Brad's Tart Cherry Mead (1 ratings)

Mead Recipe

Submitted By: BeerSmith (Shared)
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Brewer: Brad Smith
Batch Size: 5.50 galStyle: Stone Fruit Mead (M2D)
Boil Size: 5.50 galStyle Guide: BJCP 2015
Color: Red5Equipment: Brad's Mead/Cider Carboy
Bitterness: 0.0 IBUsBoil Time: 1 min
Est OG: 1.146 (33.4° P)Mash Profile: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Est FG: 1.037 SG (9.3° P)Fermentation: Mead Profile
ABV: 15.0%Taste Rating: 30.0

Ingredients
Amount Name Type #
18 lbs 2.00 oz Honey - Orange Blossom [Primary] (2.0 SRM) Honey 1
2.23 gal Knudsen - Just Tart Cherry Juice [Primary] (20.0 SRM) Juice 2
4.00 g GoFerm (Primary 0 min) Misc 3
2.00 tsp Pectic Enzyme (Primary 0 min) Misc 4
3.0 pkgs Lalvin 71B-1122 (Lallemand - Lalvin #71B-1122) Yeast 5
4.00 g Fermaid-O (Primary 1 days) Misc 6
4.00 g Fermaid-O (Primary 2 days) Misc 7
4.00 g Fermaid-O (Primary 3 days) Misc 8
4.00 g Fermaid-O (Primary 7 days) Misc 9
1.10 tsp Potasium Bicarbonate (Primary 10 days) Misc 10
68.25 ml Super-Kleer Finings (Secondary 0 min) Misc 11
0.40 tsp Potassium Metabisulfite (Secondary 0 min) Misc 12

Taste Notes

2/3 sugar break is 1.071

Notes

- Started late on 3/12/17 (morning of 3/13/17) - original gravity was target 1.146 and pH was 3.36 -- Added 1 tsp of K-Bicarb to raise pH - will check again in the morning - At 12 hours aerated again, pH was a healthy 3.65 and gravity still at 1.146, but foaming - At 24 hours, it was at 1.143, and pH was 3.57 - added Fermaid-O additive - Mid day on 3/14 - it was at 1.135 and pH = 3.5. Need to monitor pH as it appears to be dropping. - Late 3/14 - added second Fermaid-O, pH was at 3.46 (need to monitor) and sg = 1.124 - Mid 3/15 - pH holding at 3.55 - Late on 3/15 - added third Fermaid-O addition - Day 3.5 - at 1.085 and pH good at 3.67 - Day 4.5 - already hit 1/3 sugar break - can add Fermaid-O but I may want to throttle this one back just a bit (perhaps 1-2 grams) - Day 5.5 - at 1.059 - decided to add the full 4g Fermaid-O addition as it seems to be slowing a bit. - Day 14 - transferred to glass for clearing - will add the Superkleer in a day or two after it settles down. Current gravity is 1.036 - Day 15 - fermentation barely visible so I added clarity aid as it is also very close to FG - Day 16 - Added rest of the SuperKleer - Day 38 - Racked for aging and also added K-Meta to stabilize -- Flavor was very promising - complex and a bit tart - though still a bit hot - Day 77 - Kegged but it still needs just a hair more time as the flavor is pretty subtle. I think it will be good though!

Ratings

Beautiful After it Ages

by BeerSmith

This mead was a little understated and sweet at first, but after I let it age about 8 months the flavor changed and it really came into its own. Not it has a very nice cherry-alcohol-sweetness balance. Easy to drink.

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