Want to make a cherry melomel

[Maylar]

I have a can of cherry puree sitting in my fridge and I'm thinking of using it with a mead. I'd like it to be ready by Thanksgiving. Can I follow the BOMM protocol and add some puree in secondary, or is there a better path to follow for this?

Thanks

 

[loveofrose]

Sure. You can follow the protocol and add fruit in secondary. It works quite well, but be careful of oxidation.

The real question is what kind of cherries do you have? In my experience, anything other than tart cherries turns out like robitussin...unless that's what your going for.


Better brewing through science!

See my brewing site at www.denardbrewing.com

See my Current Mead Making Techniques article here:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/current-mead-making-techniques.html

 

[PapaScout]

I made a cherry mead last year and used the frozen bags of sour and sweet cherries mixed. It avoided the cough syrup profile quite nicely, but no way was it ready in a couple of months.

I'm in the process of a peach mead that is very drinkable now after only a couple of months. Are you settled on cherry for Thanksgiving?

 

[Maylar]

Sure. You can follow the protocol and add fruit in secondary. It works quite well, but be careful of oxidation.

The real question is what kind of cherries do you have? In my experience, anything other than tart cherries turns out like robitussin...unless that's what your going for.

Umm.. no. Robitussin would suck. It's sweet cherry puree -

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/oregon-cherry-puree

I bought it to add to a cider. Only used a cup and the rest is sitting in my fridge, so I thought I'd find another use for it. I'll have to rethink this, thanks.

 

[58limited]

I make my Cherry Russian melomel with 12lbs honey, a can of the sweet cherry puree, and a can of the cherry wine base (link below) and it turns out great. I haven't done a simple cherry melomel, the Cherry Russian is a Digby recipe and has a lot of spices and herbs in it.

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/Wine/Fruit/Vintners-Harvest-Cherry.html#.Vcd_dvngDIU

 

[bazza]

I just made one this year. I used the 5 gallon BOMM recipe last August and racked several times after primary was over. Then in January of this year I racked into a new bucket with 7lbs of frozen sour cherries in a large muslin bag. I only let the mead sit on the cherries for 2 weeks (tasting weekly). It turned out really nice but has been a pain to get to drop clear. Hopefully time will do the trick.

 

[Squatchy]

I make my Cherry Russian melomel with 12lbs honey, a can of the sweet cherry puree, and a can of the cherry wine base (link below) and it turns out great. I haven't done a simple cherry melomel, the Cherry Russian is a Digby recipe and has a lot of spices and herbs in it.

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/Wine/Fruit/Vintners-Harvest-Cherry.html#.Vcd_dvngDIU

So where does one find this recipe you refer to?

 

[58limited]

Umm.. no. Robitussin would suck. It's sweet cherry puree

I would buy some tart cherry concentrate and blend with the puree to taste. I bought my tart cherry concentrate from Traverse Bay Farms, it is equivalent to 100 cherries per ounce. I've used it mostly in beer making but I added a small amount to a bochet to give it a little background.

http://www.traversebayfarms.com/cherryjuice.htm

So where does one find this recipe you refer to?

I'll post it in the recipe section.