Rookie Lemonade Mead

[Crock_it_out]

So I've decided to give mead a go. I have a about 10 batches of beer, 1 batch of cider under my belt so why not. I got the basis of the recipe off another thread and did some minor changes; it seemed simple and popular.

Recipe:

1 gal water(PUR filter tap)
5lbs clove honey(Sue Bee at SAMs for $15)
4 frozen Lemonade concentrate(Minute Maid)
2 cups golden raisins
2lbs corn sugar

Yeast Lalvin D47

Dissolved all that and brought to a boil. Boiled for 5 minutes. Pour into fermenting bucket at water up to 5-5.25 gallons. Cooled done to about 92 deg. Pitched dry yeast and covered.

OG: 1.1078

Within 15mins I have airlock activity.

Planning to let it ferment around 65-68 deg. I haven't decided if I want to rack onto some strawberries when the time comes.

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

I'm a bit confused, did you take your recipe times 5 for five gallons or do you really only have 5# of honey and 4 cans of concentrate for the whole 5 gallons?

 

[Crock_it_out]

Sorry the entire recipe is 5-5.25 gallons. Just depends on if you want a higher ABV leave it at 5 gal.

 

[JustinCider]

I thought this section was for proven recipes?

 

[Crock_it_out]

I thought this section was for proven recipes?

sorry....didn't know, just documenting my first mead.

 

[twofocused]

It may not be proven but it's pretty the same basis as lemonade mead. I almost exactly copied this with ale yeast and it came out great. It's gonna be my lawn mower brew.

 

[Crock_it_out]

It may not be proven but it's pretty the same basis as lemonade mead. I almost exactly copied this with ale yeast and it came out great. It's gonna be my lawn mower brew.

twofocused thanks for the support...

A week in the bucket with almost immediate airlock activity. Although airlock activity has seemed to have stopped.

1/17/13 Pulled a sample out today and gravity is measuring at 1.056 and is cloudier that before. It still has a ways to go. Still tasted sweet and a bit yeasty.

 

[twofocused]

Rack it onto strawberries. Sounds awesome!

 

[Crock_it_out]

1/20/13- After a few days of no airlock activity and after high Hydro reading, I moved it to a different spot and it raised the temp from 63-64 to more around 66. I swirled really good to oxygenate and start the yeast going again. Now I have good constant airlock activity.

Rack it onto strawberries. Sounds awesome!

Growing up in NC we used to pick strawberries cut em and freeze them with sugar....when they thawed it left sweet soft strawberries in their own syrup. Should I go that route or just fresh strawberries? I have no experience with fruit additions in beer or mead. How many lbs would you suggest?

 

[Crock_it_out]

1-31-14- We are about 21 days in the primary and it is still bubbling away. I had to agitate the must a couple times and the yeast picked right back up. OG 1.078 and right now it is at 1.018 with a long way to go.


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