Lava Bee Products

Bee Blissful Mead

Commonly referred to as “honey wine”, mead is an alcoholic beverage made from honey. Using lava bee honey, a basic mead is made from diluted honey, yeast and yeast nutrients. Additional additives such as fruit extracts and spices change the complexity of the mead. The following is a basic recipe for making mead. Refer to more detailed references for specific brewing techniques.

A glass of Mead set amongst an array of food

Ingredients

  • 14 pounds honey
  • 4 gallons water
  • 2 - 5g packets Pasteur Champagne yeast
  • yeast nutrients

Directions

  1. Combine honey and water; heat must to 160°F (71°C) for 20 minutes.
  2. Chill pot of must in a cold water bath to fermentation temperature.
  3. Add ½ tsp yeast nutrients to must.
  4. Aerate must and pitch rehydrated yeast.
  5. Rack as necessary to leave yeast behind.
  6. Use Sparkalloid to clarify post fermentation and age 3-4 months.
  7. Bottle and enjoy.

Note: This mead created by the Fall 2003 UH Hilo CAFNRM Beekeeping class won third place in the Sanctioned Homebrew Competition held by the American Homebrewers Association.

Bottled Mead

Competition Medal