferments all the way out) then you'll have a really dry, high alcohol champagne-like mead. You can use less honey to make a lower alcohol mead. Using less honey might make it a little bit more dry, though not necessarily.

What is the best water to honey ratio for mead? ›

For a dry mead, the ratio is 4 parts water to 1 part honey; a sweet mead is 2 to 1. Kluz likes his mead sweet, so he typically uses 1 3/4 gallons of honey and tops it off with 3 1/4 gallons of water. It produces a mead that is between 13 percent and 14 percent alcohol.

How long until mead is drinkable? ›

My short answer to the questions is: Anywhere from one week to five years, for drinking. So with a really basic, ancient style mead, you can start sipping on it whenever. If you want to really fully ferment a high-alcohol mead and bottle it, those usually benefit from time in the bottle.

Can I use tap water for mead? ›

If your tap water is filtered, safe to drink and tastes good, then it can be used to make mead. If you wouldn't drink water from your tap, we wouldn't suggest using it to make your mead. We also advise against using distilled water because it is stripped of minerals that actually help the yeast during fermentation.

Can I make mead without airlock? ›

Fermentation is not bound by the use or lack of an airlock so it will happen regardless. However if there is no place for carbonated air to escape, pressure will keep building up and the container may eventually explode.

What is the best yeast for homemade mead? ›

Lalvin D-47

This white wine yeast is the primary choice for many mead makers. It ferments at a moderate to fast pace with little foaming and is good for medium to dry meads. It tends to accentuate the honey characteristics so it is a good choice for traditional varietal mead.

What is the average alcohol content of homemade mead? ›

Meads range is between 3%–20% ABV, depending on the fermentation. The region of 3%–7% ABV is considered a 'session' mead, 7% to 14% is considered standard, and 14% to 20% are called 'sack' meads.

How much yeast do I need for 1 gallon? ›

Typical usage rate for yeast is 1 gm / gallon of juice, but being a little short or a little long is not a problem, as yeast reproduces to reach a number at which fermentation takes place. Being slightly long on usage amount simply gets the fermentation count up that much faster.

What is the ratio of honey to mead? ›

The ratio ranges from 1 lb. honey per gallon of water for a very light "soft-drink" to 5 lbs. per gallon for a sweet dessert wine. The less honey, the lighter the mead, and the quicker it can be made.

What is the ratio for mead? ›

The Process. Add honey to water in a mead jug. The quantities can vary somewhat depending on how strong you'd like your mead to be, from a ratio of ½ kilo of honey per 5 litres of water, to 2½ kilos of honey per 5 litres of water. The mix should be shaken to dissolve the honey in the water, and to add oxygen.

How long does honey mead last? ›

For example, unopened classic mead can last for 5 years, while unopened lighter meads usually last 1-2 years. Once opened, however, mead's shelf-life decreases, especially for lighter meads. It is usually recommended to consume lighter mead within 24 hours of opening.

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