Elderberry Mead, with kit
For those of you looking for an easier approach to meads, let me recommend the kits sold by Ambrosia Farm. I tried out their Elderberry mead kit, and was delighted with the result! It produces a short mead, similar to what was enjoyed in the 1600s, and can be found in cookbooks like The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Opened.
All you need in addition to the kit is 2 lb. honey and a gallon of water. You can stop the fermentation at your desired sweetness level simply by putting it in the fridge.
I loved the flavor and sweetness of my batch after about 6 days. Light, with light floral tones and heavier fruity ones, it was a wonderful and easy brew for the last warm summer evenings of the year. As it sat and aged a few more days at a time, the sweetness decreased, and was replaced with more of an alcoholic kick. It’s a rough kind of mead, but will definitely do the trick! ;)