# Meade on "Ask This Old House" Season 15 episode 11



## rookie2531 (Jul 28, 2014)

I saw it too and was confused myself. I thought, maybe they just screwing with him, but they never did say, just kidding. And then the little ending made me think that he did make it too strong. Definitely reassures me to make sure I have all manufacturers tools needed instead of homemade tools (aka, balloon, milk jug) not saying Kevin didn't have the best equipment, but I sure don't want to gamble a years worth of making, just to have it turn bad. I was thinking of trying the cheap way first before investing in store bought equipment, but not now.


----------



## johnwratcliff (Feb 24, 2015)

Cleanliness is everything


----------



## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

That is about how simple it is. The fellow doing the interview Is Dan Owner of a small meadery in Ipswich Massachusetts. I first met Dan when he had a booth with his mead at a farmers marker. 
Making mead is not hard. It becomes complicated when one tries to use techniques that they do not understand. It becomes even more complicated when they try techniques offered by someone who does not understand them fully themselves. This usually results in stalled fermentation, development of compounds harmful to the mead, or simply bad mead and a ton of aggravation for the one making the mead. 
The only point I would like to clarify is if one used bleach to sterilize your equipment. It MUST be rinsed well. As bleach will result in white cork rot if any is left in the must.


----------



## Hops Brewster (Jun 17, 2014)

Pitfalls to screw up a fool-proof batch of mead;

-unsanitary fermenting vessels and tools. don't use chlorine bleach unless you are prepared to used boiling water to rinse all the residue. NEVER use scented bleach, the scent additives are near impossible to remove.

-bad water. "pure" well water ain't all that pure. Tap water is frequently contaminated with bacteria and minerals such as sulfur that can ruin a batch of mead. Don't use tap water to rinse sanitizers from equipment, it can re-contaminate the gear. boil it first! I always boil my mead-making water to sanitize it and remove the chlorine etc.

-Insufficient oxygen in the primary fermenter results in stuck fermentation.

-too much oxygen in the secondary fermentation causes off-flavors and can spoil a batch. Don't splash the must when racking to secondary.

-leaving the must on the primary fermentation's lees for too long before racking.

Just to name a few.

But aside from a few pitfalls, making mead is dead easy!


----------



## Gumpy (Mar 30, 2016)

Here's the video at the store showing how it's done. Doesn't show the reactions back at the set. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ld4hO_GeP0


----------



## JConnolly (Feb 21, 2015)

rookie2531 said:


> I thought, maybe they just screwing with him, but they never did say, just kidding.


That's what got me wondering. I watched it and was thinking "wow, that is super easy." Way easier than I expected. Then Kevin makes the comment about it being idiot proof, you can't screw it up. That looks like a script set up for the reveal that he screwed it up.


----------



## Beerz (Feb 11, 2013)

Hops Brewster: I don't know meade. I know beer brewing. You totally nailed it.


----------



## BadBeeKeeper (Jan 24, 2015)

Not aging it long enough can be an issue, depending on how it's made. It can taste like crap for a long time, and then a few months later it's totally different.


----------



## Hops Brewster (Jun 17, 2014)

BadBeeKeeper said:


> Not aging it long enough can be an issue, depending on how it's made. It can taste like crap for a long time, and then a few months later it's totally different.


true


----------



## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

BadBeeKeeper said:


> Not aging it long enough can be an issue, depending on how it's made. It can taste like crap for a long time, and then a few months later it's totally different.


 I often find those that make mead using common techniques, And drinking the mead with no real aging, they say how good it is. And I think, If it is that good 3 months out of the ferment. How great would it be in another year. Or recork after a year with a synthetic cork and try it in 3? Like liquid gold on the tongue!


----------



## BadBeeKeeper (Jan 24, 2015)

Tenbears said:


> I often find those that make mead using common techniques, And drinking the mead with no real aging, they say how good it is. And I think, If it is that good 3 months out of the ferment. How great would it be in another year. Or recork after a year with a synthetic cork and try it in 3? Like liquid gold on the tongue!


I had one that spent a goodly number of months in the secondary before bottling. Eight months after bottling, it was still so bad that if given a choice, a down-on-his-luck wino would have chosen to drink Listerine instead. Four months after that, it was served in place of champagne at a wedding reception and a lot of hoity-toity people were begging to know where it came from so that they could go and buy it for themselves...and were very disappointed to learn that those cases were all that existed in the world. I kept a few bottles and they kept improving for about ten years, then they started going downhill. I still have one left, almost 20 years old...not sure I want to crack it.


----------



## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

A friend once brought over 2 gallons of honey and several cases of ripe plumbs. He asked if I would make him plumb Melomel. The deal was we would split it 50/50
I had already started some peach for him that was bulk aging. I did the plumb and it was ready to bottle it was awful and I did not want to get carried away with sweetening. When he came to get his share we sampled them The peach was great but the plumb still sucked. But he liked it. Go figure! Being a shrewd bargainer I told him I would give him 5 plumb for 4 peach he jumped at the deal and traded away all his peach but a few bottles. 
Fast forward a year. I was at his house for a cook out and he poured up a glass of the most marvelous Melomel I have ever tasted. Come to find out it was that horrid plumb. Being a shrewd bargainer I told him I would give him 5 Lakota Sweet for 4 plumb. :scratch:


----------



## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

I have some high moisture honey that has been in the fridge. I have the yeast that was shown in the episode.

My question is: Do I need nutrient or can I get away with leaving that out?


----------



## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

Honey lacks a lot of nutrients required to make the yeast preform well. If you are just looking to make a drinkable you can use some fruit or raisins to help, but one must remember that mead made with raisins tastes like oh well, Raisins. Most yeast nutrients are not cost prohibitive. and a worth while investment. Although not complete a simple DAP and urea would be better than nothing.

Follow all the steps in the episode and sterilize everything well.


----------



## BadBeeKeeper (Jan 24, 2015)

Bee Bliss said:


> I have some high moisture honey that has been in the fridge. I have the yeast that was shown in the episode.
> 
> My question is: Do I need nutrient or can I get away with leaving that out?


If you are not adding any fruit, then yes, nutrient would be a very good idea.


----------



## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

Thanks Tenbears and BadBeeKeeper!


----------

