Core 1-Gallon Mead Kit - Orange Blossom Honey
Core 1-Gallon Mead Kit - Orange Blossom Honey
Small-Batch Traditional Mead with Clear, Practical Instructions
The Core kit adds the cleaning and sanitation pieces that many first-time meadmakers forget. You get Orange Blossom honey, 71B yeast, a measured nutrient pack, a 1-gallon fermenter, PBW cleaner, and Star San sanitizer.
Download the Core Orange Blossom 1-Gallon Mead Kit instructions PDF.
What This Kit Helps You Make
Expect a still traditional mead built around 3 lb of Orange Blossom honey and Lalvin 71B, a reliable yeast for approachable fruit and honey character. The included Go-Ferm and Fermaid O schedule gives the yeast a better start and helps avoid the rough, stressed-fermentation flavors that can make young mead taste hot or sharp.
What Is Included
- 1-gallon glass fermenter with airlock
- Orange Blossom honey - 3 lb
- Lalvin 71B-1122 dry yeast - 5 g sachet
- Go-Ferm Protect - 2.5 g
- Fermaid O - four 1 g nutrient portions
- Five Star PBW cleaner - 1 lb
- Five Star Star San sanitizer - 8 oz
What You Still Need
- Second fermenter, auto-siphon, transfer tubing, bottles, and closures
- Hydrometer or refractometer, though a hydrometer is strongly recommended
- Potassium metabisulfite and potassium sorbate for stabilizing before backsweetening
What to Expect
- Hands-on time: About 30-45 minutes on day one, then a few short check-ins for degassing and nutrients during the first week.
- Fermentation: Usually 2-4 weeks around 62-66 F.
- Clearing and aging: Plan on 4-8+ weeks to clear, with flavor continuing to improve after bottling.
- Style: Still traditional mead. Sweetness depends on fermentation, stabilization, and any backsweetening you choose after fermentation.
Important: Do not bottle cloudy, actively fermenting, or unstable mead. If you want to backsweeten with honey, stabilize first with potassium metabisulfite and potassium sorbate, sold separately.