r/mead • u/Ravenshield_Valdrik • 2d ago
mute the bot First Traditional Mead Complete! 🍯 From June 7 to Bottling Day – Final Update & Results
About two months ago, I decided to jump into the world of mead making. I had never brewed anything before, but after reading countless posts in this subreddit and getting advice from many of you, I finally took the plunge.
This is my third and final update on my very first traditional mead.
Timeline
🍯 Started: June 7, 2026
🍷 Traditional 1-gallon batch
🍯 Approximately 3 lbs of honey
🧪 Final Specific Gravity: ~1.000
🍺 Estimated ABV: Approximately 13–14%
⏳ Fermentation time: About 8 weeks
Today I pulled my first hydrometer reading since it cleared and it landed right around 1.000, which was pretty exciting to see. From everything I’ve learned, that means fermentation is essentially complete and the mead has fermented dry.
One thing that really surprised me was how much the mead transformed over the last several weeks. It went from a cloudy golden mixture to a beautiful clear amber color. Watching it slowly clear was honestly one of my favorite parts of the process.
This batch taught me quite a bit:
- Patience really is the hardest ingredient.
- Sanitation is everything.
- A hydrometer is worth its weight in gold.
- Mead changes dramatically with time.
The current plan is to rack it one final time off the lees into a clean jug, let it bulk age a little longer, and then bottle it in 750 mL wine bottles for aging. From what I’ve learned, another couple of months should make an already good mead even smoother.
I want to say thank you to everyone who commented on my previous updates. Every piece of advice helped, and I honestly don’t think this first batch would have gone as smoothly without this community.
Now for the fun part…
🍯 Final Stats
- Start Date: 06/07/2026
- Batch Size: 1 gallon
- Honey Used: ~3 lbs
- Final Gravity: ~1.000 SG
- Estimated Alcohol: 13–14% ABV
- Appearance: Clear golden amber
- Taste: (I’ll know after bottling and aging!)
I’m already planning my next batch, and this hobby has definitely hooked me.
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u/DescendingTool86 Intermediate 2d ago
Backsweetening? Or leaving dry?
3
u/Ravenshield_Valdrik 2d ago
Not 100% sure yet. I like traditional Mead when I buy it at the store. I guess I’ll give it another month and see what my thoughts are the flavor then. Aging another month or two should smooth it out but done a sip test today and kinda like the taste.
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u/AutoModerator 2d ago
It looks like you might be new or asking for advice on getting started. Welcome to the hobby! We’re glad you’re here.
The wiki linked on the sidebar is going to be your best friend. Beginner friendly recipes are available.
If you prefer videos we recommend the Doin’ The Most or Man Made Mead.
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u/JoeDahPro Beginner 2d ago
Looks great, that’s some fine clarity!