A bold, robust traditional mead built on dark buckwheat honey. Buckwheat honey is one of the most intensely flavored varietals — earthy, molasses-like, and deeply complex. This recipe targets 13% ABV with a semi-sweet finish that balances the honey's natural intensity. 5-gallon batch.
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Batch size
5 gallons
Target ABV
13%
Fermentation
5–8 weeks
Conditioning
6–12 months
Responsible use: These recipes produce alcoholic beverages. Ferment and consume responsibly. Verify all quantities, equipment, and safety procedures before beginning. Consult local regulations regarding home fermentation.
Dark, intensely flavored varietal. Raw preferred.
Optional. Add in secondary for 2–4 weeks.
Yeast
Lalvin Lalvin D47 — 1 packets
Enhances complexity; keep below 65°F to avoid fusel production.
| Timing | Nutrient | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 0 (pitch) | Fermaid-O | 2.5 g | |
| 24 hours | Fermaid-O | 2.5 g | |
| 48 hours | Fermaid-O | 2.5 g | |
| 1/3 sugar break | Fermaid-O | 2.5 g | |
| Day 0 (pitch) | Fermaid-K | 5 g |
Prepare no-rinse sanitizer. Sanitize all vessels and tools.
Warm 1 gallon of water to 100°F. Dissolve honey. Cool before adding to fermenter.
Add honey solution to fermenter. Top up with filtered water to 5.5 gallons.
Record original gravity. Target approximately 1.098.
Pitch D47. Add Day 0 nutrients. Ferment at 60–65°F — critical for D47.
D47 produces fusel alcohols above 65°F. Temperature control is essential.
Follow TOSNA schedule. Degas before each addition.
Check gravity every few days. Fermentation typically completes in 5–8 weeks.
Rack off lees. Add oak cubes if desired.
Condition for 6–12 months. Buckwheat mead benefits from extended aging.
Bottle or keg.
Ensure fermentation is fully complete before packaging. Extended aging is strongly recommended.
Honey and water scale linearly. Nutrient additions do NOT scale linearly — recalculate using TOSNA for any batch size change.
Enter your desired finished batch size to scale ingredient quantities. Press Enter or tap away to apply.
Target ABV
13%
Original gravity
1.098
Final gravity
1.006
Sweetness
semi sweet
Finished volume
5 gallons
Gross starting volume
5.5 gallons
Expected loss
0.5 gallons(9%)
| Ingredient | Quantity | Unit | Scaling notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buckwheat honey | 14 | lbs | |
| Filtered water | 4.5 | gallons | |
| Fermaid-O | 10 | g | ⚠ review |
| Fermaid-K | 5 | g | ⚠ review |
| Medium-toast American oak cubes(optional) | 1 | oz | ⚠ review |
⚠ Ingredients requiring review
Initial record. Phase 4C Batch 2.
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