fretman124

Recipes 

Been brewing beer for a year. Made 20 gals of cider thats a hit with friends. So am now trying mead.

made the following

14 lbs blackberry honey
topped off to 5 gals with spring water
nutrient/DAP following directions
3 lbs frozen, pitted and chopped bing cherries in a mesh bag
2 packs D-47 yeast

OG was 1071

All signs of fermentation was gone in two weeks. Checked gravity again and it was 1010, so I'm assuming its done. Very cloudy, kind of bitter

I want to rack onto another 3 lbs of the same cherries. Should I use campden tablets first? Or just rack and let the residual yeast burn up the cherry sugar?

I'm prepared to rack every month or two for the next year.

thanx fo da hep

Iordz

Recipes 

Mazers will use potassium sorbate to stabilize mead, not campden tablets. It all depends on the level of residual sweetness you are going for. If you want the sweetness of the cherries add the sorbate so that the sugars can’t be fermented; if you want the mead to be dry don't add the sorbate and allow the remaining yeast to ferment the sugars.
Personally, I like dry mead, so I wouldn't sorbate. I don't like using any preservatives, so I stay away from campden tablets. Its all about preference.