Modern Mazer
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Cocktail-Inspired MeadAdvancedDevelopment

Old Fashioned Mead

A sophisticated, oak-forward mead inspired by the classic Old Fashioned cocktail. Built on buckwheat honey with American oak, orange zest, and Angostura-style bitters. Targets 14% 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

14%

Fermentation

6–8 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.

Ingredients

  • 14 lbsBuckwheat honey

    Dark, robust varietal for depth.

  • 4.5 gallonsFiltered water
  • 1.5 ozHeavy-toast American oak cubes

    Add in secondary for 2–4 weeks.

  • 3 eachOrange zest

    Zest of 3 oranges. Add in secondary in a muslin bag.

  • 2 tbspAromatic bitters (Angostura-style)(optional)

    Add at packaging. Adjust to taste.

  • 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. 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 1.106.

  4. Pitch yeast and nutrients

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

    D47 must be kept below 65°F.

  5. Staggered nutrient additions

    Follow TOSNA schedule. Degas before each addition.

  6. Monitor fermentation

    Check gravity every few days. Fermentation typically completes in 6–8 weeks.

  7. Add oak and orange in secondary

    Rack. Add oak cubes and orange zest (in muslin bag). Allow 2–4 weeks of oak contact. Taste regularly.

  8. Remove additions and condition

    Remove oak and zest. Condition for 6–12 months.

  9. Add bitters and package

    Add aromatic bitters at packaging if desired. Bottle or keg.

Packaging

Ensure fermentation is fully complete before packaging. Extended aging is strongly recommended.

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. Oak, orange zest, and bitters 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

14%

Original gravity

1.106

Final gravity

1.006

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
Buckwheat honey14lbs
Filtered water4.5gallons
Heavy-toast American oak cubes1.5oz⚠ review
Orange zest3each⚠ review
Aromatic bitters (Angostura-style)(optional)2tbsp⚠ review
Fermaid-O10g⚠ review
Fermaid-K5g⚠ review

⚠ Ingredients requiring review

  • Heavy-toast American oak cubes: Ingredient "Heavy-toast American oak cubes" (id: oak-cubes) requires manual review before scaling. The original quantity is shown — do not use without recalculating.
  • Orange zest: Ingredient "Orange zest" (id: orange-zest) requires manual review before scaling. The original quantity is shown — do not use without recalculating.
  • Aromatic bitters (Angostura-style): Ingredient "Aromatic bitters (Angostura-style)" (id: bitters) 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 9.

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