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damiana's harvest moon mead

roaming avatar
Recipe by
Sasha Kamen
@roaming
Dallas, TX

Mead is an alcoholic beverage created by fermenting honey with water and frequently fruits, spices, and grains. The earliest archaeological evidence for the production of mead dates to around 2000 BC. It is often referred to as the drink of the gods. This recipe uses honey, fruit juices, cinnamon, and wine yeast. I usually start my mead in time to enjoy it during our Yule celebrations. You haven't lived until you've tossed a bit of mead from a drinking horn onto a burning Yule Log!

method No-Cook or Other

Ingredients For damiana's harvest moon mead

  • THINGS YOU'LL NEED:
  • THERMOMETER, 3-GAL. CARBOY, FUNNEL, AIR LOCK, SIPHON, BOTTLES
  • -5 lbs. wild flower honey
  • -1 gallon 100% white grape juice
  • -water, as needed
  • -1 oz. ascorbic acid
  • -5 g. pasteur champagne (red star) active dry wine yeast
  • -2 sticks cinnamon
  • -1 can frozen white grape and cranberry juice concentrate

How To Make damiana's harvest moon mead

  • 1
    Gather and sanitize all the items listed in the "Things You'll Need" list with a weak bleach solution (remember to rinse well) or a sanitizing solution that can be found at any beer or wine-making store or online.
  • 2
    Bring to a boil 1 part honey, 2 parts water, 1 part white grape juice with the cinnamon sticks. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  • 3
    In a separate saucepan heat remaining white grape juice. Heat to 100 degrees F. Add yeast and allow to activate.
  • 4
    When the honey mixture is cooled to 100 degrees F., pour both mixtures into the carboy leaving room for fermentation to occur. Install the airlock.
  • 5
    Put in a quiet place at an optimal temperature range for the yeast. This information should be published by the manufacturer.
  • 6
    Allow to ferment until the yeast is spent. This could take about 2 to 3 months, or 3 weeks after it stops bubbling.
  • 7
    Once the fermentation has completed, transfer your mead to a container with little to no headspace for aging. The less surface area that oxygen can get to, the better. Siphoning is the best way to go so that you leave as much sediment behind as possible. The longer you wait, the better your mead will be, an average aging time is 8 months to a year.
  • 8
    Transfer the mead into bottles, seal, and store in a cool dark place. Your mead is now drinkable, but it is even better when aged even longer.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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