Traditional Mead Steps for Success

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2021 issue of Zymurgy Magazine

By Annie Zipser, Amy Olsen,Andrew Luberto, Kevin Meintsma,Carvin Wilson, and Matt Weide

By the American Mead Makers Association Governing Committee (Annie Zipser, Amy Olsen, Andrew Luberto, Kevin Meintsma, Carvin Wilson, and Matt Weide)

Homebrewers are spoiled for choice when it comes to advice for making beer, but meadmaking can sometimes seem overwhelming to the uninitiated. Honey isn’t cheap, so when you set out to make a batch of mead, you want as much solid information as you can get.

Not to fear! Several members of the American Mead Makers Association’s (AMMA) home governing committee are here to share their tips for making your best traditional mead. Keep reading for the steps for success!

Annie Zipser

While I generally make a traditional with any new honey that I get, two varieties have been my favorites. These honeys are Trader Joe’s 100% Desert Mesquite Honey and Gibbons Honey Farm’s Nebraska Sweet Clover. I make sweet, dessert-style meads…