Not airtight, but protected from exposure to oxygen. Gas pressure will build up and possibly cause an explosion/damage/big mess if you make it airtight.
Modern method is an airlock and, when doing primary fermentation, sometimes just a non-airtight lid.
The brew will protect itself with a layer of CO2/krausen(yeasty foam), so as long as you keep it covered and avoid air currents it should be good. Once fermentation is started, you want to keep other stuff out to avoid off flavors and accidental vinegar.
I don’t recommend spitting in it, unless you’re using saliva to convert starches from grains, roots, etc. That’s a special process, though, with a few steps to it.
Spit contains too many possible contaminants for my liking.
To get yeast, I recommend these methods(already mentioned earlier):
-simply leave your container open to the outside air and you can get wild varieties blowing on the wind. Belgian Lambic beer is still made this way, with yeast blown in from nearby orchards.
-use any fruit with a “bloom” on it…the white powdery layer on all grapes, blueberries, etc. is yeast.
-Honey contains wild yeast, don’t heat it and it will ferment itself. Actually, don’t heat it in any case…you’ll get better taste/aroma.
-Buy it. Bread yeast works fine, but you can get specific results with brewing yeasts.
-use some from another batch, either your own, someone else’s, or from store-bought beers that have been naturally carbonated (look for ‘muck’ in the bottom of the bottle).
Someone mentioned bitterness…a little can be a good thing in mead. Really balances the flavor. Tannin is also good for astringency/clarity.
Wild rose leaves are a traditional additive for mead, and a cup of strong tea is very effective for adding tannins.
Any other questions I can probably help with.
@jhereg: ;D
Everyone makes brewing sound like some really hard, technical endeavor, when really it’s quite simple.
