YIELD
1 gallonPREP
15 minCOOK
30 minREADY
1 minIngredients
Directions
In a large nonreactive pot, add the next four ingredients to the gallon of water.
Boil all together for 30 minutes, then strain into a crock that will hold it with a little room to spare.
When cooled, add the yeast, dissolved in some of the liquid.
Allow to ferment in a cool place - 55 degrees is ideal - until it ceases bubbling and the liquor clears, then bottle, cap tightly and store in a cool, dark cellar.
It should not be used for at least a month, and longer is better.
Mead unlike many other drinks, does not improve with really long aging, so it should be consumed within a year of the time it was made.
You are wrong on the issue with Aging. Mead does improve significantly with Age by getting rid of all the tastes that the yeast leave behind. Most meads of notability are aged for at least 10 years.
Marc is right, mead should be aged at least 6 months before drinking preferably over one year.
Marc and Sean are both right, mead does improve with age lol
Marc, Sean, and Damon are right, It will greatly benefit from aging. I made a 5 gal batch 4 years ago, and have tried 3 so far (let sit for a year, cracked 1st bottle, next year, another bottle), and it is aging WONDERFULLY....with significant changes ")