# can you use runny honey to make mead?



## hystad (Jan 14, 2011)

garlicbee said:


> had to pull some upcapped honey it is pretty runny can it be used to make mead
> 
> what is the smallest batch of mead that you can make (in terms of weight of honey)?
> 
> thanks


A one gallon batch uses 2-4 lbs of honey. If it is runny you might use more. 
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f80/joes-ancient-orange-mead-49106/


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## papa bear (Nov 1, 2005)

in uncapped "honey" means the moister content was not low enough that the bees wanted to cap it. would it shake out of the comb? you have to be a little careful, because there may be enough water content to start it's own fermentation from wild yeast. it you think it has enough sugar content to use, i would suggest heating your must to kill off unknown or undesirable organisms


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

A hydrometer is six or seven bucks. The specific gravity of the must is what you go by. One would just add less water to achieve that number desired for the recipe you are using. It would work fine. If you are just going to throw stuff in a bucket and add yeast, the medieval recipe was add honey to water til it will 'swimm an egge' That is another way of obtaining an idea of specific gravity. Libraries are full of books. The internet is full of recipes and forums. I am learning these same things now myself as I want to make a couple batches just so I can add it to my resume.


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## brushmouth (Jan 17, 2010)

Gary Reuter from the U of M gave a demo at our Polk-Burnett beekeeper meeting last spring.
This is a simple, basic start to build mead, taste was very good I may add.
He stated that many failed mead attempts are because the honey was spoiled before fermentation. 
(good honey = possible good tasting mead, bad honey = bad mead) 

I ordered Fermaid K and Red Star Cote des Blances so as to duplicate his recipe and
have on hand. Extracted a couple of supers this week that we largely uncapped and light, going to give it a try.
This link to .pdf gives the basic start up:
http://www.extension.umn.edu/honeybees/components/pdfs/posters/Mead_158.pdf

I suggest using vodka or everclear in your fermentation lock. Safer from contamination, as the water goes bad in the lock. I change out the lock again with fresh when racking. 

Thank You Gary Reuter
BM


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## nursebee (Sep 29, 2003)

Runny honey ( I read this as high moisture unripe in the hive) could be ideal for controlled fermentation. Much easier than bottling it and allowing it to ferment uncontrolled.

You can use the smallest amount of honey you can imagine to make a just slightly larger batch of mead.


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## brushmouth (Jan 17, 2010)

Gary Reuters old web page link: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~reute001/Mead.html

The old .pdf link in my earlier post no longer works.

Starting a batch soon, shaking the comb for a moisture test isn't enough.
This batch was mostly uncapped, taken early in the AM and not shaking out. 
Tested 19-20% so I heated it to 140F, stirred several times and bottled. 
That should save it but wrecks the enzymes, to be double sure going to build a batch of mead.
Saves it in a different manner....LOL 

BM


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## dixiebeeco (May 3, 2011)

Runny honey is fine for making mead, but as stated above, use a hydrometer to make sure you have enough sugar in there to get the alcohol content you expect.


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