Equipment shopping list to make mead

[REDWOOD]

I made wine many moons ago and was just wondering what equipment is needed as I might have a few things still in the atic

 

[BeeJayBee]

bucket, demijohns, air traps ...

 

[For want of a better word]

still !

 

[Arfermo]

Same as for making any sort of wine. The only differences depend upon the quantity you fancy making. If you want to go commercial buy a rweady made distillery!!!

 

[ratcatcher]

Ive got some aging in the garage, xmas will be 6 months

I bought cheap honey from aldi's (was not a beek at the time) some demijohns,airlocks, large mixing vessel and yeasts etc

http://youtu.be/yZMS9mdfLkY

15 x1lb jars honey makes 5 gallon of mead

 

[Tom Bick]

Just started two gallons today.

Mead is easier than making wine in my opinion, honey, fermenting bucket, two limes, demijons ( in my case 5L water bottles I use the mineral water for wine or mead ) air lock, yeast and time.

 

[jackbee]

don't do what i did and pay over the odds for a plastic demijohn from brewers shop then find the same size container (with water) is a 1/4 the price in tescos!!!

 

[REDWOOD]

don't do what i did and pay over the odds for a plastic demijohn from brewers shop then find the same size container (with water) is a 1/4 the price in tescos!!!

Good idea, I was shocked that wilks sell the glass one's for £7 a bit ott

 

[psafloyd]

PLASTIC demi-john? Nah, that just won't do. I want to sterilise stuff properly when I brew and that means HOT water. I know there'll be plenty of you who use them, but those nooks and crannies will harbour yeasts...

 

[WelshPaul]

I use glass everytime, my latest batch has just been bottled. Going to try and make a still for the next lot.

 

[Tom Bick]

A beekeeping and wine making buddy of mine has a similar attitude to me using the 5L water bottles floyd shakes his head and tuts when we talk wine I reassure him I only use them twice once for 2ndary fermentation and the 2nd when I rack the wine they are then recycled.

Personally I think the mineral water is the way to go when making wine and makes sense to use the bottles although it would be great if they produced some from dark plastic for the red wines that will save having to cover them with paper

 

[REDWOOD]

A beekeeping and wine making buddy of mine has a similar attitude to me using the 5L water bottles floyd shakes his head and tuts when we talk wine I reassure him I only use them twice once for 2ndary fermentation and the 2nd when I rack the wine they are then recycled.

Personally I think the mineral water is the way to go when making wine and makes sense to use the bottles although it would be great if they produced some from dark plastic for the red wines that will save having to cover them with paper

bought a 5 ltr bottle from Tes** today for £1.05 Welsh spring water
Question will that rubber bung fit the water bottle

 

[Shabro]

the plastic 5litre bottles you buy from the homebrew centres have a rubber grommet in a hole drilled in the lid for the airlock

 

[Tom Bick]

Redwood you have to drill a hole in the lid for the rubber bung 10mm if my memory serves me right.

 

[REDWOOD]

bought an air lock and the small rubber bung drilled the hole made the mead (tonybloke's recipe) and it's started bubbling already, cool stuff, how long before it stops bubbling taking my kitchen is about 22 degrees

 

[tonybloke]

I use glass everytime, my latest batch has just been bottled. Going to try and make a still for the next lot.

don't do it, it takes out the flavour!!
better to make alcohol, run it through a still, then add honey. (stills are now available in good homebrew shops )

 

[WelshPaul]

Ah thanks tonybloke.

 

[jackbee]

bought an air lock and the small rubber bung drilled the hole made the mead (tonybloke's recipe) and it's started bubbling already, cool stuff, how long before it stops bubbling taking my kitchen is about 22 degrees

from what i've read, anywhere from 2 weeks to a few months. Mead is like bees - will do what it wants

 

[Shabro]

one question - when fermentation has stopped does anyone add anything such as campden tablets, finings etc?, sorry this is my first time brewing mead.

 

[REDWOOD]

Someone told be to leave it 2 weeks after bubbling has finished and it will clear ready for bottling, I think as with any wine making your equipment has to be sterile and this can be done with campden tablets.