A fragrant, floral traditional mead built on lavender honey with a small addition of dried culinary lavender in secondary. The honey provides a delicate floral base; the lavender addition adds depth without overpowering. Targets 12% ABV with a semi-sweet finish. 5-gallon batch.
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Batch size
5 gallons
Target ABV
12%
Fermentation
4–6 weeks
Conditioning
3–6 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.
Single-varietal lavender honey preferred. Wildflower honey is an acceptable substitute.
Add in secondary in a sanitized muslin bag. Taste daily — lavender extracts quickly.
Yeast
Lalvin Lalvin 71B — 1 packets
Preserves floral esters.
| 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.
Add honey solution to fermenter. Top up with filtered water to 5.5 gallons.
Record original gravity. Target approximately 1.090.
Pitch Lalvin 71B. Add Day 0 nutrients. Ferment at 65–70°F.
Follow TOSNA schedule. Degas before each addition.
Check gravity every few days. Fermentation typically completes in 4–6 weeks.
Rack off lees. Add dried lavender in a sanitized muslin bag. Taste daily.
Lavender extracts very quickly. Remove after 1–3 days or when desired intensity is reached.
Remove lavender bag. Condition for 3–6 months.
Bottle or keg.
Ensure fermentation is fully complete before packaging.
Honey and water scale linearly. Lavender addition does NOT scale linearly — adjust to taste. Nutrient additions do NOT scale linearly.
Enter your desired finished batch size to scale ingredient quantities. Press Enter or tap away to apply.
Target ABV
12%
Original gravity
1.090
Final gravity
1.004
Sweetness
semi sweet
Finished volume
5 gallons
Gross starting volume
5.5 gallons
Expected loss
0.5 gallons(9%)
| Ingredient | Quantity | Unit | Scaling notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lavender honey | 13 | lbs | |
| Filtered water | 4.5 | gallons | |
| Dried culinary lavender | 1 | oz | ⚠ review |
| Fermaid-O | 10 | g | ⚠ review |
| Fermaid-K | 5 | g | ⚠ review |
⚠ Ingredients requiring review
Initial record. Phase 4C Batch 2.
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