getting bees to occupy a 5 gallon carboy

Been reading about how mead was often made with a whole hive of bees "angry live bees and all" and was thinking how cool it would be if they would build out comb inside a 5 gallon jug, then pour water into the jug with ingredients and let it brew. Not sure they would move up into the jug and build 5 gallons of comb. Plus I would probably have to keep pulling it off and weighing it until the right amount of honey was in there for the recipe. Maybe something to play with next month when they are really booming and filling up the supers.

interesting idea, but I don't know that a carboy would lend itself well to this project. you might be better off trying it on a smaller container with a wider mouth. alternately, if you're really attached to the 5-gallon volume, you could use a stoneware crock. much easier to adjust things and clean it out at the end of the project.

I've actually tried some whole-hive mead that a friend made. I can't say it was particularly appealing, but there's no accounting for taste.

Crock is a great idea, and yes would be much easier to clean out. Ive had a mead that taste like pine needles. I make joe's ancient orange spice mead recipe and am loving it. Also did one pyment with grapes that turned out good. Not a fan of moonshine-firewater tasting wines.

Why not use a brewing pail, the 6 gallon bucket with a spigot?

I probably could, just not a fan of plastic for that use, even though there would be no heat involved. Might not be good for the bees to live in a warm plastic pail either...

I'm with you on avoiding plastic. just not a fan. if you use stoneware, though, some extra precautions to keep the whole thing upright might be in order.

I've had some pretty good mead, including some that I made. my cyser is pretty good. I made a mead with raw goat milk once. pretty weird for the first couple of years, but not bad at all when I found the remaining bottles several years after I forgot about them.