Mead is fairly easy and inexpensive to produce. A few simple ingredients, attention to an uncomplicated procedure, and a little patience will lead one to a good fermented honey drink. In the making of mead, as in any wine, yeast cells attack sugar releasing carbon dioxide and alcohol. A dilute solution of honey left at room temperature will ferment naturally although the resulting product will not usually be very pleasant. Controlled fermentation of the necessary material takes about three weeks for dry wine and up to 4 months for a sweet wine.
Additional time is needed for aging and maturing of the wine.
For fermentation, a large jug is required. Clean corkable bottles or oaken barrels are desirable for aging and service of the product. Too little honey produces a thin product of low alcohol content that is difficult to keep while greater amounts leave an excess of sugar and a sweeter final product. To be reasonably certain of the final product, a hydrometer to measure the sugar concentration of the honey-water mixture is helpful. Sterilization can be accomplished by boiling the sugar and water mixture for a couple of minutes.