A distinctive, medicinal-forward traditional mead built on New Zealand Mānuka honey. Mānuka honey has a strong, herbal, slightly bitter character with well-documented antimicrobial properties. This recipe targets 13% ABV with a dry finish that lets the honey's unique terroir express fully. 5-gallon batch.
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Batch size
5 gallons
Target ABV
13%
Fermentation
6–10 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.
Premium New Zealand mānuka. UMF rating indicates potency.
Yeast
Lalvin Lalvin EC-1118 — 1 packets
Robust strain; handles the antimicrobial properties of mānuka honey.
| 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 gently. Cool before adding.
Avoid overheating mānuka honey — high heat degrades its unique compounds.
Add honey solution to fermenter. Top up with filtered water to 5.5 gallons.
Record original gravity. Target approximately 1.098.
Pitch EC-1118. Add Day 0 nutrients. Ferment at 65–72°F.
Mānuka honey's antimicrobial properties may slow fermentation onset. Be patient.
Follow TOSNA schedule. Degas before each addition.
Check gravity every few days. Fermentation may take longer than typical — 6–10 weeks.
Rack off lees. Minimize oxygen exposure.
Condition for 6–12 months. Extended aging softens the medicinal character.
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
1.002
Sweetness
dry
Finished volume
5 gallons
Gross starting volume
5.5 gallons
Expected loss
0.5 gallons(9%)
| Ingredient | Quantity | Unit | Scaling notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mānuka honey (UMF 10+ or higher) | 14 | lbs | |
| Filtered water | 4.5 | gallons | |
| Fermaid-O | 10 | g | ⚠ review |
| Fermaid-K | 5 | g | ⚠ review |
⚠ Ingredients requiring review
Initial record. Phase 4C Batch 2.
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