Hello all,
I tried to make NB’s semi-sweet artisinal mead kit, and have so far had fairly disappointing results. I’m hoping someone has a great mead recipe that they’d like to share with me.
Things I’m looking for:
(0) 5-gallon batch (or 3, I guess, but my equipment is all for 5 gallons, and I’m willing to commit to 5, if it’s going to be good)
(1) Either sweet or semi-sweet. I want to be able to drink this as a beverage (meaning, several glasses during a night, so it can’t be super-sweet), but I definitely don’t want anything too dry, either. I like honey, and I want some sweetness to come through.
(2) Just a regular ol’ mead. I’m interested in making an orange-y mead, but I’d like to make a successful batch of regular mead before I start trying other stuff.
(3) Can it be ready to drink (and good) in 3-6 months? My current batch is going on a year, and still isn’t that great. I know mead takes a while, but I’m thirsty now, and I’m used to brewing beer, which is usually ready after 1-3 months.
(4) Not ridiculously complicated. I normally brew beer, so I’m fairly competent when it comes to brewing, but when it comes to meads and ciders, my technique has been limited to adding ingredients to a bucket and stirring in the yeast, racking to a carboy after some time, and letting it sit for a few months. I’ve got a bunch of equipment, and I’m fine with learning some new tricks, but I’m not going to split batches halfway through, or strain through a cheesecloth, or anything like that.
Man, that makes me seem picky. All I want is an easy recipe that’s good, and if possible, done quickly.