brief guide of basic mead equipment

Mead is an easy and affordable way to start producing great quality wine at home. There is a variety of different equipment you can use for mead which can make it a bit confusing to start, that’s why we have put together this brief guide of basic mead equipment.

The first thing we need is a fermentation vessel. The 5L glass demijohn is a great beginner size. Perfect for small batches of mead making. Add a bung and airlock to complete your fermentation vessel. It also never hurts to have a second fermentation vessel on hand.

A nice easy way to tell the temperature of your fermentation vessel is with a stick-on thermometer.

Now we need to clean and sanitise all our equipment. With plenty of options to choose from we find the most cost effective is Stellarclean for cleaning and Stellarsan for your sanitisation needs.

Next, we want to be able to take gravity readings before and after fermentation. That’s where a hydrometer and test tube come into play. A hydrometer is vital to knowing your alcohol content and when your ferment has finished. Check out our other article on using a hydrometer here.

Bottles are the next thing we need. A popular bottle for mead is the flip top bottle, this bottle comes in both 500ml and 750ml sizes. These bottles are reusable, easy to clean and hold both carbonated and still mead styles.  

One of the last needs we have is a way to get our mead out of the bottle. The small auto syphon (couple with 2m of 10mm vinyl hosing) is a great way to get your mead from fermenter to bottle without disturbing the sediment at the bottom of the fermenter.

There is not a lot to making mead. It’s a fun enjoyable hobby with a delicious outcome.