Mead Alcohol Content: A Guide to Calculating ABV & Alcohol Content

So, you are at an event, and someone offers you a drink. You are sure it doesn’t look like wine, nor the fragrance of a beer. To your speculation, the host said, it’s a mead, and you wonder what a mead is?

Well, mead is an alcoholic beverage made of fermented honey water in controlled amounts of alcoholic content. It can be mixed with fruits, spices, hops and grains to create a unique, distinct taste. Distilleries and breweries produced a variety of meads or honey wines for connoisseurs that hit the sweet spot. Mead, also referred to as honey wine, dates back to centuries enjoyed by Vikings. Meads are one of the world’s oldest alcoholic beverages known. Now, it has seen stellar growth in the US. As per the American Mead Makers Association (AMMA), on average, a new meadery opens every three days! That’s because of the flavor and taste it offers.

So, what made mead so much popular other than beer or wine?

Beverages with alcohol like beer or wine were always there to delight drink enthusiasts to celebrate their wins or enjoy their good time, so what made the mead so popular. It’s actually the mead’s alcohol content percentage. The alcoholic content per cent of mead is higher than that of beer and wine. Although mead is also honey wine, it differs from the standard wine in the alcohol amount.

Higher alcohol content made mead stand out from the beer and other alcoholic beverages. Mead’s alcohol content can range drastically from one mead recipe to the next and between mead makers. If you are up to open a distillery or own one, you should know the contents mead alcohol have and what are the factors affecting alcohol content.

In the industry, Alcohol by Volume, abbreviated as ABV, is the metric used to know the content of alcohol in a beverage. Several factors can affect the ABV of an alcoholic beverage. But, in general, three things determine the ABV metric.

First is the drink’s original gravity, which is the hydrometer reading before yeast is pitched. The second is the drink’s final gravity, which is the hydrometer’s reading after the completion of the fermentation process and the third and final is the conversion factor number which is 131.25.

To calculate the ABV of a drink, there is a formula= (Final gravity – Original gravity) X 131.25. There are also calculators available to know the precise ABV metrics of meads/ honey wines, beer or any other drink.

In the Press

Mead me at the Winery Hidden Legend Winery Making a name for itself. Wine industry growing in Montana. Mead puts Victor winery on the map. Montana winery reviewed by Now and Zin. WISB explores mead. The Somalia Journal wrote about our winery in their article Mead: An ancient beverage goes modern. Winning winery: Hidden Legend Winery benefitting from increased popularity of mead. The last best vine. New Law makes ordering from Montana Wineries easier.

WHAT IS THE TYPICAL MEAD ALCOHOL CONTENT?

The average ABV of a mead or honey wine can range from 7% to 20%, which signifies a high alcohol content when compared to beer or wine. As said before, it may vary as per the maker and the ingredients in the beverage. The presence of fruits, hops, grains, timing and process of fermentation, the vessel used, and several other factors dominate the ABV factor.

Here at Hidden Legend, our mead alcohol content is 12.5% by volume in all of our still meads and 8% in our Bearded Saint Carbonated Mead line. The mead alcohol content of 12.5 is very comparable to the alcohol content of a lot of grape wines. Mead is sometimes called honey wine. Honey wine is actually the current designation given to mead alcohol by the United States Government.

WHAT IS THE HIGH ALCOHOL CONTENT IN HONEY WINE OR MEAD?

For now, the highest Alcohol by Volume or ABV found in mead or honey wine is up to 20%. And, that is only applicable to sack meads. Meads made using traditional methods have an ABV range of 7% to 14%, while sack meads (mead with extra honey) have up to 20% ABV range. Distilleries can experiment to increase or decrease the alcoholic content as per the AMMA or United States Government. However, a mead with 20% ABV can hit the spot and let you feel the trippiness of the drink.

AFFECTING ALCOHOL CONTENT IN MEAD?

Like beer and wine, meads are also available in a variety of flavors and textures. Sack meads have high ABV, while there are also dry meads that have lower ABV values, ranging from 8% to 12%. But how is the alcohol content in the mead affected?

Well, it all comes down to the hydrometer measurement. The higher the alcohol concentration in the mead, the deeper hydrometer will sink. If a hydrometer shows a reading of 1.090, that means the ABV percentage in the drink is 11.9. Adding more honey will increase the ABV, and that’s why sack meads have a high ABV percentage as they have a high amount of honey.

MEAD ALCOHOL MAKING PROCESS

Mead is honey wine because it is made by fermenting raw sugars like would be done in grape winemaking. Mead alcohol is not brewed, as is the often-used description for making mead because the sugars are not converted by brewing during the mead alcohol making process.

If you want to try out your hands on mead making, then you must have the necessary ingredients and equipment. The alcoholic concentration in mead can differ from what you have tasted and what you have made. So, have the right ingredients and tools at your disposal.

At Hidden Legendary Winery, our mead making ingredients kits include Raw honey, yeast, yeast energizer, yeast nutrient, potassium sorbate, speedy bentonite, and a one-step cleanser. It also comes with a basic mead recipe to get your hands on mead making.

Now you have the ingredients; you need to have the right tools to make a flavorful drink without any compromise on the quality. At Hidden Legend Winery, our mead making equipment kit has everything you need to make mead from your own ingredients.

Our hardware kit includes a Primary fermenter with an airlock, carboy, siphoning hose with shutoff, hydrometer and hydrometer jar, one-step cleanser, and a cleaning brush.

The recipe of mead making differs on the concentration, flavor, and several other aspects. Here are some easy steps to make mead at home.

First of all, sanitize all your equipment thoroughly to avoid any impurities.
Now, combine 3 pounds of honey with 1 gallon of water. Thoroughly mix the mixture with a blender. It is a crucial step, so mix the water and honey well. Now the must is prepared.
Use the hydrometer to check the specific gravity and determine the ABV concentration. Add honey or water and test again to get the desired ABV percentage.
Once you have got the desired ABV value, add the yeast. If somehow you add a little more yeast, there is nothing to be afraid of. If you want to have a flavored mead, now is the time to add spices, fruits or hops.
Now, mix the ingredients well. The next step is fermentation. Airlock the container with a primary fermenter with an airlock system. Wrap the container in opaque paper to prevent light from getting in; else, it will disturb fermentation. Place the container in a cool dark place for at least 3 or 4 weeks. For a better taste, you can be patient and leave it for fermentation for a few extra days.
Now, rack your mead for secondary fermentation. Your mead is now ready.
Take that bottle and a glass and enjoy your homemade mead.

Or you can save yourself from all the trouble and order fine-aged meads from the house of Hidden Legend Winery online.

Frequently Asked Questions

IS MEAD STRONGER THAN WHISKEY?

Mead or honey wine has an average ABV percentage of 7% to 20%, while the ABV of whiskey is about 40%. So, considering the ABV metrics, the whiskey is stronger than the mead. There are also distilled meads that are stronger than their counterparts, but whiskey is stronger than the mead.

IS MEAD STRONGER THAN BEER?

The strongness of an alcoholic beverage is determined by the ABV value. Standard beers have an average of 5% ABV (Alcohol by Volume), while the mead has an ABV range of 7% to 20%. So, looking at the numbers, mead is stronger than beer.

IS MEAD THE HEALTHIEST ALCOHOL?

Known as the ‘nectar of Gods’ in the early days, Mead is a drink that dates back centuries. As mead is honey wine and contains honey, so it has many health benefits. You get the nutritional benefits of honey that improve metabolism, offer anti-inflammatory benefits and manage gastrointestinal disorders.

WHAT IS THE STRONGEST MEAD?

Considering the ABV concentration, meads having ABV percentage in the range of 14% to 20% are the strongest. At Hidden Legend Winery, we produce a variety of meads in various ABV concentrations. You can browse our selection and order the one that best suits your needs.

If you have any questions about our mead alcohol content, ingredients, or any other product-related inquires, contact us.

HOW TO MAKE HIGH ABV MEAD?

If you want to make high-ABV mead, there are two ways you can consider. Either you can add more sugar or use a fermentation technique that produces higher levels of alcohol. Adding more sugar can also increase the potential alcohol content.

HOW TO USE A HYDROMETER FOR MEAD?

A hydrometer measures the specific gravity of a liquid, indicating how much sugar is dissolved in it. By using a hydrometer, you can estimate the alcohol and track the progress of your mead fermentation.