Mead
Raisins, orange and wine or ale yeast come together in this vegetarian — 65 minutes, 7 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for large pot and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (4)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian — no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: none of the major allergens we track from the ingredients listed.
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Sanitise a large pot, a fermentation jug or jar with an airlock, and all utensils thoroughly, as cleanliness is what keeps a homemade mead from spoiling.
- Warm the water in the pot until hot but not boiling, stir in the honey until fully dissolved, then remove from the heat and let this 'must' cool to around 20 C (room temperature).
- Add the raisins, the juice and a few strips of zest from the lemon and orange, and the black tea bag, which together supply tannin and nutrients that help the yeast work.
- Once the must is at room temperature, sprinkle over the yeast and stir gently, then pour everything into the sanitised fermentation vessel, leaving some headspace, and fit the airlock.
- Keep the jug somewhere dark at a steady 18 to 22 C; within a day or two the airlock should bubble as fermentation begins, and let it work undisturbed for about 2 weeks until bubbling slows right down.
- Siphon the clear mead off the sediment into a clean sanitised bottle, leaving the murky lees behind, then seal and refrigerate.
- Chill thoroughly and serve in small glasses; the flavour improves if you can let the bottled mead age for a few more weeks before drinking.
You'll use: Large pot · Saucepan
Ingredient substitutions
- Honey
- maple syrup · agave
- Lemon
- lime · 1 tbsp white wine vinegar per lemon
Tips & common questions
How long does Mead take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 7 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of honey?
Try maple syrup. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Mead vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Mead is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Swedish Mead.JPG by Grapetonix, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.