Mead Maker 101: Making Your Own Georgia WIldflower Mead

Produced since ancient history you, or a loved one, can now join the ranks of the Meadmaker! Participants will receive the equipment, ingredients, and expert guidance on making over one gallon of traditional off-dry/semi-sweet mead (which can be spiced later on..this will also be discussed). Lead by our own meadmaker -- a nationally awarded meadmaker and two-time teacher of the year! You will first be introduced to the basic concepts, prepare your "must", take part in a demonstration on preparing a yeast slurry, pitch the yeast, and take home your mead to ferment out at home with explicit instructions on what to do (and not to do)! All the while you enjoy a flight of our mead....

Mead makers will receive: A primary fermenter (2-gallons), secondary fermenter (one-gallon glass carboy), airlock and bung, turkey baster for sampling, hydrometer, siphon, bottling wand, tubing, nutrient, fining agent, potassium sorbate (used prior to bottling), Camden tablets (optional prior to bottling), Approximately 3lbs of Georgia honey, six-500ml flip-top bottles (the same used by the meadery...you will have a bit left over during bottling for 'personal consumption'), instructions on what to do at home, access to BeeCraft if instructions are not clear or yeast misbehave, and a flight of mead from our meadery (and printed notes in case flight of mead clouds your memory)!!

All money collected beyond cost of equipment, materials, and facilities will --once again-- go to KARE (Kids Are Really Equal)

Note #1: In the event of bad weather we would move the date to Saturday the 26th or, if need be, Sunday the 27th.

Note #2: We will build the yeast slurry together and pitch yeast from it collectively.

Note #3 (not as important as #'s 1 and 2): Yeast are funny beasts...and a bit temperamental. There is no guarantee your mead will turn out perfect but should come close...the beauty of being a home meadmaker is that if off-flavors develop you merely use stronger spices to cover them up! This is probably why metheglyns were invented anyway.