How to Make a Mead in 8 Minutes (Home Made Mead Tutorial)

Today we're going to learn how to make a mead in 8 minutes. Now, this process will definitely take more than 8 minutes in total. However, this video will show you everything you need to know in 8 minutes! Share this video with your friends if you've enjoyed it and go make some mead. Look for links below to buy everything you need your first mead or go find it at your local brew shop!
It's important to have a few things before you make your first mead:
Equipment:
Glass Carboy (& Airlock): amzn.to/2QP7Mxm
Auto-Siphon and Tubing: amzn.to/2YXorU7
Hydrometer: amzn.to/31P3PPF
Star San (Sanitizer): amzn.to/32OhXYF
Scale: amzn.to/34TSAaL
Bottling Capper: amzn.to/3buC6at
Bench Capper (Optional): amzn.to/32LZZpY
Hand Corker: amzn.to/32MlxCO
Floor Corker (Optional): amzn.to/3gPgbvq
Wine Corks: amzn.to/3jCvQ2Y
Bottle Caps: amzn.to/3lNMHSD
Bottling Wand: amzn.to/3hR8rKH
Traditional Mead Recipe:
3/4 Gallon of Clean Water
2 Pounds of Any Honey
2.5 Grams of Wine Yeast (or Bread Yeast)
Steps to make a mead:
1.) Sanitize everything extremely well!
2.) Mix your ingredients
3.) Take a gravity reading and write it down
4.) Pitch your yeast into the mead and store in a place to start fermenting
Fermentation should take 14 - 20 days
5.) Check your gravity and rack when it's done fermenting
6.) Optional - Stabilize and Backsweeten if you want it sweeter
7.) Bottling time!
Join this channel to get access to perks:
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Check it out on my Amazon store of my website!
www.ManMadeMead.com
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Check out the Patreon! www.Patreon.com/ManMadeMead
Discord Link: ManMadeMead.com/discord
www.Facebook.com/ManMadeMeadery

[@savagekock]

I just started this , I'm beyond broke so I'm using everything not in this video. So far it been 3 days and I've made a mess, but it seems to be fermenting. I like this new hobby. Thanx man!!

[@millerryan46]

The first mead I ever made was as a Peace Corps volunteer in a tiny village. I used a plastic oil jug and made an airlock with old fuel injection line running into a soda bottle full of water. Doesn't need to be fancy!

[@ryana3385]

I’ve been growing my own medical marijuana for the 3rd year now, and I was able to cut down on my spending. So I figured why not brew my own drink. Awesome channel and videos

[@AmishWebmaster]

Maybe you could show us a video on your grow.

[@dont_tread_on_me-nh5jp]

A couple great wine suggestions I'd have are Apple pie wine, jolly rancher wine coolers and pear wine

[@mk-jm5tv]

"medical marijuana" lol

[@joeylafrond2472]

Add the Marijuana to the mead.

[@Rick_Sanchez_C137_]

IDEA 1: get your own hives and use the honey they make while hanging out on your weed plants to make mead. IDEA 2: pulverize two or three weed plants and make a wine out of it. Will probably taste like shit and I have no idea what the process will do the the THC, but that is why you need to try it, to see what magic comes out of the bottle…. Don’t forget to make KZbin videos of the results, enquiring minds want to know. (No I can’t perform those little science experiments myself, I am employed by Uncle Sam and he doesn’t like his employees to partake of the chronic)….

[@jwithersooon]

very concise as well as intuitive

[@dj3y3]

Working on my first batch now and I keep coming back to this video just to recap some info. This is a great and quick source of actually good information.

[@thomasmcqueen8276]

So glad I found this video! this will definitely help.

[@Xtafen]

Great video for me starting my mead journey.

[@numinous2506]

This is the best mead KZbin channel!

[@JheeeBz]

Very impressed with the quality and style of this video.

[@ManMadeMead]

Thank you very much!

[@Strider1313]

I’m very impressed that the info is correct current and doesn’t make my scream NO like most KZbin videos 😂

[@musicalprodigy1]

Ryan gosling makes mead

[@WavySoldierGuyPS]

Simple, easy and has alot of information. Great job! Cant wait to try!

[@glemmeren]

Very plain and simple. Thank you for this :)

[@colpugno7]

Will start making mead soon, thanks to your videos!😁

[@seancurry7100]

This is so informative and you touch on so many bases without wasting time. A perfect video to rewatch, take notes from and revisit during the process. Thank you so much, it could not be better, you earned another sub. Can't wait to work on my Christmas gifts this Summer!

[@ManMadeMead]

I’m happy to share!

[@skavenqblight]

Watched so many mead videos as I embark on this journey and this is far and away the best. I’m a beekeeper so I figure I might as well use all this honey for something other than sweetener!

[@rwinfi2019]

Awesome video. Way better than the guys who are trying to sell you kits, you gave us simple instruction.

[@bobbyhaddock2242]

Awesome video I so enjoyed watching it I had to watch about 12 times just to take all the notes that I needed. 👍👍👍

[@nicholashess5977]

Great video, great starting point for a new brewer for sure.

[@ManMadeMead]

Thank you!

[@user-zk5pv7yb9y]

Thank you for clear instruction.

[@ManMadeMead]

You are welcome!

[@joe96734]

Very useful thank you.

[@JD-ou2ce]

I love your videos! You inspired me to start brewing meads 🍻 thanks for sharing your knowledge with us

[@ManMadeMead]

Thank you so much! I love making these!

[@iPhYzix]

Brewing my first mead today and felt I had to freshen up and this is, by far, the single best info video for mead making. All brewing instructions should follow your lead. Keep it up!

[@arxhitgarg]

How did it go

[@JordanDudeHolbrook]

An absolutely fantastic video. I've just started making mead myself and your videos have proved most informative and helpful! Many thanks from England!

[@ManMadeMead]

Thank you so much! I’m glad you’re getting into it! Let me know how your first brews go.

[@nickk4953]

This is the best how to mead video I have seen in all my research. You explain every step and the optional steps wanting to share the information and paywall people. THANK YOU SIR!!!

[@ManMadeMead]

Thank you! I’m glad it helped!

[@giulianoMX]

Thanks for the detailed video.

[@ManMadeMead]

Happy to share!

[@mixedbyangelo9093]

incredible at explaining man, thanks a lot.

[@ManMadeMead]

Happy to help!

[@ryangatien6615]

Mead was the very first drink I made. I had some wine fermenting and I decided to throw some honey water and yeast in a small water bottle just to see what I can get, and boy it it turn out amazing. I think I prefer it over my wine, perhaps I just need to let my wine age until it tastes better

[@TheOldBlackShuckyDog]

Thanks man, really inspired me to try making mead.

[@ManMadeMead]

I’m happy to share!

[@chefboyrdanbh]

Awesome Video!

[@maelavdrak]

Ive never had the chance to try mead, and i came across an "easy to make!" raspberry mead video the other day that got me really itching to try to make mead. So here i am, to bingewatch your channel because you're both informative and entertaining.

[@ManMadeMead]

I'm happy you found me! Let me know if I can help!

[@beerwolf8518]

This is a fantastic video. I pretty much did it this way over the years with minimal variation. I usually cold crashed to stabilize and clear. I never really added any sweetening after ferment. That sounds pretty cool and worth trying though.

[@ManMadeMead]

Thank you!

[@user-gk2ut8mc5e]

Excellent Content, thank you!!

[@ManMadeMead]

Thank you!

[@raytaylor6223]

Shared. Clear and concise.

[@ManMadeMead]

Thank you so much!

[@raytaylor6223]

@@ManMadeMead Most welcome. Got a buddy who brews at home. Saved your vid for source and reference.

[@micahtutor659]

awesome quick video, i plan on doing some of your recipes soon

[@ManMadeMead]

Awesome!!

[@shubbz87]

Great show 👍 I'll use a clear hose I got from a pool shop to rack my wine, I'll use an old bottle and don't need a cork😊

[@richardhead5879]

Great video, this answered a lot of questions I had. Thanks again Triple M ;)

[@ManMadeMead]

I'm happy to help!

[@FL-Kman]

Hell yeah! Just tried my first mead today. It was viking blood, of course. Lol i was thinking about making a Florida version with hibiscus, guava, and local honey. Will give it a go in December!

[@duayinepu2103]

Be sure to degas your mead if you are adding yeast nutrient any time after fermentation.. I learned this the hard way. Added it to some active fermentation even though I likely didn't need it. It immediately fizzed up, I slammed the airlock on and it slowly made its way through my airlock. The water in it is now mead.

[@ManMadeMead]

Oh yes! I didn’t mention that before!

[@mifunejones6560]

great video, man. well done, sir!

[@ManMadeMead]

Thank you so much!

[@cooperberrysmith7701]

you have your own TRBOS! I can tell this is a pro channel already

[@GreenWitch1]

I added graham cracker crumbs to my banana wine today. I never would’ve thought to do that without your videos! It tastes great as is, but I think the graham cracker is going to make it even better!

[@MrNickPresley]

I mean, grahams do taste good, but I worry doing that would cause the same problem I had when I made kvass at home. You strain it and, somehow, someone ends up with soggy whatever at the bottom of their glass.

[@tejasnair3399]

thanks! can't wait to bring homemead mead to class. meads for everyone !

[@primitivedaisy]

Thanks for this video! I just started this hobby with my own honey from my hives. I have a regular mead and a cherry melomel going, and was kind of confused what to do next. Both have been racked, so I was wondering g what to do next. Their ABV is pretty high, so I’m going to let them just sit for awhile. Very helpful video for a novice! ☺️

[@EncodedAxolotl]

Honey from your own hives? You're living my dream 😍 I'd be interested to know how your mead turned out if you ever want to update us!

[@Arthuriot]

Wow! This is extremely helpful! So many things packed in such a short video! Well done! :)

[@briciolaa]

pretty cool!

[@briciolaa]

the video really resonated with me when he said "a lil bit fruity, of course with some age it will be even better" like yeah im a lil bit gay and inexperienced but i hope i will lead a happy life, possibly drinking good mead

[@matthewrs7]

I have several beer,wine,kombucha ferments under my belt. Mead seems like a really fun small batch to add to the mix. Especially since I love the flavor of honey

[@jacobsussman9769]

This is the BEST resource I've seen for a beginner so far. Super descriptive and well informed. But also simple. Thank you so much for sharing your process. You are the best!

[@ManMadeMead]

I'm happy to share! Happy mead making!

[@gneissnicebaby]

As someone who has thought "I'd like to make my own mead some day" a few times, but only understands the basic concept, I thought this was a really nice overview of what I would need to have and know to get started. Thanks! Maybe for Christmas this year people will be getting a homebrewed mead from me! Edit: thanks for adding the info about adding other things to the mead like fruit! I'm an Alaskan so making raspberry, blueberry, and fireweed mead is the long term goal :)

[@mamezou3741]

Helps me appreciate how people figured out how to do this without all the fancy tools.

[@TheRhalf]

Afaik our ominid ancestors used to hide fruits in trees then forget that they were there after a long time, then when they remembered and went to eat them the fruits were fermented, which is we have evolved to have a high alcohol tolerance, after this it was just a matter of trying out which foods fermented and trying out stuff

[@waylonk2453]

Man, this is so cool! I've got a pair of dusty carboys in the attic, and I think I know what to do with them now.

[@ManMadeMead]

I love it! You're going to love the hobby!

[@hollybooth989]

Thank god I found this video!...I am 5 days into a ferment...I was confused at what racking was, how long to age, if I add preservative before or after racking, how I sweeten more without a second ferment...I just kinda jumped in head first with barely a clue...thank u so very much for making the instructions mostly clear...I still got a bit confused so I rewatched 7 times 😂

[@ManMadeMead]

I'm happy I could help!

[@lilsleepymango]

Im currently working on a triple mango mead I'm very exited to taste

[@WorkingManReads]

Fantastic video 🔥🍻

[@ManMadeMead]

Thank you!

[@nathanthomas8084]

I just started my first "big" batch this afternoon. 5 gallon bochet cyser with half a cup of brown sugar. Fermentation was going within 2 hours and I installed a blowoff tube 3 to 4 hours in because the Red Star Classique yeast is going nuts. I plan on adding cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, and allspice to secondary for a little while. Thanks for all the helpful info and advice in your videos!

[@ManMadeMead]

That sounds fantastic! Let me know how it turns out!

[@nathanthomas8084]

I definitely will!

[@patioorangutan2239]

Appreciate this, good ass video. Learnt a lot

[@chrissymes]

Awesome video my guy. Factual throughout and the tips options at rhe end is great vs some other videos where your subjected to hosts longer stories making it harder to find info. Cheers

[@ManMadeMead]

I appreciate you!

[@TheShamwwow]

Damn as of 7/18/21 only 18 down votes. That speaks volumes on how awesome this video really is. Thank you for posting this and getting me excited to try myself.

[@ManMadeMead]

Thank you so much!

[@avaspencer7368]

Working on an orange and elderflower mead now!!

[@ManMadeMead]

That sounds great!

[@SheppardOfFire]

This is super helpful, thank you! I'm gonna try to make a blackberry-raspberry mead that has a hint of lavender or mint once I have all the stuff to actually make it.

[@ManMadeMead]

That sounds so good! Let me know how that turns out!

[@kita7647]

How'd it end up?

[@SheppardOfFire]

@@kita7647 Lol I totally forgot about this, I never actually did make it

[@kita7647]

@@SheppardOfFire Lmao, if you ever do let me know. I'll try it one day.

[@lisasmith516]

Thx🙂

[@ZachMcCrary]

Don’t forget about option 3 for clarifying! You can always cold crash and then re-rack.

[@billyoerg]

I made this as my first mead 3 months ago today. Stabilized and back sweetened it after about 3 weeks, and bottled 2 weeks later. Just opened a bottle today and tried it. I was extremely surprised on how well it turned out. Thanks for getting me started!

[@ManMadeMead]

I'm happy I was able to help! Happy brewing!

[@XxBloggs]

Great video. Going to use my own honey.

[@gapey]

I've only made cysers and melomels but really want to try a capsicumel. I have 3 aging in carboys and a new one to rack into a carboy this week.

[@ceridwenschache9745]

I have no idea what your talking about 😆 but I want to do the same

[@esdrasagundez5294]

Nice, ty.

[@ManMadeMead]

Happy to help!

[@durpbawlwelf4269]

I'll be back next month after I gave my parents a taste of this ;) thanks for the vid!

[@okrq]

So?

[@luigimario2704]

Finally something to drink while sailing that longship I don’t have

[@Viking.warrior.94]

made my first mead with this video. OG 1080 FG 1000= 10.50% very usefull video

[@ManMadeMead]

I’m happy I could help!

[@larsbrown9322]

Nice method..here is mine. I buy a plastic gallon jug of water, then pour some out. I pour in honey until the jug is full again. I poke a hole in the cap, after I add some yeast that I didn't start up first. I usually wait a few days, then I pour out some unfinished mead (this goes into my mouth of course) then I add more honey until the jug is full again. I try to add about 3-4 lbs of honey in all. I usually add some nutrient and Energizer. Then when I think its about done, I drink most of it without aging, usually only saving 1/3 in a bottle to age. I've been doing this for about 5 years now. Never had a stuck fermentation, mold, off flavors, or any trouble in general. Lately I've been using local honey. It's the best.

[@joekerzel9212]

Homeboy is running a bootleg operation! Did you see how many bottles of fermenting mead behind him. Love it!

[@ManMadeMead]

Haha!

[@giusax89]

Hey MMM, thanks again for all your wonderful content. I have a question regarding stabilization. I take that since you do that a lot you know by now reliable ratios between the 2 sulfites which work well. How much do you use in grams per liter? Last time i stabilized a mead and then added honey, for some reason the fermentation restarted, and I don't know why.

[@jimmyclams6989]

I've done 2 batches so far, both have seemed to be "hot" still even after bottling stage. I know I just need to wait but I'm so impatient! Anyways great video :)

[@ManMadeMead]

Patience will fix a lot of those things!

[@ubikubiquitous867]

Thanks so much for sharing your mead knowledge! I don't have a second demijohn, should I - transfer to plastic then clean out my demijohn and transfer back Or - put it straight into glass swing top bottles and just leave it

[@ManMadeMead]

I would transfer out of the demijohn and then back in after your clean the container!

[@AvaNinja13]

Great video! Wish I had this when I started last year

[@jeffreychevalier3664]

Cool vid it helped me a lot I wish I watched it before I tried my blood mead it turned out like turpentine lol

[@ManMadeMead]

It's okay though! You can always try again!

[@Average_Internet_DMC_420]

Just started my first batch using your video as reference, At first I was intimidated by the processes and santization, bingeing your videos back to back and taking notes your instructions are very clear and understandable! Tyvm for posting your content for all home brewers to see. One question, I ordered Fermaid O off Amazon and added it after my yeast, I noticed that there were Fermaid K and other options for nutrients. Is there a best for all? Or is most yeast nutrient the same? Much love from Canada🤘🏼

[@ManMadeMead]

I use Fermaid O almost all the time! It’s much easier to use

[@southernstacker7315]

Nice sink

[@ManMadeMead]

Haha thank you!

[@petrzacharias6622]

So, it looks you just started new part of my life. :D

[@ManMadeMead]

Welcome to the best hobby on earth!

[@adamblack8113]

Great video! This is a hobby I wanted to start because I can’t find decent mead anywhere and I simply love it! Quick question, how much of the yeast nutrient should be added per 1 gal? And I saw you said it’s a good idea but is it necessary? I’ve also seen yeast energizers and a quick google search has told me they aren’t the same! I need help haha Thanks in advance!

[@ManMadeMead]

I normally use about 3 grams per gallon. Energizer is similar to yeast nutrient but not as effective. I would get some Fermaid O or Fermaid K if possible!

[@vincelafore4281]

I made my first mead on 11-19-22. Just water, honey and yeast. OG 1.081. I added yeast nutrient a couple different times while fermenting. The yeast I used was A38 Juice ale yeast, it's what I had on hand. I left it in the fermenter until 12-31-22 then threw it into the fridge to cold crash. Did I goof up by not transferring to secondary first? Today is 1-5-23. Also, I didn't take a gravity reading before crashing it. I'm guessing it will probably be a little sweeter because of the yeast I used. I'm guessing I can still transfer to secondary but will it hurt to just leave it sitting on the yeast? I haven't tasted it yet either. Thanks for your advice. Vince

[@peetei]

Coming from a beer maker point of view, when adding honey to sweeten. You stir it in, wouldn't this oxygenate your mead reducing the shelf life? And your thoughts on carbinated mead?

[@richardboyd6756]

What I don’t quite understand is how mead gets better with age but beer doesn’t. Maybe it has to do with the malt or hops? I guess wines the same way.

[@richardboyd6756]

@Aristides Gonzalez no I haven’t bothered looking into it

[@GrabEmByThePlushie]

Just an extra tip for new mead makers, never stick your finger in a bung hole without washing your hands first. That is all.

[@tuckermarkson6580]

Nice my freshmen locker business is booming

[@goodenoughhoney1667]

I’m a beekeeper. I have maple honey and wild raspberry honey I’m going to make mead with I’m super excited

[@ManMadeMead]

That sounds fantastic!

[@mycrazylifewfawnlisette3582]

This one!!

[@dev4statingx90]

I put vodka in my airlocks

[@cruzlake6217]

Well I started my first batch today! I used 2.5 lbs of wildflower raw honey and 2G of Ec1118. Was 2G enough or do I need more? My SG was a little above 1.100.

[@hari2rbo]

I'm planning to start my very own mead after discovering your videos by accident. I do have a question though ... If you taste test the young mead, what tastes would be a warning sign that the mead will be sub-par and what steps could you take to fix them? For instance: I taste test and taste a lot of XYZ, that means I will have to add some ABC to save this mead. Or I taste a lot of XYZ and it's probably best to not waste too much time on this and start over. Thanks for your help.

[@ManMadeMead]

Generally it gets better over time without doing much. Age just helps mead. But if you notice it's not sweet enough, you can add more honey. If it doesn't have enough body you can add some wine tannin or oak. There are fixes for pretty much any issue you might run into!

[@giusax89]

Hey there! Thanks for your awesome videos! I wanted to ask you something about yeasts. I've had the feeling that wine yeast, particularly the Lalvin 71B, tend to "expand" the flavor of the honey making everything very extreme, with the result that the mead needs a lot of aging to be less aggressive. Is this in some way your experience too? Does some ale yeast do this somewhat less? I remember back when I made my first mead with bread yeast that it was very easily drinkable, having reached around 10% ABV. Of course, in that case there was a lot of residual sweetness, but the delicate honey flavors were kept intact and didn't become extreme (too strong, and bitter notes). What do you think?

[@ManMadeMead]

So, generally speaking, Ale yeast and bread yeast have a lower abv tolerance. I have a feeling your brews with those ended with residual sugar, which means it had some sweetness to “hide” off flavors. 71B has a higher tolerance and probably fermented through all the sugars which leaves nothing to hide behind. Those flavors should mellow out over time (also you can backsweeten to fix any weird flavors). I have a feeling that the ale yeast and bread yeast had similar problems, they just had sweetness to hide behind!

[@PoopBoss]

I love how detailed this is, however, a little concerned when you checked the initial gravity, I saw you add a little water to the top without mixing it, then it was poured it into the little vial to check the gravity.. would that make it a little off considering the water on the top wasn’t agitated and mixed throughout the solution?

[@ManMadeMead]

You are right that could have slightly askewed the gravity reading! I should have shook it up some more.

[@psilocypher]

@@ManMadeMead I’m a bit confused. How was there an 8% ABV before you even fermented?

[@ManMadeMead]

@@psilocypher It was an 8% potential ABV. The hydrometer measures potential gravity!!

[@Derenyx]

When adding the secondary ingredients to add different flavours to the mead, when's typically the best time to make those additions?

[@GreenTV.]

Excellent! Do you sell a kit?

[@scottcordaro9089]

Been planning to make my own for fist time, this definitely helps me know what things I need. I'm curious on one thing though, to add fruits do I need to crush them up before putting in or?

[@ManMadeMead]

You don’t need to crush them, but you want to make sure they’re cut up a little!

[@scottcordaro9089]

@@ManMadeMead sweet, thank you for replying back.

[@Rewildminnesota]

Will bail too bottles work?

[@stephenhegarty6179]

can mead or wine stay in a carboy after stabilizers for a couple weeks before backsweeten and bottling? great job on videos just getting into making my own wine and meads

[@ManMadeMead]

Of course it can!

[@BradYeti97]

Good info, I'll be referencing this when I make mine some time next week. 2 things I have to ask: (1) can I bottle and then let it age, or let it age in the carboy after its been racked? (2) the colour of the other carboys in the background were pretty dark, can mead get that dark or were you doing some other projects in them?

[@ManMadeMead]

You can bottle age it or carboy age! Either way works! Those meads are different kinds. different honey and ingredients can produce different colors!

[@BradYeti97]

@@ManMadeMead cheers for the help

[@adammitchell3462]

Wow man,it looks like you've got the carboy super full ,but unlike grains, maybe it doesnt foam as bad

[@ManMadeMead]

It won't go too wild unless you have some fruit or something in it! In that case you don't want it to clog!

[@daimyo2k]

Hi M.M.M.... is it possible to make sparkling mead?? if so how? thanks!

[@Davmm96]

Beware! Some yeast require a wake-up phase to be effective (e.g. beeing in hot water for 10-15 min, then stirred and put in your container). Just like you in the morning before your breakfast.

[@mysticarbol]

hello !!! great video for us beginners, my silly question now is -do i have to bottle it? or can leave it room temp and help myself when i want some? 25 live at home don't want my parents to trip out with loads of mead where they can see lol! thanks

[@ManMadeMead]

So sorry! I don’t know how I missed this. If you take mead off of a full bottle, it will have oxygen on top. Oxygen and mead don’t really mix! So bottling your brew allows you to drink it without chancing it oxidizing in a larger batch!

[@kahwigulum]

go into more detail on how to age and how to clear a hazy mead before bottling

[@ManMadeMead]

Here is a video on how to clear mead: kzbin.info/www/bejne/naCwf6qiZbV6fdU&pp=ygURaG93IHRvIGNsZWFyIG1lYWQ%3D