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Author Topic: Need a good strawberry mead recipe, 1 gallon  (Read 8016 times)

Offline Caddywhompusbeer

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Need a good strawberry mead recipe, 1 gallon
« on: July 11, 2014, 03:12:34 pm »
I have 4 lbs of wildflower honey that's begging to get it on with some strawberries & have a sweet boozy baby. Got a 4 lb bag of strawberries ready for it too. Was thinking 2 lb in primary, 2 in secondary? Is that a good amount? I want it to be sweet, can someone reccomend a good yeast that will work through 4lb honey & leave enough residual sugar to have a sweet (but not too sweet) mead?

Also, should I use acid blend or pectin? how much?

Thanks!
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Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Need a good strawberry mead recipe, 1 gallon
« Reply #1 on: July 11, 2014, 03:22:40 pm »
I think if you want a sweet mead you either need a LOT more honey or you need to plan to stabilize and back sweeten. Pretty much the only way to stop a mead fermentation before all the sugar is gone is to give it so much sugar that the yeast poison themselves with alcohol before they eat all the sugar and even the wimpiest yeast can realistically survive 10-12% abv.

I'm far from a mead expert but this is my impression. If I'm wrong someone will be along soon to correct me.
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Offline Caddywhompusbeer

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Re: Need a good strawberry mead recipe, 1 gallon
« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2014, 03:52:32 pm »
Well 4 lbs is quite a bit of sugar for a 1 gallon batch. was thinking of narbonne or D47.
Alcohol fuels my power cells - Phillip J Fry

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Need a good strawberry mead recipe, 1 gallon
« Reply #3 on: July 11, 2014, 04:06:22 pm »
Well 4 lbs is quite a bit of sugar for a 1 gallon batch. was thinking of narbonne or D47.

true, I should have done the math. so it's about 1.168 OG. I would guess it'll stay sweet with many yeasts. do you have a favorite?
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Offline erockrph

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Re: Need a good strawberry mead recipe, 1 gallon
« Reply #4 on: July 11, 2014, 08:14:11 pm »
I've only used 71B for meads. About 1.145-1.150 is a good target for OG for a sweet mead. Should finish around 1.020-1.030 range with proper fermentation (staggered nutrients, degassing, cap management, temp control, etc.).

I did a strawberry mead similar to what you're describing last year. Two pounds/gal of strawberries in primary and again in secondary, plus 4oz of blackcurrants in primary for a little tannin. The strawberry is underwhelming, even at 4lb/gallon. The only thing I haven't done yet is add some acid blend. I'm hoping that may amp up the strawberry a bit.
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Offline Caddywhompusbeer

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Re: Need a good strawberry mead recipe, 1 gallon
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2014, 07:31:39 pm »
true, I should have done the math. so it's about 1.168 OG. I would guess it'll stay sweet with many yeasts. do you have a favorite?

No I don't, still a mead novice. I think I may go with D47 or narbonne. Still undecided.
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Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Need a good strawberry mead recipe, 1 gallon
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2014, 09:10:44 pm »
The Narbonne would my choice for a melomel.

Strawberries just don't impart the flavor one expects. You might want to add even more to the secondary.
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Offline chezteth

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Re: Need a good strawberry mead recipe, 1 gallon
« Reply #7 on: July 13, 2014, 12:57:21 pm »
I agree with using the honey and strawberries for a 1 gallon batch. D-47 yeast should work well for a sweet mead. Now I wish I would have picked some strawberries this year.

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Offline udubdawg

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Re: Need a good strawberry mead recipe, 1 gallon
« Reply #8 on: July 13, 2014, 04:09:52 pm »
I love D47 but it's a bit of a nutrient hog, and needs to be kept cool.
I do most of my Traditional meads with D47 over the winter in a cold room next to the cider. 
would be willing to go slightly higher with a melomel, but then again for those I'd rather just use 71B or K1V anyway.

Offline smoutela

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Re: Need a good strawberry mead recipe, 1 gallon
« Reply #9 on: July 31, 2014, 11:33:00 pm »
Strawberries just don't impart the flavor one expects. You might want to add even more to the secondary.

Definitely go with 71B.
And if you really want the strawberries to be well integrated, throw them into primary.

If you use enough, it'll come through even bone dry.

I make a dry strawberry mead that's like a bowl full of strawberries in every glass, and the strawberries only go into primary.