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flyweed · 11-11-2008, 09:01 PM

Hi all.

I thought I'd post this recipe for a great Sweet Raspberry Mead. I just did a second racking on mine and it's clearing very nicely as you can see from this pic:

Here's the recipe (Makes 1 gallon)
Yeast - 1 packet EC-1118
1 gallon Spring water (will not use it all) to make up 1 gallon when mixed with honey
4.5 lbs Wildflower Honey
12 oz. red raspberries
juice of 1 fresh lemon (not bottled)
juice of 1 fresh lime
3 TBS - strong english tea (earl grey)
1 tsp - yeast nutrient

Combine all ingredients. Rack off raspberries after 1 week. I racked twice, once again just today 11/11/08.

Clearing very nicely, nice aroma, and sweet raspberry/honey taste...a bit of alcohol bite right now, but will age out I think, because it's not really predominant. Has a nice dark pink color and legs that climb up the glass already.

Dan

Liquisky · 11-11-2008, 10:15 PM

Looks interesting, what was your starting gravity, what is it now. 4.5# of honey should exceed the 18% tolerability of the EC-1118 (not to mention the sugar in the rasberries). Is it cloyingly sweet?

**BigKahuna** · 11-11-2008, 10:19 PM

Nice.

Nice and clear.

flyweed · 11-12-2008, 12:48 AM

Liquisky, I don't know what the S.G. was..I forgot to take a reading when I started it. I will say it IS a sweet mead..but it isn't overwhelmingly sweet. the gravity right now is 1.070

I think I may carbonate this one..seeing as sweet and fruity as it is...I think it would be better sparkling.

Dan

Liquisky · 11-12-2008, 02:26 AM

It looks great, I'll have to try this one.

flyweed · 11-12-2008, 03:59 AM

I would say if you don't like it really sweet...cut the honey back to maybe 3.5 pounds or so. I think if I make it again, I'll do that, but go with 1 pound of raspberries and see if I can eek out just a bit more raspberry in the final taste. It's not bad now, but I'd like it just a tad stronger in the raspberry department

Dan

**Bobby_M** · 11-12-2008, 04:02 AM

I just made a one gallon test batch with 2.5 pounds of basswood honey and 12oz of frozen raspberries pureed in the blender first. Typical honey ratios are 12-15lbs per 5 gallon batch so 1 gallon would call for 2.5-3 pounds. It needs to ferment for a while longer but I'll check back in.

summersolstice · 11-12-2008, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyweed

Liquisky, I don't know what the S.G. was..I forgot to take a reading when I started it. I will say it IS a sweet mead..but it isn't overwhelmingly sweet. the gravity right now is 1.070

Dan

How old is this mead? 1.070 should be very, very sweet and not even half fermented. Perhaps the acid in the primary and the high SG hindered the fermentation somewhat.

flyweed · 11-12-2008, 05:47 PM

This mead was made on 9/27/08. First racking off the Raspberries was 10/18/08 and second racking to clear remaining particles and sediment was 11/11/08 and is where I am at now.

I will say that the fermentation was VERY active and almost exactly the length of time that the "creator" of this recipe said it would.

The guy I got this recipe from has been a mead maker for years and years now, so I trust he really knows what he is doing. He has produced some very very nice meads that I have tasted.

I am going to keep an eye on the S.G. over the next few weeks and see if it continues to drop.

Dan

summersolstice · 11-12-2008, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyweed

This mead was made on 9/27/08. First racking off the Raspberries was 10/18/08 and second racking to clear remaining particles and sediment was 11/11/08 and is where I am at now.

I will say that the fermentation was VERY active and almost exactly the length of time that the "creator" of this recipe said it would.

The guy I got this recipe from has been a mead maker for years and years now, so I trust he really knows what he is doing. He has produced some very very nice meads that I have tasted.

I am going to keep an eye on the S.G. over the next few weeks and see if it continues to drop.

Dan

I'm not questioning the skills of the gentleman designing your recipe. I am saying that 4.5 pounds of honey is almost a half gallon and that would make it, without the addition of raspberries, 50% honey and 50% water. This is a very high SG mixture that would require very intense fermentation management (stepped nutrient additions in the proper amounts and aggressive aeration and oxygen addition early in the fermentation process) or, as you have found out, the fermentaion process could take months, resulting in off odors and flavors and perhaps even a stalled fermentation that would invite spoilage organisms.

1.070 means that there's still a long way to go before this fermentation is complete. Most finish at 1.010 or below. A sweet mead is anything over 1.020 and I've seen a lot of meads that started out at not much higher than your 1.070. Good luck and, as you say, just keep an eye on it and don't try bottling too soon.