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Traditional MeadIntermediateDevelopment

Linden (Basswood) Mead

A refined traditional mead built on linden (basswood) honey — a European and North American varietal with a distinctive minty, slightly woody character. Linden honey produces a mead with excellent complexity and a long, clean finish. Targets 12.5% ABV with a semi-dry finish. 5-gallon batch.

By Modern MazerPublished Version 1.0.0

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Batch size

5 gallons

Target ABV

12.5%

Fermentation

5–7 weeks

Conditioning

4–8 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.

Ingredients

  • 13.5 lbsLinden (basswood) honey

    Distinctive minty, woody varietal.

  • 4.5 gallonsFiltered water
  • 10 gFermaid-O
  • 5 gFermaid-K

Yeast

Lalvin Lalvin D47 — 1 packets

Enhances complexity; keep below 65°F.

Nutrient schedule

TimingNutrientQtyNotes
Day 0 (pitch)Fermaid-O2.5 g
24 hoursFermaid-O2.5 g
48 hoursFermaid-O2.5 g
1/3 sugar breakFermaid-O2.5 g
Day 0 (pitch)Fermaid-K5 g

Process

  1. Sanitize all equipment

    Prepare no-rinse sanitizer. Sanitize all vessels and tools.

  2. Dissolve honey

    Warm 1 gallon of water to 100°F. Dissolve honey. Cool before adding.

  3. Build must

    Add honey solution to fermenter. Top up with filtered water to 5.5 gallons.

  4. Take OG reading

    Record original gravity. Target approximately 1.094.

  5. Pitch yeast and nutrients

    Pitch D47. Add Day 0 nutrients. Ferment at 60–65°F.

    D47 must be kept below 65°F.

  6. Staggered nutrient additions

    Follow TOSNA schedule. Degas before each addition.

  7. Monitor fermentation

    Check gravity every few days. Fermentation typically completes in 5–7 weeks.

  8. Rack to secondary

    Rack off lees.

  9. Condition and clarify

    Condition for 4–8 months.

  10. Package

    Bottle or keg.

Packaging

Ensure fermentation is fully complete before packaging.

Safety notes

  • Never bottle a mead that has not fully finished fermenting.
  • D47 yeast must be kept below 65°F during fermentation.
  • Sanitize all equipment that contacts the must or finished mead.

Scaling notes

Honey and water scale linearly. Nutrient additions do NOT scale linearly — recalculate using TOSNA for any batch size change.

Batch Scaling Calculator

Enter your desired finished batch size to scale ingredient quantities. Press Enter or tap away to apply.

Target ABV

12.5%

Original gravity

1.094

Final gravity

1.003

Sweetness

semi sweet

Finished volume

5 gallons

Gross starting volume

5.5 gallons

Expected loss

0.5 gallons(9%)

Ingredient quantities at original batch size
IngredientQuantityUnitScaling notes
Linden (basswood) honey13.5lbs
Filtered water4.5gallons
Fermaid-O10g⚠ review
Fermaid-K5g⚠ review

⚠ Ingredients requiring review

  • Fermaid-O: Ingredient "Fermaid-O" (id: fermaid-o) requires manual review before scaling. The original quantity is shown — do not use without recalculating.
  • Fermaid-K: Ingredient "Fermaid-K" (id: fermaid-k) requires manual review before scaling. The original quantity is shown — do not use without recalculating.
Scaled quantities are mathematical estimates. Fermentation performance, yeast requirements, nutrient schedules, vessel headspace, temperature control, and legal requirements must be reviewed for the target batch size.

References & sources

Version history

  • v1.0.0— Modern Mazer

    Initial record. Phase 4C Batch 2.