JedSmithBrewery

Recipes 

Hey guys, Just made my first "Mead". It is 2# of clover honey dissolved into 40 oz of blueberry juice and enough unfiltered apple juice to make 1 gallon. I also added the juice of 1/2 a lime. Pitched Cote des Blancs with 1/2 tsp of nutrient.

Really nice dark color in the carboy and a few hours later there are a few bubbles coming to the top of the jug.

How do you guys think that this will turn out? I am hoping that it will be a nice complex full bodied mead.

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Primary: Blueberry Cyser

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Kauai_Kahuna

Recipes 

Never tried a recipe like that, but it will be a light, and dry mead with only 2 lbs of honey. You may want to consider adding another pound. Then let it ferment out completely and then back sweeten if needed.
In any case, it sounds good.

MedsenFey

Recipes 

Actually you may not end up dry depending on the sugar level of the apple and blueberry juices. The two pounds of honey in a gallon would give a gravity of roughly 1.070, and the fruit juices could easily provide another 30-40 gravity points which might be enough to keep it semi-sweet. The easiest way to know is by your starting gravity. Did you measure the gravity?

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MikeRLynch

Recipes 

Sounds good, but the lime? Interesting addition. I have a feeling it was intended for acidity, but the flavor combo should be unique. Post some tasting notes!

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JedSmithBrewery

Recipes 

Indeed you are correct MikeRLynch, I thought that I would need the lime for acidity because so many recipes call for acid blend. The blueberry juice was pretty acidic though so I hope it isn't going to be too sour. If it ends up too sour should I undergo malolactic fermentation or am I getting ahead of myself?

I will definitely post tasting notes though.

How long would you guys recommend that I age this bad boy before I try it? ( I didn't do starting gravity, sorry I hate to waste the liquid on a gravity sample for a 1 gallon batch ).

__________________
"I think this would be a good time for beer."
-FDR upon repealing prohibition

Primary: Blueberry Cyser

Bottled: Brandon O's Graff

MedsenFey

Recipes 

Who said anything about wasting liquid? You mix up a batch. You take a sample for gravity. You pour that sample back in (in isn't going to contaminate the batch). Then you pitch yeast. If you don't know where you started, it's really hard to know what to expect along the way, and it is even harder to reproduce a batch that you like. I would always encourage folks to get a starting gravity.

As for aging, that will depend on your tastes, and whether or not it ends a little sweet. If it finishes up dry, it will probably be at least 6 to 12 months for it to develop properly. If it finishes up a little sweet, it may be pleasant much sooner.

__________________
"Our results are merely the result of carefully managing the transformation of bee spit into yeast excrement."
--- Wayneb