Mead is basically honey fermented in water with some sort of flavouring added, although it can be made with maple syrup in lieu of honey. There are literally hundreds of variations, but one thing they all have in common is that mead requires at least one year aging in the bottle before it even begins to taste good. After two years, it will be great. After three years, it will be fantastic. I don't think any mead has ever survived four years. It simply gets consumed somewhere between "good" and "fantastic." Here are six recipes that will offer insight into experimenting to create your own recipes. You can use various flowers, berries, extracts, spices, fruit, etc., but remember that mead must be aged a year.

Maple Syrup Mead (6 gallons)
8 qts maple syrup (bulk grade B dark)
5 tsp yeast nutrient
Champagne yeast

Hydrate the yeast in a separate container of lukewarm water into which you have dissolved a pinch of yeast nutrient and a teaspoon of syrup. Mix the maple syrup with two gallons hot water in a 7-1/2 gallon primary and stir well to dissolve the syrup. Then add three gallons minus two cups of cool water and stir some more to mix and oxygenate the water. Check the specific gravity to ensure it is at least 1.105 (15% potential alcohol). Add more syrup if the desired S.G. was not reached. Add the yeast and remaining yeast nutrient. Cover and ferment 7 days. Transfer to a 6-1/2 gallon glass carboy and fit an airlock; retain any extra in a wine bottle using a #3 bung and airlock (for topping off). Allow to ferment out (about 30 days) and then bulk age until it clears (60-90 days). Volume will decrease as the syrup is fermented. Rack into a 6-gallon carboy, top up, and reattach airlock. Wait 30 days and taste. If too dry, stabilize and add another cup of syrup, stir, and taste again. Wait 10 days. If no sediments form, rack into bottles. If sediments form, wait another 30 days and rack again. If sediment-free for 30 days, rack into bottles. Age 1-2 years. [Adapted from a traditional recipe]

Lavender Mead (1 gallon)
2 lb honey
1 pint lavender flowers
1/4 tsp citric acid
1/4 tsp tannin powder
1 tsp yeast nutrient
Champagne yeast

Boil 1/2 gal water and add honey, stirring to mix. In primary, pour hot water over all dry ingredients except yeast. When water-cools to lukewarm, add remaining water and sprinkle yeast on top. Cover with cloth and ferment 7 days. Strain out flowers and transfer liquid to secondary. Fit airlock. Ferment 60 days and rack. Refit airlock and allow to sit another 60 days. Rack into bottles and allow to age one year. [Adapted from a traditional recipe]

Rose Mead (1 gallon)
2 lb honey
1-pint fragrant rose petals
1/4 tsp citric acid
1/4 tsp grape tannin
1 tsp yeast nutrient
Champagne yeast

Boil 1/2 gal water and honey for 20 minutes, skimming scum off surface. In primary, pour boiling mixture over all dry ingredients except yeast. When water cools to lukewarm, add remaining water and sprinkle yeast on top. Cover with cloth and ferment 10 days. Strain out flowers and transfer liquid to secondary. Fit airlock. Ferment 60 days and rack. Refit airlock and allow to sit another 60 days. Rack into bottles and allow to age one year. [Adapted from a traditional recipe]

Vanilla Mead (5 gallons)
9 lbs of mesquite honey
1 tblsp gypsum to harden up the water a bit
4 ounce bottle of Madagascar vanilla extract
6 tsp yeast nutrients
Champagne yeast

Hydrate the yeast in a cup of lukewarm water. In a separate container, dissolve the yeast nutrient in another cup of lukewarm water. Mix the honey in two gallons hot water in a primary and stir well to dissolve the honey. Then add three gallons minus two cups of cool water and stir some more to mix ingredients and oxygenate the water. Add the yeast and yeast nutrient. Cover and ferment 7 days. Transfer to a glass carboy and fit airlock. Allow to ferment out (30-45 days). Taste. If too dry, stabilize and add another cup of honey, stir, and taste again. Wait 10 days and rack and top up. Allow to bulk age 60 days and rack into bottles. Age 1-2 years (the improvement between one and two years will astound you). [Adapted from a traditional recipe]

Blackberry Mead (1 gallon)
1.5 lbs black honey
1 lb clover honey
1 lb blackberries (frozen)
1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
1 tsp yeast nutrient
Red wine yeast

Any black honey will work, but thistle honey is recommended. Mix honey into 3 qts water and bring to boil. Boil 20 minutes, skimming off any scum that forms. Pour into primary over thawed blackberries, pectic enzyme and yeast nutrient. When cooled to 70-75 degrees, sprinkle wine yeast over surface. Cover and stir daily for 7 days. Strain through fine nylon bag, squeezing pulp well to extract all flavour. Transfer to secondary, fit airlock and ferment additional month. Rack, top up and refit airlock. Age until clear, and then stabilize. Wait 10 days and rack into bottles. Age at least one year. [Adapted from a traditional recipe]

Blueberry Mead (1 gallon)
2 lb clover honey
2 12-oz bag blueberries (frozen)
1 used teabag jasmine tea
1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
1 tsp yeast nutrient
Red Star Champagne yeast

Mix honey into 3 qts water and bring to boil. Boil 20 minutes, skimming off any scum that forms. Meanwhile, place thawed blueberries in nylon straining bag and mash in primary. Pour boiling water over blueberries, used teabag, pectic enzyme, and yeast nutrient. When cooled to 70-75 degrees, sprinkle wine yeast over surface. Cover and squeeze nylon bag daily for 7 days. Drain blueberries, squeezing well to extract flavour. Discard teabag. Transfer liquid to secondary, fit airlock and ferment additional 30 days. Rack, top up and refit airlock. Stabilize when clear, wait 10 days, and rack into bottles. Age 1-2 years. [Adapted from a traditional recipe]