CandleWineProject

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Admittely, I just did a batch up that was kind of by the seat of my pants.

I had some "cherry" juice (apple juice, cherry juice, cherry puree - you can taste the apple juice) that I got to wondering why I only bought three quarts of. So I went to the store and bought a can of Oregon Bing Cherries (cherries, water, sugar) and red tart cherries (cherries, water). Then I realized from Terry Geary's book that now had enough to me 1.75 gallons. I had asked before what to do with the juice in the wine forum, and people highly recommend adding honey. I started with a 5 lb clover honey jug and then weighed it when I was done at 3 lbs 12 oz, so I probably only added 1 lb with 2 quarts of water. SG was coming in around 10% (don't actually remember). Tasted it, and decided to pull up short on the water, but to add a tad bit of sugar to see if I could tone down the apple. Again, didn't really measure - maybe 1.5 cups. SG - 1.082 and it did taste better. Put k-meta in it and set it aside for the yeast pitch tomorrow.

I have three kinds of yeasts in the house at the moment, and admittedly, I don't know much about yeasts. I tend to just pitch Red Star Premier Cuvee every single time, but the last time I was at the store, I picked up K1-V1116 and 71B-1122. Which one would you use?

Recommendations have all suggested I let it go dry, which I will probably do and then try it out to see if I want to back sweeten any.

Bush_84

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http://www.gotmead.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1940&Ite mid=14

That seems to say that the 71B would be good.

LightningInABottle

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I'd go with the 71b. Unless you want it bone dry then go with either the Premier Cuvee or the K1V1116. The 71b will take it dry but less of the flavor will get fermented out.

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MedsenFey

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At a gravity of 1.082, any wine yeast will take it bone dry. I'm quite partial to K1V, but the 71B may give a result that is ready to drink faster.

TheRabidKumquat

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I made a cherry wine a couple years ago that I used 71B in. Was really happy with the results. I bumped the OG up to 1.100. It ended up at 1.010 and I think it was just right. It was a little thin bodied and could have used something more, but it was only a 1 gallon test batch.
I made a mead version about 8 months ago using Mesquite honey from Trader Joe's and RC212 yeast. With some help deciding on some oak to age it on (which it still is) it's turned the corner from young to a mead that is only getting more promising.

Sweet cherries can have an initial cough syrup like taste when fermented, which I believe Medsen has posted elsewhere that it will age out.

CandleWineProject

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Oye, I have had problems with this batch... See also http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f30/how-long-fruit-since-slow-start-163200/

Anyway, I got to percolating, and then it kind of seemed to stop. I didn't do anything about it, and would kind of swish it around every few days or so. This morning, I decide to move it the secondary and re-pitch Primer Cuvee. Oh yea of little faith. It was at 1.002.

Anyway, I did a sloppy job racking (didn't care if I got sediment) and took it off the fruit. Flavor is a bit eh. My third mouthful was when I finally thought cough syrup. But if it tastes like cough syrup now, I'm on the right track, right? Anyway, I'll let it hang out in secondary for awhile. Maybe even try a tish of vanilla. But I'm glad that the problem child finally got its act together to ferment.

Yan

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I don't like what K1V-1116 does to cherries. My favourite to use for cherries was always EC-1118. Left less of a wierd, estery and cough syrup like flavour and more of a... typical (but good) red wine flavour. But I never made a mead with cherries, and I never, ever make sweet wines or meads.