[Phil_M]

So, I think I'm finally about to jump in.

The local Amish sell keep bees/sell honey, and I've been wanting to make mead from it for a while. As the title says, I've never done this before, so I'm trying to make sure all my ducks are in a row.

I know to use staggered nutrient additions, but I'm curious what others are using.

I'm not sure if I want to just do a straight mead, or add fruits. Strawberries and rhubarb are in season, and I'm wondering if they might work nicely in a mead...though perhaps I'll just stick to plain. Other than those two, there isn't much yet in season.

I don't plan to boil, is any heating required at all?

[mikesharp1]

I just made my first last night basically clean, clean, clean. I heated 1.25 in two batches to 110 degrees cooled poured into my fermentation bucket then added spring water while your brew is getting hot rehydrate your yeast. Yes use nutrient.


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[dannyjed]

I think a strawberry rhubarb mead sounds delicious. I don't boil or heat the honey up, except I put the honey container in warm water and try to get every bit of it out (usually more of a problem in winter months).

[pete b]

We have actually made a nice rhubarb melomel a few times. Strawberries are tricky in that their flavor and aroma are hard to capture. You are on the right track using fruit in season though and personally I would go for it with a rhubarb strawberry melomel. The tartness of the rhubarb will help the strawberry flavor. Use a ridiculous amount of strawberries.  Unless you sulfite the cooler will fade to a sort of brownish red, a small amount of raspberries​ helps.
When using fresh fruit in mead I put the fruit in a mesh bag and put in the fermenter after mixing the honey with hot water. Just remember to leave a ton of headspace. If you don't​use a bag plan on losing some liquid to the trub.
A tip for a first timer is to make an extra half gallon. That way you can put the extra in a half gallon glass milk jug or Mason jar with an airlock so that when you rack into tertiary you can top it off.
I would use lalvin 71b for this mead. It complements fruit body and aroma and mellows acidity.

[Phil_M]

If large amounts of strawberries are needed, I may opt to just do straight rhubarb, or go plain. With all the rain we've had the strawberry crop has been lousy, and they'll be out of season within a week, maybe two. The former is more likely, as the forecast is again calling for rain most of this week.

[pete b]

Cherry season must be coming up down there.

[Phil_M]

I think we still have a ways to go for cherries, though I'm not a huge fan of them so I've never paid much attention to their season.

If I wait for a local fruit, it'll be blackberries.

[pete b]

Blackberries are great in mead. They taste great and it doesn't take too long to pick enough. I really like mixing berries. Most years we are able to make a big batch with a mixture of blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, and elderberries. the combination makes a nice dry red melomel that is as good as any nice red wine.

[mchrispen]

Can I suggest Tasting the honey before you decide. Some wildflower honeys can throw medicinal notes that you may or may not like. I tend to do a small batch with new Honey sources. This could also help direct how much fruit you might need. It should also give you an idea of the acidity of the honey. I prefer people's first mead be a traditional as there is so much to learn and understand about fermented honey. Then again - big berry melomels are just awesome.


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[erockrph]

I agreee that strawberries are tough. The time I tried a strawberry melomel I used 3 lb/gallon pre-ferment and another 3 lb/gallon post-ferment. It still was lacking in strawberry character in the end. I did find that adding some acid helped boost the strawberry note, but still not enough.

I'm a melomel guy myself, and I really like blackberries, raspberries and currants. Sadly, it looks like I'm going to lose my black currants to mildew yet again this year. I might try a ginger-lime mead along the lines of my ginger-beer recipe for my next one. I'd really like to brew a golden raspberry mead, but it will be tough/expensive to acquire enough of those for even a small batch.

As far as SNA goes, I have been using a mix of Fermaid K and DAP divided into 4 additions roughly at day 0,1,3 and 5. I just picked up some Fermaid O and I will be using that in my next few meads instead of the Fermaid K/DAP mixture.

[udubdawg]

ugh, this reminds me that I made a no-water-added Alpine Strawberry/Tupelo and managed to bury the Tupelo character.  About $100/gallon for alcoholic strawberry jam.   

[Phil_M]

well right now the project is on hold: I want to try a small container to see what the honey tastes like first. Thing is, they had already sold everything smaller than a quart last time we were there. Going to wait and try again.

I'm also thinking about just waiting it out till blackberry season...