Title: Woodruff, Elder, Heather-Wormwood, Lavender, Chai
Fandom: The Hobbit, The Society for Creative Anachronism
Rating: G
Length: Going on 10 years now
Content notes: Fermented beverage. Know your local brewing regulations. Drink responsibly.
Author notes: Thanks go to Ivan, Justin, Ian'ka and to Tolkien. And lots of other people. I am pretty sure I was introduced to the concept of mead by Tolkien.
Summary: 5 mead recipes

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Woodruff (5 Gal)
15lbs Mesquite Honey
4 Gallons water
1/4 Cup (~ 1 oz) Dried Woodruff

Bring water and honey to boil, add herbs, let boil for two minutes, take off fire and put in fermentation bucket with fermentation lock. Let cool overnight, add 1 packet yeast (Lalvin 71B-1122). Put vodka (or water) in lock to halfway line.

Let ferment for 3 - 6 months. Rack into glass carboy with lock, filtering out remains of the woodruff. Age for a couple of years. Bottle.

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Elder (5 Gal)
15lbs Wildflower Honey
Water to make 5 gallons
8oz Dried Elderberries
3oz Dried Elderflowers

Dissolve honey in water, bring to just under a boil. Pour over elderberries and flowers in fermentation bucket, stir to mix and wet. Let sit covered overnight to cool. Add 1 packet yeast (Lalvin 71B-1122 or Lalvin K1-VIII6). Seal with fermentation lock.

Let ferment 3 - 6 months, rack, filtering out elder-bits. Age a couple of years. Bottle.

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Heather-Wormwood (1 Gal)
3lbs Mesquite Honey
Water to make up a gallon
1/4oz Wormwood
10oz Heather tips
Lalvin 71B-1122 yeast

Dissolve honey in water, bring just to boil, pour over herbs in fermentation bucket. Add yeast when cool. Seal with fermentation lock. Ferment 3 - 6 months, rack, filtering out herbs. Bottle after a couple years.

This is more of a cordial/sipping thing

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Lavender (3 Gal)
9lbs Mesquite Honey
Water to make 3 gallons
Lalvin 71B-1122 yeast
2oz Lavender flowers steeped in enough boiling water to cover & sanitize

Primary fermentation is just honey, water and yeast. Add lavender at racking. Filter out when bottling.

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Chai (5 Gal)
15 lbs Mesquite Honey
Water to make 5 gallons
Chai mix:
1/2oz fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
3 black cardamom pods
2 whole cloves
1 whole cinnamon stick
1/2tsp coriander seed
1/3tsp fresh ground nutmeg
6 black peppercorns
2 allspice berries
Lalvin 71B-1122 yeast

Steep spices in water for 25mins before dissolving in honey. Do not leave spices in primary fermentation.

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Currently in primary fermentation, ready for racking, a second 5 gallons of Elder, 5 gallons of Earl Grey, 3 gallons Mint, 1 gallon Juniper.

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