The Recipe
JAO, and all it's variants, are based on the simple premise that 3.5 pounds of honey fermented with Fleischmann's Active Dry bread yeast and mixed with a fruit will generally end up ok. The basic recipe is as follows (liberally copied from JAO):
1 gallon batch
3 1/2 lbs clover or your choice honey or blend
1 large orange, cut in eighths or smaller
1 small handful of raisins (approximately 25)
1 stick of cinnamon (not to be confused with cassia)
1 whole clove
(Optional) a pinch of nutmeg and allspice
1 teaspoon of Fleischmann's bread yeast
Water to 1 gallon
Process:
Use a clean 1 gallon carboy. Dissolve honey in some warm water and put in the carboy. Wash orange well to remove any pesticides and slice in eights --add orange (you can push em through opening big boy -- rinds included -- its okay for this mead -- take my word for it -- ignore the experts). Add raisins, clove, cinnamon stick, any optional ingredients and fill to 3 inches from the top with cold water. ( need room for some foam -- you can top off with more water after the first few day frenzy) Shake the heck out of the jug with top on, of course. This is your sophisticated aeration process.
When at room temperature in your kitchen, put in 1 teaspoon of bread yeast. ( No you don't have to rehydrate it first-- the ancients didn't even have that word in their vocabulary-- just put it in and give it a gentle swirl or not)(The yeast can fight for their own territory)
Install water airlock. Put in dark place. It will start working immediately or in an hour. (Don't use grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away in the 90's)( Wait 3 hours before you panic or call me) After major foaming stops in a few days add some water and then keep your hands off of it. (Don't shake it! Don't mess with them yeastees! Let them alone except its okay to open your cabinet to smell every once in a while.
Racking --- Don't you dare
additional feeding --- NO NO
More stirring or shaking -- Your not listening, don't touch
After 2 months and maybe a few days it will slow down to a stop and clear all by itself. (How about that) (You are not so important after all) Then you can put a hose in with a small cloth filter on the end into the clear part and siphon off the golden nectar. If you wait long enough even the oranges will sink to the bottom but I never waited that long. If it is clear it is ready. You don't need a cold basement. It does better in a kitchen in the dark. (Like in a cabinet) likes a little heat (70-80). If it didn't work out... you screwed up and didn't read my instructions (or used grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away) . If it didn't work out then take up another hobby. Mead is not for you. It is too complicated.
If you were successful, which I am 99% certain you will be, then enjoy your mead. When you get ready to make different mead you will probably have to unlearn some of these practices I have taught you, but hey--- This recipe and procedure works with these ingredients so don't knock it. It was your first mead. It was my tenth. Sometimes, even the experts can forget all they know and make good ancient mead.
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If you decide to give this mead a try, I hope you find it as successful as I did. That winter, it made a perfect gift for the family. Thanks Joe for the delicious recipe!
