First Batch of Mead

We started our first batch of mead today! 

Through planning for this project, our group learned that there is a large range of mead recipes available on the internet; however, each one seemed to similarly involve mixing water, honey, and sometimes yeast. Due to the short period of time in which our experiments must take place, we decided to use a short mead recipe, which is ready in a little over a week. More specifically, we combined various suggestions and ratios on the internet as well as from a resource person that our professor connected us with. Furthermore, we discovered an excellent blog site (http://yourshoutmate.blogspot.ca/2012/01/true-viking-sytle-mead-mjo.html), which included much detailed information on Viking mead. While we were unable to alter our recipe to include all the techniques traditionally utilized, we were inspired to attempt to explore a few, as will be discussed in future posts. One element that we were able to include this week from the blog, is having the "lady of the house" make (or at least "supervise" the making of) the mead (Graham-Campbell 1980, p. 122124; Your Shout, Mate 2012), as one of the group members who processed the mead mixture is the primary tenant of her apartment where it was made. We like to think that counts.

ANTH 398 Mead and Bread Group's Tentative Recipe for Short Mead:

1. Sterilize all materials (mixing spoons, primary bucket for fermentation).
2. Bring 1.5 liters of spring water to a boil. 
3. Take pot off of the element and add 1 kg (approximately 2.2 pounds) of honey.
4. Mix thoroughly. 
5. Pour mixture into the primary container for fermentation. 
6. Add 1.5 litres of cold spring water.
7. Mix thoroughly. 
8. Rehydrate yeast as per instructions on the packet. 
9. Add yeast to the honey and water mixture.
10. Cover with a towel to protect the mixture from fruit flies and dust. 
11. Let stand for one week. 
12. Siphon into another container to filter out post-fermentation debris.

Overview of Ingredients, Materials, and Initial Steps: 

For the first experimental batch we used pasteurized honey, as impurities such as wax have already been filtered out, thus saving us a step.While a variety of yeasts can be used to make mead, we choose to use a champagne yeast at the recommendation of an employee at a wine making store as well as our resource person, as it is considered to be an effective and reliable form. We used spring water as it is specifically called for by many mead recipes, since tap water sometimes contains additives which may impact fermentation.What is missing in the photographs below, is the cleaning of the primary container for fermentation as well as other materials using potassium metabisulphite, which is thought to be crucial to rid any bacteria which also may alter the process of fermentation. Interestingly, this was also an additive that was used by the Vikings, transferred in via ash (Your Shout, Mate 2012). Lastly, we decided to use a bucket as the primary fermenting container, as the Vikings would have likely used a bowl made out of soapstone or other common materials (Your Shout, Mate 2012).

Our Materials and Ingredients: Pasteurized honey, champagne yeast, Spring water, raisins ( explained next week, for step two), and a large pot. (Not shown is the primary container for fermentation, a large food grade plastic bucket.)

Adding honey to the heated water.

Pouring the honey-water mixture into the bucket.

Mixing cold spring water into the mixture.

Activating the yeast.

Rehydrated yeast.

Adding the yeast into the cooled honey-water mixture.

Mixture ready for fermentation. Note the foaming on the surface, which indicates that the yeast is working!

Unfortunately, we were unable to make bread this weekend, but our next "experiment day" post should be packed with pictures of tasty flatbreads as well as an update on the mead!

-B & Jo

Bibliography

GRAHAM-CAMPBELL, J., 1980. Home Life. In: The Viking World. USA: Ticknor & Fields, pp.
113-129.

Unknown, 01/01/2012, A True Viking-Style Mead (Mjöð), Your Shout, Mate. Available:
http://yourshoutmate.blogspot.ca/2012/01/truevikingsytlemeadmjo.html [Oct 9, 2013].