Olde Gutrot's Mellifluously Marvellous Mead

Add runny honey to a sterilised fermentation bin. When making 5 litres, allow 750g per 4% alcohol. 750g gives a gentle session mead, 2250g makes it roughly the strength of a bottle of wine. The amount of honey used will not affect the end sweetness as the sugar is converted to alcohol when it ferments.

Add 5 litres of boiling water, stir, fit the lid and allow to cool to room temperature.

Add brewer's or wine yeast, 2 teaspoons of yeast nutrient and a teaspoon of pectolase.

Transfer to a sterilised 5 litre demijohn, fit an airlock and store the demijohn somewhere cool and dark for 2-3 weeks.

Syphon into a sterilised fermentation bin using a sterilised plastic tube leaving the sediment behind. Stir in 2 powdered Campden tablets to prevent refermentation during back-sweetening.

The mead will ferment out dry, in other words, the yeast will use up all the available sugar, turning it into alcohol. Add a small amount of honey dissolved in hot water and re-taste. Keeping adding small amounts of honey until the desired amount of sweetness is obtained.

Transfer the sweetened mead to a strilised 5 litre demijohn and leave to condition for 2-6 weeks.

Siphon into sterilised wine bottles. Avoid disturbing the sediment or transferring it into the bottles.