[NickPurr]

Hello, i have been brewing for about a year and i have always wanted to try mead. I want to add prickly pears to the mead but i don't really want to make a Melomel. the overall flavor profile i'm going for is a sweet wildflower honey with a hint of prickly pear. I believe the ratio is 1.5lbs of fruit per gallon but i'm not 100% sure. also i would like to have it bottled before Dec 25th, If i start the brew on Agu 8th will that have me enough time? any help will be appreciated. Thank you.

[kramerog]

Prickly pear has intense color but is low in flavor.  1.5 lbs/gal is probably just a starting point.  A month from now taste the mead and add more prickly pear as necessary.

If you do staggered nutrient additions with degassing, your mead should be ready.  Don't skimp on the degassing during fermentation. 

[dmtaylor]

I think 1.5 lb/gallon fruit sounds right.  You can definitely get this done in time for Christmas.  I would use the sweet mead yeast (4184?) if you want to retain sweetness, otherwise it will ferment longer and taste more dry with most other yeasts.

Cheers.

[NickPurr]

thanks for the advice

[NickPurr]

I would use the sweet mead yeast (4184?)

I am using WLP720 sweet mead yeast, the guys at my local homebrew shop said it is the store favorite for a sweet mead

[dmtaylor]

They should be almost exactly the same yeast.  You're fine.