summersolstice
Well-Known Member
I've had a couple of requests for this recipe.
6 gallon recipe
14 lbs freshly picked and frozen tart cherries (tart cherries are far better than sweet in a mead or wine)
18 lbs blackberry blossom honey - dark and fragrant
20 oz Zante Currants
water to seven gallons
71B1122 yeast
OG 1.090 before adding cherries
Place thawed cherries in a straining bag. Practice good fermentation control with oxygenation early on and staggered nutrient additions.
Rack in 1 week to 10 days (about 1.010) to a 3-gallon carboy on top of 3 pounds more unpitted cherries and a 5-gallon carboy with 5 pounds cherries.
After another three weeks it should be completely dry at .096 or lower. Rack into a 6-gallon carboy on top of 1 qt blackberry blossom honey and a can of Welch's White Grape Concentrate. Add six campden tablets or 3/8 t (teaspoon) k-meta and 1.5 t of potassium sorbate.
Bulk age for 9 months. After three months, add 1/4 oz heavy toast American oak.
This is a semi-sweet mead that's also quite tart.
6 gallon recipe
14 lbs freshly picked and frozen tart cherries (tart cherries are far better than sweet in a mead or wine)
18 lbs blackberry blossom honey - dark and fragrant
20 oz Zante Currants
water to seven gallons
71B1122 yeast
OG 1.090 before adding cherries
Place thawed cherries in a straining bag. Practice good fermentation control with oxygenation early on and staggered nutrient additions.
Rack in 1 week to 10 days (about 1.010) to a 3-gallon carboy on top of 3 pounds more unpitted cherries and a 5-gallon carboy with 5 pounds cherries.
After another three weeks it should be completely dry at .096 or lower. Rack into a 6-gallon carboy on top of 1 qt blackberry blossom honey and a can of Welch's White Grape Concentrate. Add six campden tablets or 3/8 t (teaspoon) k-meta and 1.5 t of potassium sorbate.
Bulk age for 9 months. After three months, add 1/4 oz heavy toast American oak.
This is a semi-sweet mead that's also quite tart.