Base Mead

Base Mead

This is a compact base mead recipe and workflow with maceration/enzyme, primary fermentation, thrub, and secondary clearing stages.

Ingredients (batch-size flexible)

Batch size: 12 L to secondary, 20+ L in primary.

• Fruit: 5–8 kg
• Water: 7-10 L (or 14 L juice if using pressed juice)
• Honey: 6 x 450 g (approx. 2.7 kg)
• Zymex Intense (Cellulase): 10 g
• Zymex (hemi-Cellulase): 10 g
• Fermaid-O: 20 g (or 40 g of fresh boiled bakers yeast)
• Black tea: 500 mL
• Potassium Carbonate: 1/2 tsp
• Bentonite: 20 g (soaked)
• Erythriol: 150 g
• Zymex Aroma (B-glucoacidase): 1 g
• Dried Malolactic bacteria: 1 tsp (starter prep described below)
• Dried Kveik yeast: 1 tsp packet (starter prep described below)

Stage 0 (optional, fresh fruit only): fruit-sterilization

1. Add all fruit and/or juice to the primary fermentation vessel.
2. Add Campden (potassium metabisulfite) at the supplier-recommended rate to sterilize the must; stir gently.
3. Wait 24 hours to allow sulfites to dissipate before proceeding to Step 1.

Step 1 (24 hours after Stage 0 if used): Maceration / Enzyme stage

1. If you used Stage 0, proceed 24 hours after Campden addition; otherwise combine fruit with water or use pressed juice (see Ingredients for amounts).
2. Add Zymex Intense (Cellulase) and Zymex (hemi-Cellulase); mix well and let macerate.
3. Add Fermaid-O and black tea (see Ingredients for amounts and recommended split additions).
4. Prepare malolactic starter: hydrate dried malolactic bacteria in a small amount of warm apple juice plus water and acclimate per supplier instructions.
5. Let maceration run ~24 hours before proceeding to primary fermentation.

Step 2 (after 24 hours): Fermentation stage

1. Prepare kveik starter: rehydrate dried kveik yeast in warm apple juice plus water and allow to build for recommended time (see Ingredients for packet size).
2. Pitch kveik starter into the must.
3. Add potassium carbonate and Fermaid-O as needed for nutrient balance (see Ingredients for amounts).
4. Pitch the dried malolactic bacteria starter when appropriate for your strain and environmental conditions.
5. Ferment per yeast recommendations; monitor gravity and temperature.

Step 3 (after ~2 weeks): Thrub stage

• Optional: remove fruit (if using brewbags).
• Add bentonite that has been pre-soaked in water; mix to suspend briefly and allow settling.

Step 4 (after ~4 weeks): Secondary / Clearing stage

1. Rack to a clean secondary for clearing.
2. Add erythriol and Zymex Aroma (B-glucoacidase) to aid in clearing and mouthfeel modification as needed (see Ingredients for amounts).
3. Age until clear; cold-stabilize and prepare for bottling or further maturation.

---

Notes:

• Quantities can be scaled to your desired batch size; keep nutrient additions proportional.
• Adjust acid and tannin management to the fruit variety used.