You can either store your mead in individual bottles like these swing-top bottles, or just keep it in the fermentation jug. It’s up to you whether you serve it warm or chilled (personally I like mine chilled). The Complete Guide to Making Mead: The Ingredients, Equipment, Processes, and Recipes for Crafting HoneyWine

Want to use some other kind of fruit? Simple! Just use a pound of your fruit of choice. If you use some kind of a citrus fruit then don't add the orange juice! Is there a certain type of glass that you should drink mead from? Well, the suggestion is often to enjoy cold mead from a clear, stemmed wine glass (one for white wine or port) and hot mead in a whisky glass. However, if you wanted to channel your inner Viking and drain your mead from a drinking horn, we won’t stop you! Make Mead Like a Viking: Traditional Techniques for Brewing Natural, Wild-Fermented, Honey-Based Wines andBeers When using fresh cherries, I HIGHLY recommend getting a cherry pitter, if you don't already have them. Even if this batch of wine is the only time you'll ever be pitting cherries, it's worth the investment - makes life so much easier. This one is the model we have, I love it!Many have expressed to me the idea that Vikings could not have made this mead. Well, they’re right, since it came about 200 years after they were no longer Vikings, but their reason is the secondary ingredient of cherries. They claim cherries were not in Scandinavia at that time. Well, this claim assumes that the term “Viking Blood” originated in Scandinavia. We have no proof either way, but, if we go off the premise that it didn’t, then… a cherry mead is quite possible and likely. However, cherries were grown in Denmark in that time. As a matter of fact, Denmark is known for making THE BEST CHERRY WINE in the world… and t his article hints at cherries being grown there in 1305. You’ll need to heat and slightly dilute the honey before you add it. Start by heating an amount of water that’s 1/5 to 1/3 the volume of your mead batch size in a pot big enough to hold that plus the full amount of honey. For example, the following recipe is for 1 gallon of mead, so you’ll need 26 to 43 fluid ounces of water. Once the water reaches 110 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, turn off the heat and begin pouring or scooping honey into that water. The exact volume of water and temperature aren’t important here as long you have enough hot water for the honey to dissolve rapidly. If your honey is clear and pourable, you can shoot for the lower end of the volume and temperature range. If it’s crystallized, aim for the top end. If needed, ladle hot water into your honey container to dissolve any honey clinging to the sides. If dissolving the honey is taking too long, add more hot water. However, be aware that the next step is to cool this mixture, so adding too much water or heat will require more cooling later. The alcohol by volume (ABV) of your cherry mead can vary depending on the fermentation conditions and the yeast strain used. To optimize the ABV and ensure a consistent alcohol content in your mead recipes, consider the following tips:

Yours may not look exactly like what I’ve pictured, but it should work the same – you insert it into the stopper and add water to a line marked somewhere on the plastic. Mead can also be enjoyed warm up, and it makes for a warming treat when the weather starts to get colder, particularly when we have varieties such as Christmas Mead for you to enjoy. The ideal temperature for serving hot mead is 50 – 55°C, but you should be careful not to overheat it. If mead reaches 60°C or above, it will start to foam and then rapidly lose flavour, leaving you with an unpleasant taste in your mouth! In the simplest of terms, mead is essentially a honey wine. It is honey and water that is fermented with yeast and can also be flavoured with a range of fruits, hops, or spices and comes in both still and sparkling form.As discussed you can enhance the flavor profile of your cherry mead, by experimenting with various components, such as yeast selection, honey, and cherries’ quality. For a richer taste, consider using a high-quality honey with a distinct flavor, such as orange blossom or wildflower, instead of generic store-bought honey. Additionally, carefully select the cherries you use, making sure they are fresh and flavorful. Both sweet and tart cherries can create unique flavor profiles in mead. Your mead doesn’t need to be crystal clear – if you have a bit of sediment left over, just shake it up before drinking. Here, we have looked at how to enjoy mead, from serving size suggestions to drinking temperature, and even the glassware you are best to enjoy it from! It can be made with different types of honey, depending on the flavor you want to achieve. You can also infuse your mead with fresh fruit, herbs, and spices (lavender-infused mead is pretty lovely) — so the possibilities are really up to you. All the Equipment You’ll Need If you’d like to bottle your mead for storage outside of the fridge, you can find out how to do that here.

For your first taste, you should slowly drink your first mouthful and try to isolate the flavours that come to mind. Roll the mead around your mouth to cover all parts of your tongue, and then swallow. This part is called the ‘body’. The flavours of the mead can and often will develop with every sip, and you will notice this most after swallowing and exhaling – known as the ‘tail’. The more sips you take, the more the flavours and sensations develop. Glassware Archaeological evidence puts mead as being one of the oldest alcoholic drinks in the world after traces of the honey-based drink were found in China over 9,000 years ago. This means mead has been enjoyed by some of history’s ancient civilisations, from the ancient Greeks to Norse marauders. Yes, you can use cherry juice in place of whole cherries in your recipe. You’ll need to adjust the recipe accordingly to account for the additional liquid and sugar content. Using cherry juice can be a convenient option if you don’t have access to fresh or frozen cherries, or if you prefer the ease of working with juice. Just keep in mind that the final flavor of your mead may be slightly different compared to using whole cherries.

A Sweet Drama: How Honey is Made

Another essential aspect of flavor profiling is the fermentation process. Make sure you follow the recipe instructions closely and monitor the fermentation’s temperature. A stable and controlled temperature will ensure your yeast remains healthy and produces the desired flavors. Remember, fermentation can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, so be patient and let the yeast do its work.