Got ambitious and decided to try a mead[melomel]. Probably should have tried a 1 gallon first but already had the equipment for 5 gallon batches of beer so went with a 5 gal batch. Recipe as follows:
15 lbs Kirkland Honey[labeled Wildflower]
15 lbs tart frozen cherries,thawed
2 tsp pectic enzyme
10g 71B dry yeast
After mixing the honey with 2 gals of water,added the cherries. Rehydrated the yeast with Goferm and added it to the must.
Added Fermaid K at 24,48 and 72 hours. OG was 1.16.
Took about 24 hours for the yeast to really get going but it went like gangbusters after that. It was bubbling once every second and when I opened it to stir it sounded like bacon frying,really active.
Opened to check it yesterday and cherries have lost a lot of their color. Now bubbling once every 5-7 seconds. Tasted some, sweet but rich cherry flavor. SG checked in at 1.035
Looking to rack it next week after Labor Day[going away for the weekend]. So far,so good.
15 lbs Kirkland Honey[labeled Wildflower]
15 lbs tart frozen cherries,thawed
2 tsp pectic enzyme
10g 71B dry yeast
After mixing the honey with 2 gals of water,added the cherries. Rehydrated the yeast with Goferm and added it to the must.
Added Fermaid K at 24,48 and 72 hours. OG was 1.16.
Took about 24 hours for the yeast to really get going but it went like gangbusters after that. It was bubbling once every second and when I opened it to stir it sounded like bacon frying,really active.
Opened to check it yesterday and cherries have lost a lot of their color. Now bubbling once every 5-7 seconds. Tasted some, sweet but rich cherry flavor. SG checked in at 1.035
Looking to rack it next week after Labor Day[going away for the weekend]. So far,so good.