Maple Mead...recipes anyone?

[maplematt]

A friend of mine mentioned that he makes honey mead, and I was just wondering if anyone has made it with maple syrup? I have boxelder syrup left from last year and since it tastes almost honey like, I think it would be good. Anybody know how much syrup it takes to make mead? Is it an easy process? Thanks

[happy thoughts]

I seem to remember this coming up in past years but a search for mead on this forum doesn't bring up anything much specific.

I learned something new today. Mead made from maple syrup is called acerglyn. I guess the acer in the name refers to maples. A google search for that term brings up a ton of info and recipes as in this thread at a homebrew site...

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f30/acerglyn-61136/

Good luck. Maybe someone else here will have some experience making it and have some tips for you. If you try to make some, please let us know how it turned out.

Cheers:)

[SSFLLC]

Maple Syrup Mead (6 gallons)
• 8 qts maple syrup (bulk grade B dark)
• 5 tsp yeast nutrient
• Champagne yeast
Hydrate the yeast in a separate container of lukewarm water into which you have dissolved a pinch of yeast nutrient and a teaspoon of syrup. Mix the maple syrup with two gallons hot water in a 7-1/2 gallon primary and stir well to dissolve the syrup. Then add three gallons minus two cups of cool water and stir some more to mix and oxygenate the water. Check the specific gravity to ensure it is at least 1.105 (15% potential alcohol). Add more syrup if the desired S.G. was not reached. Add the yeast and remaining yeast nutrient. Cover and ferment 7 days. Transfer to a 6-1/2 gallon glass carboy and fit an airlock; retain any extra in a wine bottle using a #3 bung and airlock (for topping off). Allow to ferment out (about 30 days) and then bulk age until it clears (60-90 days). Volume will decrease as the syrup is fermented. Rack into a 6-gallon carboy, top up, and reattach airlock. Wait 30 days and taste. If too dry, stabilize and add another cup of syrup, stir, and taste again. Wait 10 days. If no sediments form, rack into bottles. If sediments form, wait another 30 days and rack again. If sediment-free for 30 days, rack into bottles. Age 1-2 years. [Adapted from a traditional recipe]
Maple Mead
Source: coz@triton.unm.edu

Ingredients:
3--1/4 pounds, maple syrup
7 pints, water
1/2 teaspoon, acid blend
3/4 teaspoon, yeast energizer
1 campden tablet
1 package, Red Star champagne yeast

Procedure:
It'll take about a day to really get fermenting, and should go like crazy for 4 to 6 weeks. Rack off the yeast sediment at that time and then re-rack at least 3 times at 3 month intervals. It'll be ready to bottle by 9 or 10 months of age. The longer it sits, the mellower and smoother it becomes.
Comments:
If you are going to make a small quantity of this brew, I suggest that you follow this recipe fairly closely. I, on the other hand, make mead 5 gallons at a time and so my recipe for a large batch varies a bit. If you want to make a lot, try it this way:

in a 6 gallon primary, place:
1 1/2 gallons of maple syrup
4 gallons water
2 tsp. acid blend
4 tsp. yeast energizer
1 campden tablet
1 pkg. Red Star champagne yeast

Try this out. Keith