A bright, citrus-forward mead built on wildflower honey and fresh lemon juice. Lemon juice contributes sharp acidity and a clean citrus character. A cytomel is a mead made with citrus juice. Targets 12% ABV with a semi-dry finish. 5-gallon batch.
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Batch size
5 gallons
Target ABV
12%
Fermentation
3–5 weeks primary + 3–5 days citrus contact
Conditioning
2–4 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.
Freshly squeezed. Add in secondary to preserve citrus aroma.
Zest of 4 lemons. Add in secondary in a muslin bag.
Yeast
Lalvin Lalvin 71B — 1 packets
Handles citrus acidity well.
| 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.
Dissolve honey in 1 gallon of warm water. Cool. Add to fermenter with remaining water to 5.5 gallons.
Record original gravity. Target approximately 1.090.
Pitch Lalvin 71B. Add Day 0 nutrients. Ferment at 65–72°F.
Follow TOSNA schedule. Degas before each addition.
Check gravity every few days. Primary typically completes in 3–5 weeks.
Rack onto lemon juice and zest (in muslin bag). Allow 3–5 days of contact. Taste regularly.
Remove zest bag. Condition for 2–4 months.
Carbonate to approximately 2.5 volumes CO2. Package into pressure-rated bottles.
Ensure fermentation is fully complete before carbonating. Use vessels rated for carbonation pressure.
Honey and water scale linearly. Lemon juice and zest additions do 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
1.003
Sweetness
semi sweet
Finished volume
5 gallons
Gross starting volume
5.5 gallons
Expected loss
0.5 gallons(9%)
| Ingredient | Quantity | Unit | Scaling notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildflower honey | 12 | lbs | |
| Filtered water | 4 | gallons | |
| Fresh lemon juice | 2 | cups | ⚠ review |
| Lemon zest | 4 | each | ⚠ review |
| Fermaid-O | 10 | g | ⚠ review |
| Fermaid-K | 5 | g | ⚠ review |
⚠ Ingredients requiring review
Initial record. Phase 4C Batch 4.
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