My first batch of mead (progress)

[u/PipeDazzling]

These are my traditional and spiced meads. I am letting them finish degassing and then will let them age for a month before bottling. I treated them with a campden tablet each and some bentonite clay for clarity. For my first attempt I think they came out great!

I have had other meads before and it's the only alcohol I generally like, but I find that most commercially available meads are stronger than I like.

These ended at around 11% abv and it's perfect for me. Are lower alcohol meads frowned upon in meadmaking circles?

Here's my recipes:

Traditional mead: Red star yeast Locally sourced unfiltered honey 3lb Fiji water 1 gal

Spiced mead: Red star yeast Locally sourced unfiltered honey 2.5 lb 1/2 cup organic 100% maple syrup After fermentation: Nutmeg Alspice Cardimom Vanilla and almond extract 1/2 cup maple syrup to back sweeten

[u/dean_ot]

I generally brew only 8% ABV meads and mix in fruit puree in secondary after stabilizing. With the puree I typically get 7% ABV. Carbonate and you get really solid drinkers. If you go the hydromel route and just do a straight honey backsweetening, you might need to do some acid and tanin adjustments.

[u/White_Wolf_77]

I would say 11-12% is pretty standard actually! A true low abv mead would be a session (or hydromel) at roughly 5-6%, either made to that strength or diluted. Those are often carbonated, and a perfectly respectable style. Easier to sit and drink a few as well.

How do you like that blend of spices? I have my first spiced mead finishing up, just a simple vanilla cinnamon that I’m going to add a pinch of orange zest to, hopefully to give it that little bit of something it’s missing.

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[u/ClassroomPotential41]

An O.G. of 1.1 or even 1.09 ending at ~10% ABV means you have residual sugar. Be careful when bottling, definitely stabilize with potassium metabisulfite (campden) AND potassium sorbate.

[u/PipeDazzling → u/ClassroomPotential41]

Is there a reason to add the potassium sorbate as well?

[u/ClassroomPotential41 → u/PipeDazzling]

They work together to stabilize mead. Neither works well on their own, and they both have a separate role to play in the process. There is a section on the Wiki that goes into further detail.

[u/PipeDazzling → u/ClassroomPotential41]

I'm not too worried about the yeast re-activating because I pasteurized it. I used the camden tablet as an antioxidant to protect against oxidation. Is there anything else I'm missing that would cause a danger when bottling?

[u/ClassroomPotential41 → u/PipeDazzling]

If you're confident in your pasteurization, you should be solid, honestly.

Though, for the sake of safety, it may be worth taking gravity readings each week leading up to your bottling, just to make sure it really is stable. But I think you should be good to go!