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Complex Metheglin

An advanced metheglin built on wildflower honey with a complex botanical blend: elderflower, rose hip, lemon balm, and meadowsweet. Inspired by traditional Welsh and English metheglin recipes. Targets 13% ABV with a semi-sweet finish. 5-gallon batch.

By Modern MazerPublished Version 1.0.0

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Batch size

5 gallons

Target ABV

13%

Fermentation

4–6 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 lbsWildflower honey
  • 4.5 gallonsFiltered water
  • 0.5 ozDried elderflowers

    Add in secondary in a muslin bag. Taste daily.

  • 1 ozDried rose hips

    Add in secondary in a muslin bag.

  • 0.5 ozDried lemon balm

    Add in secondary in a muslin bag.

  • 0.5 ozDried meadowsweet flowers(optional)

    Add in secondary in a muslin bag.

  • 10 gFermaid-O
  • 5 gFermaid-K

Yeast

Lalvin Lalvin 71B — 1 packets

Preserves delicate botanical esters.

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. Build honey must

    Dissolve honey in 1 gallon of warm water. Cool. Add to fermenter with remaining water to 5.5 gallons.

  3. Take OG reading

    Record original gravity. Target approximately 1.098.

  4. Pitch yeast and nutrients

    Pitch Lalvin 71B. Add Day 0 nutrients. Ferment at 65–70°F.

  5. Staggered nutrient additions

    Follow TOSNA schedule. Degas before each addition.

  6. Monitor fermentation

    Check gravity every few days. Fermentation typically completes in 4–6 weeks.

  7. Add botanicals in secondary

    Rack. Add each botanical in a separate sanitized muslin bag. Taste daily — elderflowers extract very quickly; rose hips and lemon balm extract more slowly.

    Using separate bags allows you to remove each botanical independently as desired intensity is reached.

  8. Remove botanicals and condition

    Remove each botanical bag when desired intensity is reached. Condition for 4–8 months.

  9. Package

    Bottle or keg.

Packaging

Ensure fermentation is fully complete before packaging.

Safety notes

  • Never bottle a mead that has not fully finished fermenting.
  • Use only food-grade, pesticide-free botanicals from reputable sources.
  • Elderflowers extract very quickly — taste daily and remove promptly.
  • Sanitize all equipment that contacts the must or finished mead.

Scaling notes

Honey and water scale linearly. All botanical additions do NOT scale linearly — adjust to taste. Nutrient additions do NOT scale linearly.

Batch Scaling Calculator

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

1.005

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
Wildflower honey13lbs
Filtered water4.5gallons
Dried elderflowers0.5oz⚠ review
Dried rose hips1oz⚠ review
Dried lemon balm0.5oz⚠ review
Dried meadowsweet flowers(optional)0.5oz⚠ review
Fermaid-O10g⚠ review
Fermaid-K5g⚠ review

⚠ Ingredients requiring review

  • Dried elderflowers: Ingredient "Dried elderflowers" (id: elderflower) requires manual review before scaling. The original quantity is shown — do not use without recalculating.
  • Dried rose hips: Ingredient "Dried rose hips" (id: rose-hip) requires manual review before scaling. The original quantity is shown — do not use without recalculating.
  • Dried lemon balm: Ingredient "Dried lemon balm" (id: lemon-balm) requires manual review before scaling. The original quantity is shown — do not use without recalculating.
  • Dried meadowsweet flowers: Ingredient "Dried meadowsweet flowers" (id: meadowsweet) requires manual review before scaling. The original quantity is shown — do not use without recalculating.
  • 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 10.