Oddly enough my chocolate orange scored the highest during the mead stamped competition. I got great feedback from the judges on what they suggest to do to improve.
If you are a mead maker and want to take your craft seriously, join a competition. The judges provide notes on both the strength and weaknesses that they believe could be adjusted to make your mead that much better.
If you are a mead maker and want to take your craft seriously, join a competition. The judges provide notes on both the strength and weaknesses that they believe could be adjusted to make your mead that much better.
⚡11👍5❤1
I'm getting ready to bottle my Black Cherry mead, which I started back in March.
I gave it a taste and was happy to find it had a pleasant sweetness, a rich cherry aroma, and a beautiful deep color. But to be truly balanced, a mead should also have a touch of crispness and a structured mouthfeel.
To round it out, I added ½ tsp of acid blend and ½ tsp of Soft Blanc Rouge tannins. These additions should brighten the flavor and give it a smoother, more refined finish.
Always be careful when adding acids and tannins, too much can destroy your meads flavor. Start with small amounts and allow it time to emulsify and incorporate before adding more.
Looking forward to seeing how it turns out in the bottle!
I gave it a taste and was happy to find it had a pleasant sweetness, a rich cherry aroma, and a beautiful deep color. But to be truly balanced, a mead should also have a touch of crispness and a structured mouthfeel.
To round it out, I added ½ tsp of acid blend and ½ tsp of Soft Blanc Rouge tannins. These additions should brighten the flavor and give it a smoother, more refined finish.
Always be careful when adding acids and tannins, too much can destroy your meads flavor. Start with small amounts and allow it time to emulsify and incorporate before adding more.
Looking forward to seeing how it turns out in the bottle!
❤11
Looking at creating a Halloween inspired mead. Vote on which flavor you would pick. The names are just place holders and would likely be changed later.
Anonymous Poll
22%
Pumpkin spice - pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, allspice, vanilla
22%
Poison Apple - tart apples, caramel, sour reds
20%
Blood moon - cherry, black currant, black pepper, clove
18%
Dark Harvest - blackberry, cinnamon, clove, allspice
9%
Hallowed elixir - Spiced pear, ginger, star anise, cardamom
10%
Nightshades Nectar - Pomegranate, black tea, hibiscus, and smoked oak
👻4🔥3🤯1💯1
In the United States, National Mead Day is celebrated on the first Saturday of August—a time to honor the ancient craft of mead making and the traditions it carries.
It’s more than a drink—it’s a connection to our roots, a celebration of history, community, and the artisans who keep this legacy alive.
Raise a horn, share a toast, and support your local brewers who pour their passion into every drop.
Happy National Mead Day!
It’s more than a drink—it’s a connection to our roots, a celebration of history, community, and the artisans who keep this legacy alive.
Raise a horn, share a toast, and support your local brewers who pour their passion into every drop.
Happy National Mead Day!
❤18
The Rocky Mountain Homebrew Challenge opened Friday, 1 Aug at 9 AM MDT.
Entry link:
https://reggiebeer.com/ReggieEntry.php?CompetitionID=ZUCRNE1000919
https://www.foamontherange.org/rmhbc/
Entry link:
https://reggiebeer.com/ReggieEntry.php?CompetitionID=ZUCRNE1000919
https://www.foamontherange.org/rmhbc/
Reggiebeer
Reggie Competition Software
Register to enter or judge Rocky Mountain Homebrew Challenge 2025
I’ve been asked to create two special mead batches for an upcoming wedding.
The bride and groom requested two flavors:
🍇 Blackberry Lemon
🍇 Blackberry Vanilla
I’ve split the base accordingly and added the flavorings for each. So far, the Blackberry Vanilla is tasting fantastic. I haven’t tried the Blackberry Lemon yet, but I expect it’ll have that same rich blackberry character.
To really make the fruit pop, I’m experimenting with a combination of purees and a water-soluble blackberry extract. I believe this blend will give the meads a bold, vibrant flavor and take them to the next level—perfect for a celebration like this.
The bride and groom requested two flavors:
🍇 Blackberry Lemon
🍇 Blackberry Vanilla
I’ve split the base accordingly and added the flavorings for each. So far, the Blackberry Vanilla is tasting fantastic. I haven’t tried the Blackberry Lemon yet, but I expect it’ll have that same rich blackberry character.
To really make the fruit pop, I’m experimenting with a combination of purees and a water-soluble blackberry extract. I believe this blend will give the meads a bold, vibrant flavor and take them to the next level—perfect for a celebration like this.
❤10
❄️🍯 New Brewing Adventure! ❄️🍯
I’m kicking off a fresh batch — Glacier Vanilla Mead. Creamy, rich vanilla paired with a crisp, icy chill for a truly refreshing twist. I’m experimenting with a few different ingredients to capture that perfect cooling effect, and I can’t wait to see how it turns out. Here’s hoping it’s every bit as good as I’m imagining!
I’m kicking off a fresh batch — Glacier Vanilla Mead. Creamy, rich vanilla paired with a crisp, icy chill for a truly refreshing twist. I’m experimenting with a few different ingredients to capture that perfect cooling effect, and I can’t wait to see how it turns out. Here’s hoping it’s every bit as good as I’m imagining!
❤14🤩1
I’ve been digging deeper into yeast nutrients lately, and one thing I’ve noticed is that the “1.25 g per gallon” Fermaid O rate printed on most packages is aimed at grape wine. Grapes naturally contain plenty of YAN (Yeast Assimilable Nitrogen), but honey has almost none—usually around 30 ppm. That means mead yeast needs significantly more nitrogen to stay healthy and ferment cleanly.
A proven, science-based method is TOSNA 3.0 (Tailored Organic Staggered Nutrient Addition). Instead of dumping it in all at once, the total Fermaid O is split into smaller feedings over the first few days of active fermentation.
For most meads, aim for about 4–6 g of Fermaid O per gallon total. Use the TOSNA 3.0 calculator to get the exact number for your batch size, yeast strain, and starting gravity. Split the total evenly into four feedings: https://www.meadmaderight.com/tosna-calculator
24 hours after fermentation starts – ¼ total
48 hours – ¼ total
72 hours – ¼ total
At the 1/3 sugar break – final ¼ total
Healthy mead fermentations generally need 150–200 ppm of YAN. TOSNA uses the yeast’s nitrogen requirement factor to calculate this:
Low = 0.75
Medium = 0.90
High = 1.25
Staggered feeding keeps the yeast strong, reduces stress, and helps prevent sluggish or stuck ferments. Be sure to aerate gently during the first few days, yeast need oxygen early on to reproduce and stay healthy.
Following this method means you won’t need Fermaid K or DAP for a normal, healthy fermentation.
A proven, science-based method is TOSNA 3.0 (Tailored Organic Staggered Nutrient Addition). Instead of dumping it in all at once, the total Fermaid O is split into smaller feedings over the first few days of active fermentation.
For most meads, aim for about 4–6 g of Fermaid O per gallon total. Use the TOSNA 3.0 calculator to get the exact number for your batch size, yeast strain, and starting gravity. Split the total evenly into four feedings: https://www.meadmaderight.com/tosna-calculator
24 hours after fermentation starts – ¼ total
48 hours – ¼ total
72 hours – ¼ total
At the 1/3 sugar break – final ¼ total
Healthy mead fermentations generally need 150–200 ppm of YAN. TOSNA uses the yeast’s nitrogen requirement factor to calculate this:
Low = 0.75
Medium = 0.90
High = 1.25
Staggered feeding keeps the yeast strong, reduces stress, and helps prevent sluggish or stuck ferments. Be sure to aerate gently during the first few days, yeast need oxygen early on to reproduce and stay healthy.
Following this method means you won’t need Fermaid K or DAP for a normal, healthy fermentation.
Mead Made Right
TOSNA CALCULATOR | Mead Made Right
❤4
Having a proper pH level can determine if your fermentation takes off or becomes sluggish. When your pH level drops below 3.0, it becomes too acidic, making it hard for yeast to consume sugars and release CO2. This can effectively kill off your yeast.
Following this guide will help you to produce the best product possible.
Starting pH (before pitching):
Around 3.7 – 4.6 is ideal.
(Honey has very little buffering, so it will drop fast once fermentation starts.)
Active fermentation:
Yeast thrive best between 3.2 – 3.6.
This range keeps the must acidic enough to discourage bacteria, but not so acidic that yeast get stressed.
Danger zone:
Below ~3.0 → yeast metabolism slows, risk of a stuck fermentation.
If it hits this level, buffer with potassium carbonate/bicarbonate.
Finished mead (post-fermentation):
Usually settles around 3.4 – 3.7, depending on honey, fruit, and acids.
Lower pH (3.2ish) = brighter/tarter taste.
Higher pH (3.6+) = softer/smoother taste.
Following this guide will help you to produce the best product possible.
Starting pH (before pitching):
Around 3.7 – 4.6 is ideal.
(Honey has very little buffering, so it will drop fast once fermentation starts.)
Active fermentation:
Yeast thrive best between 3.2 – 3.6.
This range keeps the must acidic enough to discourage bacteria, but not so acidic that yeast get stressed.
Danger zone:
Below ~3.0 → yeast metabolism slows, risk of a stuck fermentation.
If it hits this level, buffer with potassium carbonate/bicarbonate.
Finished mead (post-fermentation):
Usually settles around 3.4 – 3.7, depending on honey, fruit, and acids.
Lower pH (3.2ish) = brighter/tarter taste.
Higher pH (3.6+) = softer/smoother taste.
🙏5👍1💯1
Getting ready to bottle my newest batch called "A Very Berry Lemon". I used strawberry, blueberry, cherry, and lemon with orange blossom honey. It'll be interesting to see how it comes out.
🔥13❤1
From www.mazercup.org
"Mark your calendars. The Mazer Cup will be held again in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at Central Standard Distillery from 11/06/2025 to 11/09/2025. We are bringing back the mead mixer and educational component, focusing on sensory and judging before the competition. More details will be posted in 2025 as part of our website relaunch."
"Mark your calendars. The Mazer Cup will be held again in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at Central Standard Distillery from 11/06/2025 to 11/09/2025. We are bringing back the mead mixer and educational component, focusing on sensory and judging before the competition. More details will be posted in 2025 as part of our website relaunch."
I just finished bottling and now am working on labels.
Adding nutmeg to a mead is tricky, it can be overpowering and dominate the flavor profile. Luckily I think the orange and vanilla are also present and the ginger and cinnamon blend nicely.
I had made a double batch this year and mixed the two together. Hopefully those coming to Vetrnætr will enjoy!
Adding nutmeg to a mead is tricky, it can be overpowering and dominate the flavor profile. Luckily I think the orange and vanilla are also present and the ginger and cinnamon blend nicely.
I had made a double batch this year and mixed the two together. Hopefully those coming to Vetrnætr will enjoy!
❤11
Forwarded from MoonMaidenMusings
I finished bottling up the second and final batch of my Very Cherry Honey Mead. I make this with locally sourced honey and freshly picked local cherries 🍒
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