As with any hobby, there are a number of how-to books on the “art of mead-making.” That term signifies the complexity of the skillwhile it’s important to follow a basic set of directions, it’s equally important for true artists to put their own spin on it. Thankfully, there are several guides that will lead the prospective mead-maker to a place where they feel comfortable experimenting with their finished product.

1. The Compleat Meadmaker by Ken Schramm: Schramm has created a truly extensive handbook that runs only a little over 200 pages. The majority of the book is devoted to the actual process and ingredients that go into the perfect batch of mead, including “Yeast and Fermentation,” “Conditioning, Aging, and Using Oak,” “All About Honey,” “Fruit and Melomel,” and more. Published in 2003, the book still holds up today.
2. Making Wild Wines & Meads by Pattie Vargas & Rich Gulling: This book is over a decade old (first published in 1999) but is still recommended to those interested in other possibilities for non-grape-based wine. Besides meads, the book also offers recipes for such delights as apricot wine, marigold wine, cranberry claret, and rose hip melomel. The book doesn’t offer much beyond the recipes besides a short overview of process and equipment, but the recipes themselves are worth a look.
3. The Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charles Papazian: Again, this book is not solely dedicated to mead-making, but it does offer several useful recipes for beginners. Papazian also thoroughly describes what a good home brewery requires and includes a complete glossary so you’ll be able to decipher the dialogue of the most experienced brewing master. There’s also a Homebrewer’s Companion with additional charts, recipes, and other info.