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About 40 multiple choice questions about mead making, ingredients, chemicals, etc.
Some are fairly easy and you have to be able to answer them to be able to make mead without risking an horrible failure. Some others are more technical and more precise questions to which it is not necessary to answer to make mead but which can be of interest to the experienced mead makers.

  1. Mead generally has an alcohol content
    of around 4-5 % (8-10 proof)
    of around 12-13 % (25 proof)
    of 40 % (some can be as high as 50 %), 80 and 100 proof respectively
    higher when it is sparkling
    that depends on honey type
  2. The best honey is
    the most expensive one
    the freshest and least filtered one
    to be determined
    is dependent on one's taste
    the one with the least sugar
  3. Compared to grape, honey contains
    less sugar
    more tartaric acid
    less alcohol
    more tannins
    less nutrient
  4. The most important ingredient is
    honey
    yeast
    water
    patience
    the recipe
  5. How much sulphite should be added?
    it depends on the pH
    it depends whether free or active SO2 is added
    it depends on alcohol and residual sugar contents
    as much as possible to kill all bacteria
    no sulfite is added
  6. the resemblance between tartaric acid and malic acid comes from
    the fact that they both have an -OH group
    the fact that they are in the same column in the periodic chart
    the fact that they have the same oxidation number
    the fact that they are both found in honey
    thy have nothing to do with each other
  7. Tartaric acid
    is the main acid in honey
    is unstable at low temperature
    is an antioxidant
    can be metabolized by some yeasts
    can be metabolized by some bacteria
  8. Sorbic acid is used
    to lower the pH
    to increase flavor complexity in dry meads
    as an antioxidant
    to prevent the fermentation from restarting
    sorbic acid is never used
  9. Vitamin C is used
    to give energy to the yeasts
    to heal yeasts
    as an antioxidant
    to kill bacteria
    vitamin C is never used
  10. Antibiotics are used
    to kill bacteria
    to kill wild yeasts
    to stop the fermentation
    to ensure the stability of mead during aging
    antibiotics are never used
  11. Saccharomyces bayanus yeasts
    are used to make Champagne
    generally give a fairly sweet mead
    do not ferment beyond 10-11 % alcohol (20-22 proof)
    are never used to mead still mead (non sparkling)
    need a large amount of nutrients
  12. Fermentation
    requires oxygen
    produces CO2
    requires CO2
    requires SO2
    produces SO2
  13. The ideal temperature
    depends on the amount of SO2 that has been used
    is around 35-40°C (100°F)
    depends on initial specific gravity
    depends on the taste that is wanted
    is independent of the strain of yeast
  14. Attenuation (proportion of sugar turned into alcohol) is
    between 10 et 17 %
    close to 100 %
    proportional to the alcohol content that has been reached
    inversely proportional to the alcohol content that has been reached
    a function of yeast strain that has been used
  15. Distillation increases
    the alcohol content
    the amount of residual sugar
    risks of being sued
    the methanol content
    the amount of equipment to use
  16. What conditions are favorable to bacteria?
    low pH
    high alcohol content
    use of aluminum vessels
    presence of sugar
    presence of SO2
  17. All the equipment is cleaned before starting to
    aerate it
    remove the dirt that could give off-flavors
    kill bacteria
    decrease the pH
    accelerate fermentation
  18. Fermentation does not take place in a tightly closed vessel in order to
    let air in
    let CO2 out
    let bacteria out
    prevent yeasts from dying of asphyxia
    accelerate fermentation
  19. A starter
    allows yeasts to multiply
    allows yeasts to store food before hibernating during fermentation
    must contain a high dose of SO2 to repel bacteria
    must contain at least 2-4 % of alcohol to repel bacteria
    is used to kill wild yeasts
  20. Honey is heated
    taking care no to agglomerate proteins
    having it reduce to concentrate it and increase the S. G.
    to evaporate organoleptic compounds it contains
    to kill wild yeasts
    to remove chlorine
  21. A low pH
    reduces the amount of SO2 to add
    is always favorable to yeasts
    will result in too acid a taste
    is basic
    does not change anything
  22. A very low pH during the fermentation slows the fermentation down because
    these conditions are favorable to bacteria
    these conditions are favorable to wild yeasts
    yeasts cannot tolerate too low a pH
    the amount of active SO2 is too low
    this will not slow the fermentation down
  23. A high acidity
    will inhibit the fermentation
    helps fight against bacteria
    makes SO2 more efficient
    will modify the flavor of the mead
    will make the mead cloudy
  24. When to add fruits?
    at the start of the fermentation
    at the end of the active fermentation (after 1-2 weeks)
    at the first racking
    right before bottling
    directly in the glass, right before drinking
  25. What can be added to mead?
    spices
    herbs
    fruits
    flower blossoms
    peanut butter
  26. To make a sparkling mead
    the mead is bottled before the fermentation is done
    high pressure gas is injected into the mead
    a special honey is needed
    new yeasts are added after the fermentation stopped
    the mead is allowed to oxidize for a while
  27. When the mead is cloudy, one must
    discard it
    rack it
    add sulphite
    add nutrients
    first read one's notes to find the origin of the problem
  28. When the fermentation is very slow, one should
    move the must close to a radiator to warm yeasts up
    add SO2
    add sugar
    add nutrients
    first read one's notes to find the origin of the problem
  29. When a bottle explodes, it is generally because
    the cork leaked
    fermentation restarted in the bottle
    the mead was being turned into vinegar
    first read one's notes to find the origin of the problem
    a bottle cannot explode
  30. Oxygen is to be avoided
    at the start of the process, during the respiration phase
    to make Sherry
    to avoid that the mead become brown and bitter
    because it is toxic
    because it could make bottles explode
  31. A hydrometer lets us know the amount of
    alcohol
    nutrients
    acid
    SO2
    yeasts
  32. A higher initial gravity gives
    a sweeter mead
    a higher alcohol content
    a sparkling mead
    a shorter fermentation
    it depends on the strains of yeast
  33. Small batches (1 gallon)
    lower the risk of oxidation
    lower the losses
    lower the risk of error in measurements
    are suitable for tests
    do not make any difference with larger batches
  34. Racking is used to
    aerate the mead
    remove the lees
    reduce the alcohol content
    give some more energy to the yeasts
    get rid of bacteria
  35. The length of aging
    is proportional to the length of fermentation
    is inversely proportional to the length of fermentation
    depends on the result one is looking for
    is very short (never more than a few months)
    is of no importance to the taste
  36. the use of oak in aging
    is necessary
    is expensive
    is an issue among meadmakers
    is limited to sparkling meads
    is of no importance to the taste
  37. When bottling, one leaves one inch of air space
    so that yeasts can breath
    to take into account the dilation due to temperature changes
    to take into account the increase of the mead volume due to aging
    to prevent any contact between the mead and the cork (cork taste)
    one does not leave one inch of air space
  38. When to bottle?
    when one is sure that the fermentation is done
    when bulk aging is done
    when the mead is clear enough
    when one needs to reuse the carboy
    never
  39. When drinking mead, which is the most important sense?
    hearing
    sight
    smell
    taste
    touch
  40. Which of the following does NOT have to do with taste?
    astringency
    acidity
    bitterness
    saltiness
    sweetness
  41. A metheglin is a mead that contains
    any fruits
    apples
    grapes
    malt
    spices or herbs
  42. A traditional mead must be made
    in the medieval fashion
    in the fashion of Antiquity
    by naked virgins on a full moon night
    using only honey, water and yeast
    without adding yeast




December 6th 2002