# Recipe — 4 Gallon Apple Honey Butter Mead

## Target profile

A sweet/semi-sweet apple dessert mead with:

- fermented apple/cyser base
- honey sweetness and body
- vanilla warmth
- cinnamon/apple-pie note
- optional tiny butter/butterscotch impression
- enough acidity/tannin to keep it balanced

## Batch targets

| Target | Value |
|---|---:|
| Finished volume | 4.0 gallons |
| Primary honey | start with 7.5–8 lb, adjust toward OG |
| Apple cider/juice | about 2.5 gallons preservative-free apple juice/cider |
| Top-up water | about 0.8–0.9 gallons, adjusted to final volume after honey is dissolved |
| Target original gravity | ~1.095–1.105 |
| Yeast | 1 packet Lalvin 71B-1122 |
| Expected ABV if dry | ~12.5–13.5% |
| Final sweetness | Adjust after stabilization |

## Primary recipe

1. Add about 2.5 gallons preservative-free cider/juice to sanitized bucket.
2. Dissolve 7.5–8 lb honey thoroughly.
3. Top up with water to 4 gallons total.
4. Mix very thoroughly.
5. Measure gravity.
6. If OG is below target, add honey incrementally and recheck.
7. Add pectic enzyme per label.
8. Rehydrate/pitch 71B.
9. Follow nutrient schedule based on pitch time.

## Honey adjustment guide

Honey adds roughly 35 gravity points per pound per gallon.

In a 4 gallon batch:

```text
1 lb honey ≈ +0.008–0.009 SG
```

Apple juice/cider may already be around 1.045–1.055. With 2.5 gallons of apple juice in a 4 gallon batch, 7.5–8 lb honey should land near the target range. Measure before pitching, then adjust. Do not blindly add all possible honey before measuring.

## Nutrient schedule template

Use ~16 g Fermaid O total for 4 gallons, split approximately:

| Time | Amount |
|---|---:|
| T+24h | 4 g |
| T+48h | 4 g |
| T+72h | 4 g |
| Day 5 or before 1/3 sugar break | 4 g only if appropriate |

Before nutrient additions, degas gently first. Nutrient powder can cause a foam-up.

For OG 1.100, 1/3 sugar break is around 1.067.

## Post-fermentation flavor direction

After fermentation is complete, gravity is stable, the mead is racked, and it is stabilized:

- backsweeten with honey
- add vanilla by bench trial/contact time
- add cinnamon carefully by contact time or tincture
- test butter/butterscotch extract in 100 ml samples
- consider tiny salt solution
- adjust acid/tannin only if needed
- optional apple concentrate if apple character faded

Do not add these during active fermentation.