Cherry Mead Questions

**Poobah58** · 12-14-2008, 01:53 PM

Need some advice from some of you mead experts.

I'm making what I think will be a quick cherry mead. I did not heat or sulfite or use pectin. I'm hoping to bottle (and consume) in 3 months or so:

1 gallon cherry juice
2 lbs honey
1118 yeast w/Go-Ferm
yeast nutrients & DAP

My questions:
1. Don't know the acidity level of cherries. Will I need any acid blend?
2 I know cherries are tart. Will I need any tannin?
3. If I add raisins to secondary will this no longer be a quick mead and take 6 months or so?

hightest · 12-14-2008, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poobah58

My questions:
1. Don't know the acidity level of cherries. Will I need any acid blend?
2 I know cherries are tart. Will I need any tannin?
3. If I add raisins to secondary will this no longer be a quick mead and take 6 months or so?

#1, I always wait until fermentation is completed before I condsider any form of acid addition, which in my case is rare.
#2) I'm curious about the association you have with tartness and the need consider adding tannin, which itself is a source of bitterness (astrigency).

Considering that I do not make "quick" mead I'm not in a position to offer comments on #3...

**Poobah58** · 12-14-2008, 11:51 PM

Thanks for your response. I have seen quite a few recipes using cherries and a few of them used tannin. I just assumed it was to balance the tartness.

I was hoping by using juice (n lieu of fruit) things would progress a little faster. I have 12 gallons of other mead aging right now but won't be bottled until next fall. I was hoping to make a quickie that could tie me over!