Need Birthday Present Suggestion

[NeilV]

My wife, probably due to being required to live with me, really likes mead. I was thinking of geting together some stuff to give her as a birthday present where she/we could make some.

I bought a "how to make mead" book. Any suggestions on a cost-effective source/list of items to purchase to make a first batch?

She also like fairly sweet meads with or without fruit added. Anybody have a suggested recipe(s) to start making such mead with (complete with suggested yeasts, which is a topic that confuses me)?

Many thanks,

Neil

[Mbeck]

I couldn't get away with such a gift for my wife.

How about a visit here?

http://www.afar.com/afar/mead-in-med...-moscow-russia

If that's a bit much how about calling a local small meadery and asking for a private tour and lesson? Make a weekend out of it hotel/bed and breakfast wander around and be tourist.

Edit
Oops, reading your post I missed affordable

[NeilV]

That's a gift she might approve of (and won't receive).

[BeeCurious]

How about a nice decanter ...

[Ben Brewcat]

Neil check out the Intro to Meadmaking stickied thread, it has some equipment thoughts and recommendations. Most of all find a good local homebrew shop! They can walk you through equipment choices and you can see what all the fuss is about. Online you can check Williamsbrewing.com, morebeer.com. or other vendors (I'm not positive of the URLs but those names'll get you there). Many have mead kits, though most could be improved upon with judicious consideration. Which book did you get? I can opine on most of the main book's recipes or offer you one. My standard "intro" mead is a Concord pyment that's pretty quick-maturing, garnet-red and has broad appeal.

[NeilV]

The book was The Compleat Meadmaker. Any recipe suggestions from that would be good. Also, I'd like to know what you like.

How much would the following items set me back:

A plastic fermenting bucket of 6 to 8 gallons, with an airtight-fitting lid and a hole for the airlock (a 6.5-gallon carboy may be used as well, unless you plan on using whole fruit)
A five-gallon glass carboy with a stopper and airlock
Racking cane and siphon tubing
Hydrometer and sample jar

My brother-in-law is a brewer (as a job), and he also is a homebrewer. I think I could borrow a bottler from him. Could I use an instant read thermometer? I already have one of those.

Thanks,

Neil

[Ben Brewcat]

I'd have to look, maybe $50 or $60? Definitely want the glass carboy. If I recall, there's a Mambo in your Mouth melomel or somesuch in there, that's a good starting point. Any of the brambleberries, IMO, make for good mead: they have flavor and acids and kid of lend themselves to meads. And yes the infared thermometer would work fine.

[NeilV]

Yep, there is a Mambo in Your Mouth recipe. My wife goes to a pick-your-own blackberry place that also has blueberries sometimes. I've also got some honey that granulated in a bucket before I got it bottled that I need to do something with. This could be fun.

[nursebee]

Yep, there is a Mambo in Your Mouth recipe. My wife goes to a pick-your-own blackberry place that also has blueberries sometimes. I've also got some honey that granulated in a bucket before I got it bottled that I need to do something with. This could be fun.

Neil,
Check your private messages.