Sidetracked By Other Booze

So last night, I randomly decided to make mead for the first time ever. I had never even knowingly tasted mead before. A friend of mine had given me a bottle of his homemade mead a long while back. Hell, I didn't even know if it should have been cold or not. Found out later that I prefer it cold.

According to the book, the best ratio for mead is 2.5lbs to 4lbs per 1-gallon of water. The only other non-optional thing you need is the yeast. I've had some champagne yeast in the fridge for months and months now with nothing to use it on. I had originally purchased it because I had a batch of beer that had stopped fermenting before it should have. Now I've found a use for it.

Basic Mead 
(makes 1 gallon)

Ingredients:
3 lbs (48oz) Honey
1/2 pkg Champagne Yeast
14 cups or (112oz) water
1tsp of Brewers Yeast supplement (Optional)

Equipment Needed:
Kettle (any size over 1-gallon will work)
Stirring Utensil
Hydrometer
Funnel
1-gallon glass jug

Process:

1. Added 3 quarts of water to the kettle
2. Added all honey (volume is up to 1 gallon now)
3. Heated to boiling
4. Boiled for 15 minutes
5. Cooled the kettle in an ice bath in the sink, down to 58°F
6. Heated 2 cups of water to ~85°F, added 1/2 pkg of yeast
7. Let yeast sit for 10-20 minutes
8. Stir yeast slurry into honey "wort", added 1 tsp of brewers yeast as well
9. Took gravity reading
10. Poured into primary fermenter, 62°F and 1.111OG

The end result!!

 
Updates will be forthcoming as I follow the process of fermentation. Fingers crossed on this one, never tried this before. Wish me luck.