Group Brew: Cherry Vanilla Melomel 2/22/09 - Page 5

HarvInSTL · 02-18-2009, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poobah58

I bought concentrate. 16 oz concentrate plus 3.5 qts water makes 1 gal juice. Check my OP for link. You can get away with 2 gallons if you add more honey and dried tart cherries!

Hmm, I found this stuff that is $14.95/qt. But it says that 1qt makes 2 gallons. Decisions, decisions!

**Brandon O** · 02-19-2009, 05:57 AM

You guys inspired me to make some cherry and cherry/vanilla mead. It's pretty basic tho.

1.75 lbs orange blossom honey
2 cups fresh smashed up bing cherries, depitted.
1/2 teaspon nutrient
Water to one gallon
1/2 packet Lavlin K1-V1116

For the cherry vanilla mead I will add a 7inch tahitian vanilla bean from the oraganic vanilla bean company. I bought 10 they were such a good price compared to whole foods.

One gallon cherry.
One gallon cherry/vanilla.

robsauce · 02-19-2009, 03:39 PM

I'm going to have to opt out of this group brew mostly because of lack of ingredients available to me up here in the frozen north. I'll be making a modified variation of this recipe within a month (hopefully). Thanks to everyone involved for organizing this and I'll be looking forward to everyones progress

**Poobah58** · 02-19-2009, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarvInSTL

Holy hell! I just got back from Trader Joe's and my god this is going to be an expensive mead!
Here are the prices that I found at TJ's.
Dried tart cherries - $3.69/8oz
Dark sweet cherries - $3.29/6oz
Cherry juice - $3.99/32oz
The dried cherries aren't too bad, but that cherry juice is crazy! I don't feel like spending $48 for 3 gallons of cherry juice. Has anyone found it cheaper?

This post made me check my ingredients. I thought I had a full 1/2 gallon of concentrate in the freezer but forgot I used some. I still have enough for almost 3 gallons. Can't find my cherries! I think SWMBO is enjoying them in the nut mix! Oh well, back to TJ's today...

HarvInSTL · 02-19-2009, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poobah58

This post made me check my ingredients. I thought I had a full 1/2 gallon of concentrate in the freezer but forgot I used some. I still have enough for almost 3 gallons. Can't find my cherries! I think SWMBO is enjoying them in the nut mix! Oh well, back to TJ's today...

When you mix your concentrate can you tell me the gravity of just the juice?

I've got some cherry syrup that is just cherry juice and sugar, but i want to make sure that I mix it with enough water to have a proper gravity.

Thx!

**Poobah58** · 02-19-2009, 09:21 PM

16 oz concentrate + 96 oz water = 13.5 Brix (1.053)

**thataintchicken** · 02-20-2009, 01:36 AM

late to this thread...

will bash out a hardcore cherry vanilla mead so I can participate. I'll be using local Watsonvillle CA cherries.

HarvInSTL · 02-20-2009, 02:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poobah58

16 oz concentrate + 96 oz water = 13.5 Brix (1.053)

Thanks!

I added 1oz of Cherry Syrup & 7oz of water and got 11.0 Brix. Added a second oz of syrup and ended up at 19.0 Brix.

This syrup comes in 33oz bottles and should end up right about $5/gallon of juice!

Here is some more info on the syrup. http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f30/raspberry-syrup-72872/

**Poobah58** · 02-20-2009, 04:54 AM

Tony, No preservatives I assume?

**Poobah58** · 02-20-2009, 04:55 AM

Shawn, never too late!