I think it is important that you need to realize that you can do a lot with honey, water and yeast. You can add spices, herbs, and fruits. I started with the one that many start with JMAO---used a good quality local wildflower honey---followed the instructions to a "T" and hated it. Ended up up adding chocolate at the end and now have something I enjoy. They key: find what you will enjoy (and use a good quality honey)!
But when I made my absolute first batch of Raspberry Melomel I was in heaven! Friends went crazy for it, a good GF and her fiance' asked me to make it for their beach wedding (which was last weekend and not one drop of 5 gallons remains). So here is my recipe in a 1-gallon batch format:
Recipe for 1 gallon batch
2 pounds frozen red raspberries, thawed
2 11oz containers 100% fruit Apple-Raspberry frozen concentrate, thawed
Honey (have 5 pounds on hand...use 2 pounds initially & add more as needed to reach target starting S.G.)
2 tsp pectic enzyme
1/8 tsp yeast nutrient (with yeast starter and Day3)
1/8 tsp yeast energizer (on Day 3, Day 5 and Day 7)
1 gallon distilled water (added in 64oz-32oz-32oz increments)
Red Star® Côte des Blancs (ferment temp 64F-86F) or Premier Cuvee (ferment temp 45F-95F)
k-meta
potassium sorbate
It is a given that cleaning AND sanitization of all equipment has been completed before starting.
1. In a non-aluminum container heat 64 ounces of distilled water so it is just warm enough for 2 pounds of the honey to dissolve, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. DO NOT BOIL THE HONEY-WATER.
2. While the honey-water is cooling, place the thawed/room temperature berries in the bottom of your primary container (use a wide mouth container with at least 1.5 times the volume of your finished wine, as this allows large surface area for yeast to access oxygen, ease of stirring & excess headspace in the case of a violent fermentation with a lot of foaming). When the honey-water is room temperature add to the primary and then add the concentrate, pectic enzyme and 0.14 grams of potassium metabisulfite. Add 32 ounces of room temperature distilled water. Stir quite well. Document the SG reading & temperature (remember you should be close to/at room temperature at this time). Cover to keep foreign matter out and allow this to rest for 24 hours.
3. After 24 hours, check the S.G.....add 28 ounces of room temperature distilled water & add additional honey to reach a S.G. of 1.085-1.095. A rough estimate is that 1/2 cup of honey will increase the S.G. of one gallon by 0.010.
4. Make a yeast starter by pouring the remainder of your gallon of water---4 ounces (120 mL) of lukewarm distilled water plus 1 tablespoon of honey into a bowl. Sprinkle in the yeast and yeast nutrient and let proliferate for 30 minutes. Add the yeast starter to the must and stir well. Cover the container to keep foreign matter out, but allow air exchange. THIS IS DAY #1.
5. While in the primary container you will want to stir from the bottom of the container for 2-3 minutes each morning/evening--stir gently, but strongly enough that you actually notice a whirlpool develop; during this time you will want to "punch down" any fruit that is floating. Don't forget to take a hydrometer reading at the same time each day & document the S.G. and temperature plus any notes you would like to recall for future batches. Stir in 1/8th teaspoon of the yeast nutrient on Day 3 & 1/8th teaspoon of yeast energizer on Day#3-#5-#7. Do not panic if while in the primary the wine develops a rotten egg smell, the wine needs more oxygen--open primary and stir well for 2-3 minutes, creating a gentle whirlpool OR transfer to a different primary and back to original primary. The intermittent addition of nutrient/energizer will also help ensure the health and wellness of the yeast.
**Remove the raspberries no later than Day 4 (Day 1 is the day the yeast was added)**
6. When the specific gravity has reached 1.020 or lower (commonly occurs within 3-5 days), its time to rack the wine off of the sediment into a clean, sanitized carboy. If the berries have not yet been removed from the must, remove at this time--do NOT transfer the fruit to the secondary. Siphon the must from the fermentation container into a clean sanitized glass carboy and fill up to the lip of the carboy. Insert a sanitized rubber bung and airlock into the container opening. **You SHOULD have more than 1 gallon of mead, so it is recommended that you put the extra wine in wine bottles which will serve as the carboy. If you don't have bungs/airlocks for wine bottles you can use a latex balloon (it will inflate as the CO2 is produced, when the balloon deflates it typically means that CO2 is no longer being produced). The wine from the wine bottle carboy will be used for "topping up" during future racking.
Again, do NOT panic if you notice a "rotten egg" smell in the carboy---remove the bung and stir the wine well, creating a mild whirlpool, for 2-3 minutes, and then gently transfer, preferably with a siphon hose, to another container and then back to the original carboy and secure the airlock. This "splash racking" helps resolve this issue. Some people even clean/sanitize 3-5 copper pennies per gallon and place them in the bottom of the receiving carboy--transfer wine to this carboy with pennies--and then transfer the wine back to the original carboy. (A piece of clean/sanitized copper tubing with the wine splash racking onto it will serve the same purpose). Just do not leave the copper in the wine.
7. Place the wine in an area where the temperature is maintained at the lower side of the temperature range indicated for the yeast you are using. In 4 weeks rack off any sediment and transfer to a clean, sanitized carboy, apply airlock. Do the same thing with the extra wine in the wine bottle carboy(s)--and you can use this wine to "top up" your gallon carboy. Document the S.G. readings of the wine at this time. Remember, when there is no change in the S.G. reading for three consecutive days at 70F your "FINAL S.G." can now be documented. (The temperature, starting S.G. and final S.G. will help you calculate the alcohol content (
http://dd26943.com/davesdreaded/tools/convert.htm).
8. After the racking at the four-week point in #7 you will have to rack a few more times before complete clearing is evident; just repeat the steps in #7 (except now you will rack every 60-90 days). You also will not need to monitor the S.G. once you have determined the FINAL S.G.
9. To maintain adequate SO2 levels, at least once in a 90 day time frame, dose the wine with 0.14 grams of potassium metabisulfite. If you rack the wine every 90 days, then you can dose with k-meta at the same time. Note: If this were an all honey mead (with no fruit) I would not even use SO2, but since there is a fruit component involved I prefer to use a light hand where the SO2 is concerned.
9. When the wine is crystal clear and no longer dropping sediment after being racked, proceed with back-sweetening. Add 0.14 grams of potassium metabisulfite PLUS 1.4 grams (1/2 teaspoon) of potassium sorbate to your clear/sediment-free gallon of wine and then back-sweeten to taste...1.015 is a favorite for this melomel. Remember that 1/2 cup sugar will increase the S.G. of one gallon by 0.010...honey is usually the same. Clear bottles are recommended to properly showcase the beautiful color of the wine. Filtering is optional.
This recipe has consistently been ready to serve as early as 7 months from the time you started it; but it consistently gets better as it ages. Amazing with a shot of Godiva Chocolate Liqueur or premium vodka added, but delicious as it is!
