The Mead Hall
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Sumarmál 2025
16.02.202523:47
At this year’s Sumarmál sumbl, we’ll be raising our horns with a drink few may have experienced—Blaand. This sacred mead, made by fermenting whey, has deep roots in our tradition. Ours has been aging for 1-2 years, enriched with cinnamon and edible gold, a tribute to both heritage and renewal.
For some, this may be an first time trying Blaand, but tradition is best honored through experience. As we drink, we do so with strength, wisdom, and the spirit of those who walked before us.
Hail the turning of the seasons!
For some, this may be an first time trying Blaand, but tradition is best honored through experience. As we drink, we do so with strength, wisdom, and the spirit of those who walked before us.
Hail the turning of the seasons!
03.12.202417:01
Understanding Headspace in Mead Making: A Key to Successful Fermentation
When crafting mead, managing headspace in your fermenter is crucial for both the active fermentation process and the final stages of brewing. Here’s a guide to help you optimize headspace and avoid common pitfalls.
Active Fermentation: Leave 1/4 Headspace
During active fermentation, your must (the unfermented honey-water mixture) will release CO₂ and create a foamy layer known as Krausen. This foam is a natural and healthy part of the process, signaling that your yeast is thriving and fermentation is underway. To prevent overflow, it’s recommended to leave about 1/4 of the carboy as headspace during this phase.
Overflow Prevention Tip
Aerating your must during the first few days of fermentation is essential to ensure a strong and active yeast colony. However, aeration can cause the Krausen to rise significantly. To avoid a sticky mess, I typically place my fermenter in a bathtub or sink while aerating. This precaution helps contain any overflow and keeps cleanup simple if things get too lively.
Post-Fermentation: Avoid Too Much Headspace
Once fermentation is complete, managing headspace becomes even more critical. Too much empty space in your carboy allows oxygen to contact your mead, which can lead to oxidation and spoilage. To protect your mead, make sure to fill your carboy up to 1-2 inches below the stopper after transferring or racking. This minimizes oxygen exposure and ensures a better-tasting final product.
By understanding how to manage headspace at each stage, you’ll set yourself up for a successful mead-making experience, free from preventable issues.
When crafting mead, managing headspace in your fermenter is crucial for both the active fermentation process and the final stages of brewing. Here’s a guide to help you optimize headspace and avoid common pitfalls.
Active Fermentation: Leave 1/4 Headspace
During active fermentation, your must (the unfermented honey-water mixture) will release CO₂ and create a foamy layer known as Krausen. This foam is a natural and healthy part of the process, signaling that your yeast is thriving and fermentation is underway. To prevent overflow, it’s recommended to leave about 1/4 of the carboy as headspace during this phase.
Overflow Prevention Tip
Aerating your must during the first few days of fermentation is essential to ensure a strong and active yeast colony. However, aeration can cause the Krausen to rise significantly. To avoid a sticky mess, I typically place my fermenter in a bathtub or sink while aerating. This precaution helps contain any overflow and keeps cleanup simple if things get too lively.
Post-Fermentation: Avoid Too Much Headspace
Once fermentation is complete, managing headspace becomes even more critical. Too much empty space in your carboy allows oxygen to contact your mead, which can lead to oxidation and spoilage. To protect your mead, make sure to fill your carboy up to 1-2 inches below the stopper after transferring or racking. This minimizes oxygen exposure and ensures a better-tasting final product.
By understanding how to manage headspace at each stage, you’ll set yourself up for a successful mead-making experience, free from preventable issues.
30.11.202403:28
Yuletide Blessings & Blaand Batch Update: Mastering Nutrient Feeding for Optimal Mead Fermentation
Proper nutrient feeding and creating an ideal environment for yeast growth are critical for a successful mead fermentation. For these two unique batches, Yuletide Blessings and Blaand, I experimented with a slightly modified version of staggered nutrient feeding (SNF). While I've previously discussed the benefits of TOSNA (Tailored Organic Staggered Nutrient Addition) in detail, this post focuses on the adjustments I made and how they impacted these fermentations.
Yuletide Blessings Batch
Start Date: November 21, 2024
Original Gravity (OG): 1.108
5 gallon batch
Nutrient Schedule:
Day of Pitching:
2g Fermaid O
1g Fermaid K
1g DAP
(Mistake Alert: Accidentally added 1g of potassium metabisulfite. To counteract, I introduced 3.5g of yeast energizer, aerated thoroughly, and waited 24 hours before pitching the yeast.)
11/23/24:
2.5g Fermaid O
2g Fermaid K
1g DAP
11/24/24:
2g Fermaid O
2g Fermaid K
0.5g DAP
I aerated the must to degas before each nutrient addition, ensuring the yeast had sufficient oxygen to thrive during the early stages of fermentation. This step is essential but should only be done during the first week of fermentation to avoid oxidizing your mead.
Current Status (11/29/24):
Gravity: 1.020
ABV: 11.55% and still fermenting.
Despite the potassium metabisulfite mistake, the yeast has thrived in this nutrient-rich environment. This error turned into a learning moment, proving that a well-managed fermentation can still yield excellent results. I’m confident this batch will produce a clean and flavorful mead.
________
Blaand Batch:
Start Date: November 23, 2024
Original Gravity (OG): 1.112
6 gallon batch
Nutrient Schedule:
11/23/24 (Pitching Day):
2g Fermaid O
11/25/24:
2.5g Fermaid O
2.5g Fermaid K
1.2g DAP
11/27/24:
2g Fermaid O
2.5g Fermaid K
1.2g DAP
The Blaand batch required additional preparation compared to traditional meads. It involved heating milk, curdling it with lemon juice, straining it several times, and then blending it with honey before taking my gravity readings. While more labor-intensive, the fermentation has been smooth so far.
Current Status (11/29/24):
Gravity: 1.018
ABV: 12.34%
The Blaand is progressing wonderfully. Although fermenting alcohol often has a distinct smell, there are no off-odors, and the fermentation appears healthy and vigorous.
Final Thoughts:
Both batches are showing strong, consistent progress, with no signs of stress or stuck fermentation. If fermentation completes next week, my next steps will include:
1. Stabilizing with potassium sorbate and potassium metabisulfite.
2. Backsweetening to taste.
3. Adding clearing agents for clarity.
4. Aging the meads until they are ready to bottle and enjoy next year.
This update highlights how proper nutrient feeding, careful aeration, and monitoring can lead to a thriving fermentation, even when mistakes occur. By adapting and maintaining a good environment for the yeast, you can ensure your mead reaches its full potential. Look out for more updates, and feel free to ask questions or share your own brewing experiences!
Proper nutrient feeding and creating an ideal environment for yeast growth are critical for a successful mead fermentation. For these two unique batches, Yuletide Blessings and Blaand, I experimented with a slightly modified version of staggered nutrient feeding (SNF). While I've previously discussed the benefits of TOSNA (Tailored Organic Staggered Nutrient Addition) in detail, this post focuses on the adjustments I made and how they impacted these fermentations.
Yuletide Blessings Batch
Start Date: November 21, 2024
Original Gravity (OG): 1.108
5 gallon batch
Nutrient Schedule:
Day of Pitching:
2g Fermaid O
1g Fermaid K
1g DAP
(Mistake Alert: Accidentally added 1g of potassium metabisulfite. To counteract, I introduced 3.5g of yeast energizer, aerated thoroughly, and waited 24 hours before pitching the yeast.)
11/23/24:
2.5g Fermaid O
2g Fermaid K
1g DAP
11/24/24:
2g Fermaid O
2g Fermaid K
0.5g DAP
I aerated the must to degas before each nutrient addition, ensuring the yeast had sufficient oxygen to thrive during the early stages of fermentation. This step is essential but should only be done during the first week of fermentation to avoid oxidizing your mead.
Current Status (11/29/24):
Gravity: 1.020
ABV: 11.55% and still fermenting.
Despite the potassium metabisulfite mistake, the yeast has thrived in this nutrient-rich environment. This error turned into a learning moment, proving that a well-managed fermentation can still yield excellent results. I’m confident this batch will produce a clean and flavorful mead.
________
Blaand Batch:
Start Date: November 23, 2024
Original Gravity (OG): 1.112
6 gallon batch
Nutrient Schedule:
11/23/24 (Pitching Day):
2g Fermaid O
11/25/24:
2.5g Fermaid O
2.5g Fermaid K
1.2g DAP
11/27/24:
2g Fermaid O
2.5g Fermaid K
1.2g DAP
The Blaand batch required additional preparation compared to traditional meads. It involved heating milk, curdling it with lemon juice, straining it several times, and then blending it with honey before taking my gravity readings. While more labor-intensive, the fermentation has been smooth so far.
Current Status (11/29/24):
Gravity: 1.018
ABV: 12.34%
The Blaand is progressing wonderfully. Although fermenting alcohol often has a distinct smell, there are no off-odors, and the fermentation appears healthy and vigorous.
Final Thoughts:
Both batches are showing strong, consistent progress, with no signs of stress or stuck fermentation. If fermentation completes next week, my next steps will include:
1. Stabilizing with potassium sorbate and potassium metabisulfite.
2. Backsweetening to taste.
3. Adding clearing agents for clarity.
4. Aging the meads until they are ready to bottle and enjoy next year.
This update highlights how proper nutrient feeding, careful aeration, and monitoring can lead to a thriving fermentation, even when mistakes occur. By adapting and maintaining a good environment for the yeast, you can ensure your mead reaches its full potential. Look out for more updates, and feel free to ask questions or share your own brewing experiences!
19.11.202417:05
🍂 Cranberry Orange Mead! 🍊
This stunning red mead blends the tartness of cranberries with the bright citrus zest of oranges, creating a flavor perfect for the season. Its rich aroma and vibrant hue make it as delightful to the senses as it is to the palate.
This newest batch has just begun its journey and will take a few months to be ready.
#BlackHillsMedu #CraftMead #CranberryOrangeMead #TraditionInEveryDrop
This stunning red mead blends the tartness of cranberries with the bright citrus zest of oranges, creating a flavor perfect for the season. Its rich aroma and vibrant hue make it as delightful to the senses as it is to the palate.
This newest batch has just begun its journey and will take a few months to be ready.
#BlackHillsMedu #CraftMead #CranberryOrangeMead #TraditionInEveryDrop
11.11.202415:54
Here you can bid on some of my mead! Let's raise some money for a friend in need!
31.10.202404:09
Excited to announce my newest batch: Spiced Cherry Mead! 🍒 🍊
Crafted with cherries, a hint of orange, and a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice, this mead is set to be a special holiday blend. Starting off with a gravity of 1.100 and using Lalvin EC-1118 yeast, I’m planning to let this age for nearly a year before bottling.
Just in time for next year’s Winter Nights (Vetræntr) celebration.
Cheers to tradition and craftsmanship! 🍻
#SpicedCherryMead #MeadMaking #BlackHillsMedu
Crafted with cherries, a hint of orange, and a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice, this mead is set to be a special holiday blend. Starting off with a gravity of 1.100 and using Lalvin EC-1118 yeast, I’m planning to let this age for nearly a year before bottling.
Just in time for next year’s Winter Nights (Vetræntr) celebration.
Cheers to tradition and craftsmanship! 🍻
#SpicedCherryMead #MeadMaking #BlackHillsMedu
30.01.202505:24
I get asked this quite often so I figured I'd help share the equipment I use now. You can always reach out on the comment section if you have questions.
I use 7 gallon fermonster carboys to ferment in, then once I am ready for conditioning (aging) I rack into a 5 gallon and let it sit for a period of time. If possible I do rec finding the ones with spigots to make racking much easier. You can find these on Amazon or companies like Northern Brew.
5 Gallon Plastic Carboy, Clear https://a.co/d/0nsoxQq
Fermonster Pet Plastic 7 gal Carboy https://a.co/d/bzoLaED
I use 7 gallon fermonster carboys to ferment in, then once I am ready for conditioning (aging) I rack into a 5 gallon and let it sit for a period of time. If possible I do rec finding the ones with spigots to make racking much easier. You can find these on Amazon or companies like Northern Brew.
5 Gallon Plastic Carboy, Clear https://a.co/d/0nsoxQq
Fermonster Pet Plastic 7 gal Carboy https://a.co/d/bzoLaED
01.12.202419:40
Coming Soon: Baked Peaches Mead! 🍑
Slow-roasted peaches, brown sugar, and vanilla come together in this smooth, small-batch mead.
It’s not ready yet, but keep an eye out—this delicious creation will be ready around June!
Tradition in Every Drop!
Slow-roasted peaches, brown sugar, and vanilla come together in this smooth, small-batch mead.
It’s not ready yet, but keep an eye out—this delicious creation will be ready around June!
Tradition in Every Drop!
27.11.202401:11
I'm looking at investing into a smaller bottling machine, does anyone here have any experience with these?
15.11.202402:52
I did end up making a very small batch of Blue raspberry mint. Only going to have about 4 maybe 5 bottles.
Переслав з:The Artisanal Auction
TA
11.11.202415:54
Bidding starts at $90
(USA Only / Shipping included in bid price for this particular item)
ITEM 2 - ROUND 1
4 exquisite bottles of mead from the Black Hill Medu.
2 750ml bottles of Black Cherry Vanilla and 2 750ml bottles of Blood Orange. These handcrafted meads are made with tradition in every drop, carefully brewed to bring out the rich & bold flavors. An absolutely delightful addition to Yuletide celebrations!
(Bidding ends Wednesday the 13th at 12pm EST)
RULES | CHAT
(USA Only / Shipping included in bid price for this particular item)
ITEM 2 - ROUND 1
4 exquisite bottles of mead from the Black Hill Medu.
2 750ml bottles of Black Cherry Vanilla and 2 750ml bottles of Blood Orange. These handcrafted meads are made with tradition in every drop, carefully brewed to bring out the rich & bold flavors. An absolutely delightful addition to Yuletide celebrations!
(Bidding ends Wednesday the 13th at 12pm EST)
RULES | CHAT
Не змогли отримати доступ
до медіаконтенту
до медіаконтенту
26.10.202403:40
Enjoying some Black Raspberry mead on Vetrnætr. Happy holidays to all!
25.01.202503:56
I've decided for our Sumarmál celebration I will be splitting that batch into two:
Apple Ginger and Blueberry
&
Wild Huckleberry
Sumarmál is going to be a great time!
Apple Ginger and Blueberry
&
Wild Huckleberry
Sumarmál is going to be a great time!
01.12.202403:50
Can you have too much sugar in your must?
When crafting mead, balancing the sugar content in your must is crucial to ensure a successful fermentation. Here are two important factors to consider:
1. Osmotic Stress on Yeast: If the sugar concentration in your must is too high, it can create osmotic pressure that overwhelms the yeast. This stress can either slow fermentation dramatically or prevent it from starting altogether.
2. Alcohol Tolerance of Yeast: Every yeast strain has a limit to how much alcohol it can produce before becoming inactive. If the sugar level is excessive, the yeast may reach its alcohol tolerance and stop fermenting, leaving behind a very sweet mead with unfermented sugars.
To avoid these issues, always measure your must’s specific gravity and choose a yeast strain suited to your recipe's sugar and alcohol goals. By starting with the right balance, you can set your fermentation up for success.
This is generally why you see people suggest #3 of honey per gallon, although it is not a rule, it's more of a guide for beginners. It's always a good idea to experiment with different levels to see what works best.
When crafting mead, balancing the sugar content in your must is crucial to ensure a successful fermentation. Here are two important factors to consider:
1. Osmotic Stress on Yeast: If the sugar concentration in your must is too high, it can create osmotic pressure that overwhelms the yeast. This stress can either slow fermentation dramatically or prevent it from starting altogether.
2. Alcohol Tolerance of Yeast: Every yeast strain has a limit to how much alcohol it can produce before becoming inactive. If the sugar level is excessive, the yeast may reach its alcohol tolerance and stop fermenting, leaving behind a very sweet mead with unfermented sugars.
To avoid these issues, always measure your must’s specific gravity and choose a yeast strain suited to your recipe's sugar and alcohol goals. By starting with the right balance, you can set your fermentation up for success.
This is generally why you see people suggest #3 of honey per gallon, although it is not a rule, it's more of a guide for beginners. It's always a good idea to experiment with different levels to see what works best.
Не змогли отримати доступ
до медіаконтенту
до медіаконтенту
24.11.202401:24
Next year's Blaand is under way!
13.11.202419:21
Bidding is done. Thank you to all who placed bids. It's great to see communities coming together to help someone in need.
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𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖈𝖍 𝕸𝖔𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗
11.11.202415:53
I have organized an art auction to benefit my dear friend J of Arcane Accents. Her husband unexpectedly and tragically passed away recently and our wonderful art community has come together and donated exquisite pieces to raise money for J and her young son.
The auction is now live. There will be five items in each round. Bidding lasts 2 days. There will be one off day in between rounds for me to finalize transactions. There are tons of exquisite donations so stick around for a spell! This is a unique and fantastic opportunity to snag handcrafted artisan goods made by our Folk for the holidays or for yourself - and for such a wonderful cause.
The gratitude in my heart for all the help and art donations I’ve received is tremendous. Thank y’all so much. This is what community is all about. :ᚷ:
The auction is now live. There will be five items in each round. Bidding lasts 2 days. There will be one off day in between rounds for me to finalize transactions. There are tons of exquisite donations so stick around for a spell! This is a unique and fantastic opportunity to snag handcrafted artisan goods made by our Folk for the holidays or for yourself - and for such a wonderful cause.
The gratitude in my heart for all the help and art donations I’ve received is tremendous. Thank y’all so much. This is what community is all about. :ᚷ:
15.10.202404:05
Next up from Black Hills Medu: a vibrant Blue Raspberry mead! 🍷 Crafted with a perfect balance of blueberries and raspberries, this mead brings out the best of both flavors in one refreshing brew. Keep an eye out for this purple beauty—coming soon! Whether you're a mead lover or new to the craft, this is one you won't want to miss.
#BlueRaspberryMead #BlackHillsMedu #TraditionInEveryDrop
#BlueRaspberryMead #BlackHillsMedu #TraditionInEveryDrop
05.12.202403:17
I couldn't believe how quickly this went again so I started another 5 gallon batch. I now will have roughly 10 gallons for next year. This means there are some available spots to be put on my waiting list.
30.11.202406:09
I came across this flow chart and thought it may be useful to those who are just starting on their journey and have concerns.
This flowchart is a practical tool for mead makers to identify and address concerns about potential mold during fermentation. It guides users through a simple step-by-step process to determine whether an unusual substance in their batch is mold or something harmless, like yeast rafts, sediment, or a pellicle. By examining key characteristics such as the location (floating on top or beneath the liquid), color, texture, and resemblance to recipe ingredients, the chart helps pinpoint the issue. It offers clear advice, emphasizing caution if mold-like traits—such as fuzziness or colors like red, green, black, or blue—are present. For benign occurrences like yeast rafts or pellicles, it provides reassurance while noting potential flavor impacts. This tool is a useful resource for diagnosing fermentation concerns and avoiding unnecessary worry or waste.
This flowchart is a practical tool for mead makers to identify and address concerns about potential mold during fermentation. It guides users through a simple step-by-step process to determine whether an unusual substance in their batch is mold or something harmless, like yeast rafts, sediment, or a pellicle. By examining key characteristics such as the location (floating on top or beneath the liquid), color, texture, and resemblance to recipe ingredients, the chart helps pinpoint the issue. It offers clear advice, emphasizing caution if mold-like traits—such as fuzziness or colors like red, green, black, or blue—are present. For benign occurrences like yeast rafts or pellicles, it provides reassurance while noting potential flavor impacts. This tool is a useful resource for diagnosing fermentation concerns and avoiding unnecessary worry or waste.
23.11.202420:12
Due to the popularity of my Yuletide Blessings mead I started next year's batch this week. This last batch was spoken for before even finishing so I am giving everyone the notice now. If you want to be on the waiting list message me.
11.11.202417:51
I was given great feedback and ways to improve my meads. My overall score was considered "very good" and almost in the excellent range (1 point away for one of my meads). Although my meads were both very young, less than 6 months from start to bottling, I think if I would have aged until next year I would have gotten better results.
First time for everything and I'm just glad I got some feedback to help me improve. Now I know what to do for next year! I'll be getting a batch going this weekend with the intent to send it in for next year's competition.
First time for everything and I'm just glad I got some feedback to help me improve. Now I know what to do for next year! I'll be getting a batch going this weekend with the intent to send it in for next year's competition.
09.11.202402:42
Tomorrow is the day for the Mazer Cups Home Brewing Contest.
I have sent my Orange Cream and my Black Raspberry in to see what kind of feedback I can get.
Best of luck to all who are competing!
I have sent my Orange Cream and my Black Raspberry in to see what kind of feedback I can get.
Best of luck to all who are competing!
13.10.202405:16
Another chapter from this book:
"If you have no hops, then take the young shoots of bog myrtle, which resemble those of juniper bushes. Heat these with the greatest care until a pure flavour remains, with a moderate bitterness. Everything requires its proper strength and so these shoots of myrtle need to be very thoroughly heated. If there are no dregs of beer, take some baker's yeast; when this is dissolved in hot water and poured on, it will have almost the same effect as the dregs. To make this hydromel, mead, or mulse 1 more pleasing in taste and effect, a little bag of ground ginger with a pebble fixed to it may be hung by a thread inside the jug in such a way that it floats, but always a little below the surface of the liquid. It will be found a wonderful aid, especially in the winter season, towards curbing the violence of the cold. But for the summer, you should keep to five parts of water and one of honey; or to make it less strong, six parts of water to one of honey. 2 Each of these proportions makes a good drink and will be marvellous for quenching thirst and maintaining health. But this brew hardly deserves credit among those fortunate peoples who have plenty of vines and wines, unless their vineyards are laid waste by hailstorms and they are obliged to turn entirely to this honey mixture or to brewing beer if they do not wish to run the risk of thirst, as often happens in Austria, Styria, Carinthia, and Germany, where tempests of that sort will drive the natives to make mead and beer. For both drinks are extremely wholesome, and if they are brewed with water taken in March, they grow all the better with age, as I shall explain below in dealing with their properties and usefulness."
"If you have no hops, then take the young shoots of bog myrtle, which resemble those of juniper bushes. Heat these with the greatest care until a pure flavour remains, with a moderate bitterness. Everything requires its proper strength and so these shoots of myrtle need to be very thoroughly heated. If there are no dregs of beer, take some baker's yeast; when this is dissolved in hot water and poured on, it will have almost the same effect as the dregs. To make this hydromel, mead, or mulse 1 more pleasing in taste and effect, a little bag of ground ginger with a pebble fixed to it may be hung by a thread inside the jug in such a way that it floats, but always a little below the surface of the liquid. It will be found a wonderful aid, especially in the winter season, towards curbing the violence of the cold. But for the summer, you should keep to five parts of water and one of honey; or to make it less strong, six parts of water to one of honey. 2 Each of these proportions makes a good drink and will be marvellous for quenching thirst and maintaining health. But this brew hardly deserves credit among those fortunate peoples who have plenty of vines and wines, unless their vineyards are laid waste by hailstorms and they are obliged to turn entirely to this honey mixture or to brewing beer if they do not wish to run the risk of thirst, as often happens in Austria, Styria, Carinthia, and Germany, where tempests of that sort will drive the natives to make mead and beer. For both drinks are extremely wholesome, and if they are brewed with water taken in March, they grow all the better with age, as I shall explain below in dealing with their properties and usefulness."
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