Lilac flowers are beautiful and edible, but they don't last long! I like to try to preserve that lilac flavor to enjoy throughout the year. This lilac mead recipe is a delicious way to do that!
Sanitize everything that will be used in the brewing process.
Put 1/2 gallon of non-chlorinated water and the lilac flowers in a pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let steep for 15-20 minutes. Strain out the flowers.
Add the honey and stir to dissolve, then carefully pour the honey water mixture into the jug using a funnel. Add the raisins to the jug. Add another cup of lilac flowers to the jug (optional).
Top off the jug with cold non-chlorinated water, leaving at least 2 inches of head space on top. Put the lid on the jug and gently mix everything around a bit.
Make sure that the temperature of the must is below 90°F, then add 1/2 packet of champagne yeast. Put the lid back on tightly and this time shake the jug for a minute or two to distribute the yeast.
Put a little water in the airlock to the line, then put the rubber stopper end into the jug. Put the jug in a dark place. It should start bubbling within 12-24 hours.
After about 3-6 weeks of fermenting, or once the bubbling has completely stopped, the mead can be bottled and aged.
Notes
This lilac mead recipe is a variation on mysimple one gallon mead recipe. For more detailed directions and photos of the whole process, I recommend heading over to that post first.
I like to add more lilac flowers as the mead is brewing, just to get more of that flavor, but it is optional.
Mead usually takes 3-6 weeks to fully ferment, but this is dependent on a few factors. Ambient temperature (the warmer it is the less time it takes), amount of honey used, and type of yeast used all play a role.
While you can drink this mead right away, it’s always a good idea to age it for at least a few weeks and up to several months or longer. This will mellow out the flavor significantly.