Mead Making for Beginners: The Complete Guide to Crafting Your Mead at Home, from Basic Brewing to Advanced, with Essential Tips and Techniques. | BONUS: Beginner-Friendly Recipes

The text is a bit overly flowery/poetic, but it adds a certain charm and makes for a less boring, less technical read. I tried making grape wine last year and wound up pulling information from a lot of different places, trying to figure things out. Needless to say, it was a lot of work, with mediocre results. We started beekeeping a couple of years ago, and I've wanted to try making mead for even longer. This book really helped break down all the components I needed, the steps to follow, and the explanations for why you do and need all of these things. I haven't tried any of the recipes yet (I'm planning on doing that in the next couple of weeks), but I certainly feel much more knowledgeable and prepared to start than I did with the grape wine.

Easy to read and understand, Mr. York makes the daunting task of making mead one that is approachable and fun. This book covers will take you from unknowledgeable novice through intrepid beginner to comfortable experimenter. I have read this book many times and the knowledge provided within has given me the confidence and understanding to go from buying my first kit to developing my own recipes. A must-read for those looking to make mead.

I have enjoyed the information in book. Currently trying the recipes in the book. Will update as information is applied.

Our family loves all things ren fair and historical. We got this book because we were interested in making mead. This book opens with some.helpful.info.on what mead is, how it's made, what equipment you will need, etc. Then we get into all the factors you need to consider like storage, restrictions in Your area, and bottling/preserving the mead. Then we get into the recipes. They start out at a beginner level but do move to more advanced, trickier recipes. Everything is explained in an easy to read, straightforward way that beginners can relate to. There are QR codes along the way with more info or graphics that you may find helpful. Overall, this is a thorough book for beginners.

This is a very nice addition to my home library. My son and I have been brewing beer for some time. bit confused We decided to try to make Mead. With no other experience and plenty of cookware we both y l to use this book as a guide to make quality Mead. The first time users may be a little bit confused by the beginning. They have great information and ideas about how to make your first batch as great as possible. The recipes are fairly that straightforward and easy to follow. The book explains nicely the basics of the process. I will admit our first batch was horrible. We referred back to the book and the process we needed to follow. Our beer making experience made us very . over excited and we had missed a complete line the in the process (my fault). The book was very informative and well written which made us feel like we could create something great. Follow the instructions and the process laid out by the book and you should be able to create something very special. I give this book four stars because the first part of book was written for a more experienced audience.

Good book, nice quality cover & pages.

Good info

I love this book has got me started and now I am hooked.

This guide covers every aspect of the mead-making process, from selecting the right ingredients and equipment to mastering fermentation techniques. The author excels in making complex processes accessible, guiding through primary and secondary fermentation, nutrient addition, aeration, degassing, and more. Advanced techniques like stabilization, back-sweetening, aging, and carbonation are also thoroughly explained, providing valuable insights for seasoned brewers looking to refine their skills. A good reference book.

book covers all aspects of getting started in making mead . offers some basic recipes as well as tips for crafting your own . explains the yeast varieties and what situations they are best for . although an overseas edition eg available . ingredients , equipment etc still useful here in Australia .

I love the books of Michael York because they are so much better than the others. This books is perfect for beginners to explore the art of mead making, and I have to say it is good even for more seasoned mead makers. It gives a basic of the theory, practical tips and step by step guides on how to produce your own mead. The best book on the subject I have read so far, and I have been reading quite a few of them!

The author, Michael York, got me right off the bat with the following question: “Have you ever marveled at the rich, historical range of ancient beverages and wondered if you could, perhaps, enjoy being part of that tradition of tasty drinks?” Because this is exactly why I picked this book. I mean it’s mead... it’s what the Vikings quaffed for goodness sake – who wouldn’t want to. I’ve always admired those special individuals and communities of craft experts who enjoy history to such an extent that they try to brew beer the way Egyptians did it or make chainmail by hand or cook the way it was done in the time of antiquity. Maybe this will be my small moment to share the rich heritage of our past by making mead. So, my thanks to Michael York for this easy to comprehend, yet thorough introduction to the art of mead-making. Mead, often revered as the ancestor of all fermented drinks, only requires water, honey, and yeast (and a few containers, brewing gizmos and York’s special know-ho). Explained simply, yet beautifully, Michael York walks you through the process of brewing mead “from sweet and floral, echoing the gentle whisper of clover or lavender, to rich and bold, reminiscent of darker, woodsy tones.” Here’s an interesting fact - properly stored an opened bottle of sweet mead can be enjoyed for a long time, sometimes years. It stays fresh longer than wine once opened, thanks to the higher sugar content from the honey, which acts like a natural preservative. But more than all the practical components, and ‘how to steps’ of which there are many, York walks you along a journey through time and culture. Drinks made with honey predates recorded history with references in ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman cultures. Many kinds of mead have been made by busy hands experimenting with honey and all kinds of fruits like clover, orange blossom honey, Rhodomel and rose hips, black currents, rhaspberry blossoms, Tupelo trees. Some recipes date back to 5th century B.C like Oxymel and Hippocras made with a filtering method devised by Hippocrates, or Bhochet, a medieval style French mead where caramelization and aging on oak add to the depth of the flavor profile. It can’t be said better than in the words of Michael York himself: “You’ll be tasting a beverage with an extraordinary history and a culinary footprint that spans the globe. It's a drink that's been part of human celebrations, sorrows, and stories for literally ages. So, the next time you raise a glass of this honey-infused delight, remember you're not just sipping on a drink—but savoring a piece of human history.”

I would highly recommend this book to anyone starting out on their own mead adventure. TLDR: A fantastic book for beginners, or those who have self taught the basics looking for a professional literature to refer to. All basic information is covered for mead creation, all equipment, honey, yeasts, directions and expectations for the final product. I am a new time home brewer, found this book highly useful in understanding the scope of knowledge to get out there and start brewing some liquid gold. Full: I would highly recommend this book for anyone serious about making a home brew mead, or starting a mead adventure as a hobby, even as a complete beginner. You have all the information you need to get you going. The best parts of the book is that once I finished reading it, I felt that the author had given me the full 'scope' of the subject, without going into laborious detail. I had many questions when reading, but over the course of the 220 pages or so, most of those were answered. The writing style is clear and understandable. Although I am British, the conversion from American gallons to British gallons is something I can figure out on my own, perhaps an annoyance, but I can't blame the author for that. Some conversion tables (ie to Litres, C/F, etc) can be found in the book, so can be understood. The flow of the book may have seemed a little un-usual, however all the important information is covered, with more knowledge than I expected to gain. The writer feels warm and connected to the passion of mead-craft. He clearly wants the best for the readers experience, and makes sure to add enough detail to get you going. I cant say I have tried the recipes yet, however about 15 can be find in the book. Different yeast strains, their properties, uses in mead styles, as well as different honeys guide etc is included. The writer also compares different forms of equipment which can be used, methods for fermenting, as well as details on SNA, TOSNA. I wont pretend to understand it all just yet. But I felt confident after reading this, that I would have the minimum knowledge to go out and make something great. 5 stars. I hope to read another great edition in the future. Perhaps the author will make one on their greatest creations, or an intermediate guide to mead-craft. Thank to the author, I expect you may read this. I really want to thank you for this book. It was a great read and will help me in my own mead ambitions going forward.