The Complete Guide to Making Mead, Updated Edition The Ingredients, Equipment, Processes, and Recipes for Crafting Honey Wine

by Piatz, Steve

• ISBN13: 9780760396186
• ISBN10: 0760396183
• eBook ISBN(s): 9780760396193
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2025-06-03
• Publisher: Harvard Common Press
• More Book Details

Summary

Make delicious meads in many varieties and flavor profiles with this completely updated edition of the definitive companion book for home mead-making.

Some stories suggest that mead was originally discovered when one of our not-yet-upright forebears stuck their hand in a fermenting bee hive and came away with a honeycomb containing a little more than they bargained for. Whatever the truth, brewers have brought this beverage into the twenty-first century, and you can rest assured that The Complete Guide to Making Mead is a thoroughly up-to-date, modern, and authoritative guide to homemade mead.

Best of all, it has something for everyone, from the stone-cold beginner to the seasoned veteran. Written by award-winning mead-maker Steve Piatz, the book features:

• A brief history of the fermented beverage and a rundown of the various types of mead
• Dozens of recipes for basic meads (honey only), melomels (honey and fruit), metheglins (honey and spices), and braggots (honey and malt)
• A discussion of the many types of honey that are available, their characteristics, and where to source them
• Information on yeast and special ingredients, as well as what equipment is necessary and recommended 
• An illustrated and detailed look at the basic process
• Advanced techniques, such as oaking, clarifying, aging, spicing, and blending
• Guidance on developing recipes and troubleshooting problems with the brewing process
• More than 100 color photos

Make your own mead, and make a toast to this ancient alcoholic drink, with this comprehensive guide.

Author Biography

Steve Piatz is a retired computer engineer and an award-winning beer and mead-maker. A member of the Minnesota Homebrewers Association and the Saint Paul Homebrewers Club, a Grand Master V BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) judge, and an Exam Director for the BJCP exam program, he resides in Eagan, Minnesota.

Table of Contents

Introduction
A Brief History of Mead
Characteristics and Varieties
Ingredients
Yeast Strains
The Basic Process
Finishing Your Mead
Packaging
Advanced Techniques
Recipe Development
Recipes
Troubleshooting
Glossary
Sample Log Page
Sources
About the Author
Index