Killer Bee Mead

Im going back to the Maryland Renfest again tomorrow. Its pirate weekend, and I have a pirate costume that I mashed together from various sources, so it should be lots of fun. I think the best thing about the Renfest is the feasting. Im looking forward to the pickles that are the size of your fist and the bags of beef jerkey. And of course, the turkey leg is a must-get every time you go.

One of the best surprises about the Renfest is the store that sells specialized honey. There are about two dozen different types of honey, ranging from clover to Tupelo honey to blueberry flower honey. You can actually do a honey tasting at this store to find out what honey you like the best. Most people like honey with biscuits or other baked goods. I like it for mead.

I got four pounds of honey last time I was there to make my mead with. One type is honey made from Africanized Bees in Brazil. Out of all the honeys I tasted, the Africanized Honey seemed to be the thickest with the most sugar. So I mixed that into a batch of mead tonight, along with a spiced tea containing cinnamon, nutmeg, juniper berries, rosemary and fennel seeds. For the fruit flavor, I chose a rich blackberry preserves to steep into a deep purple tea that I mixed with the honey water.

It should be ready next Sunday. If you want my complete recipe for one gallon of easy mead, check here.