Prickly Pear Mead Questions

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Brobi593

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Being in Texas, it is prickly pear season and I just ordered some mesquite honey. This will he my first mead and I have some questions:

1. Do I have to boil the fruit or can I just pasteurize it? I don't want to set the pectin but I'm worried about the mouthfeel of the end result if I do not boil. I'm not using the whole fruit, just the innards.

2. Has anyone used the champagne/sherry yeast mixture? If so, do I add the sherry yeast to the secondary as suggested by white labs? Is the combination of yeasts a preferred flavor?

3. Any other tips or tricks for a first time brewer?
 
1. Pasteurize will be fine.
2. No.
3. I would add about 7-10# of pears for a typical 5-gallon (about 10% or 10# of honey) batch, seeing as pear is a subtle tasting fruit to begin with.
 
Would doing an additional fruit in the secondary be a good idea to impart more of the flavor of the cactus since its so light on flavor?

This is one I want to try too... maybe with a different varietal though.
 
Would doing an additional fruit in the secondary be a good idea to impart more of the flavor of the cactus since its so light on flavor?

This is one I want to try too... maybe with a different varietal though.

It wouldn't hurt. I've been using frozen concentrate in 12 oz plastic containers to great affect for this. I add 3 or so 12 oz containers for a 5 gallon batch. If you don't want to use this technique, I would add about 1# of pear juice in the secondary.
 
1. Pasteurize will be fine.
2. No.
3. I would add about 7-10# of pears for a typical 5-gallon (about 10% or 10# of honey) batch, seeing as pear is a subtle tasting fruit to begin with.

Not sure which avidhomebrewer is referring to, but to avoid confusion, prickly pears and pears are completely different fruits. Prickly pears grow on cactus.

Some people boil prickly pears and some don't. Charlie Papazian made prickly pear mead famous. He boils the fruit first. I believe he does it because prickly pears can be kinda slimy, which can affect mouthfeel. I've made a few prickly pear meads. I boil the fruit and add pectic enzyme after cooling. I also prefer this sweet, so I use about 20 lbs honey in 5 gallons. The first, and best, one I made had an OG of 1.164.
 
I use prickly pear (tunas) fruit differently. For primary I use the whole fruit (without skin) after freezing them. Let them unthaw in the primary bucket, the juice really comes out. In secondary I top it off with prickly pear juice. The juice is the frozen tunas thawed and brought up to boil and then mashed with a potato masher thru a sieve. I use 15 tunas per gallon for primary and 5 tunas (juice only) for secondary. I strongly recommend lemon zest and lemon juice in the must. It really highlights the prickly pear flavor. 3-5 lemons per 5 gallons. My yard has a ton of these to pick!! Time for a 5 gallon batch.
 
Put it in the primary last night.

5.75 # puréed and strained prickly pear.
18 # Mesquite Honey

O.G. 1.120
 
I'm just about to make a batch of prickly pear mead myself. Anyone have a good source for bulk mesquite honey? I found one, but they don't ship to CA.

Edit: Just found a vendor on ebay that was selling 3 gal. bottles.
 
Home brewers outpost is where I bought my mesquite. They have 11.75 # bottles
 
I just checked my mead brewed last night and my airlock has zero activity. I know the temp was good when I pitched and I used nutrient and energizer. I have another batch I brewed last night with the same problem. Two different packs of yeast....I'm not sure what to do
 
chronlord said:
I'm just about to make a batch of prickly pear mead myself. Anyone have a good source for bulk mesquite honey? I found one, but they don't ship to CA.

Edit: Just found a vendor on ebay that was selling 3 gal. bottles.

I get my mesquite honey at a local Costco in AZ. 6 lbs. bottles Can't remember the exact cost but it was very resonable.
 
Home brewers outpost is where I bought my mesquite. They have 11.75 # bottles

Nice, thanks for the lead, Brobi. Home Brewer's Outpost are charging about half of what I paid for year-old honey on ebay. So, I contacted the seller and asked if he'd consider canceling my order (I've never done this, but I figure the worst he can say is no).


@MrDillon5: From what I've read, it's Mesquite Honey season in AZ right now, so that probably explains why Costco is stocking it? I'll check my local Cosctco here in CA.


Cheers! :mug:
 
Put it in the primary last night.

5.75 # puréed and strained prickly pear.
18 # Mesquite Honey

O.G. 1.120

I just checked my mead brewed last night and my airlock has zero activity. I know the temp was good when I pitched and I used nutrient and energizer. I have another batch I brewed last night with the same problem. Two different packs of yeast....I'm not sure what to do

Both of these were posted on the 28th, so I'm not seeing your problem. Yeast doesn't take off in a few seconds - I've had batches take 2 or 3 days to really get going. To reduce this time, aerate like crazy - I use a lees stirrer on my drill to whip up the must for like 5 minutes before I pitch. Others oxygenate with a tank and oxygen stone, others use an aquarium pump (not recommended, lees stirrer is just as good/better says the studies), and others shake the hell out of the carboy.

Regardless, start freaking out a couple days from now. Definitely shake it up and stir it in the mean time though, it helps the yeasties get going.

:mug:

EDIT - Just realized today is the 1st, lol. Has your airlock gotten going yet?
 
Zabuza said:
Both of these were posted on the 28th, so I'm not seeing your problem. Yeast doesn't take off in a few seconds - I've had batches take 2 or 3 days to really get going. To reduce this time, aerate like crazy - I use a lees stirrer on my drill to whip up the must for like 5 minutes before I pitch. Others oxygenate with a tank and oxygen stone, others use an aquarium pump (not recommended, lees stirrer is just as good/better says the studies), and others shake the hell out of the carboy.

Regardless, start freaking out a couple days from now. Definitely shake it up and stir it in the mean time though, it helps the yeasties get going.

:mug:

EDIT - Just realized today is the 1st, lol. Has your airlock gotten going yet?

Airlock is still stagnant but it sounds like its boiling inside the bucket.
 
That sounds rather weird. If it sounds like its boiling, that good, but that airlock should really be bubbling in that case. Maybe the lid didn't form a perfect seal? Sometimes I don't get the lid all the way down on the bucket as those lids can be sorta tight. Busted gasket on the lid rim or for the airlock? Might wanna pour some soapy water (very little) around the airlock gasket to see if it's leaking.
 
That sounds rather weird. If it sounds like its boiling, that good, but that airlock should really be bubbling in that case. Maybe the lid didn't form a perfect seal? Sometimes I don't get the lid all the way down on the bucket as those lids can be sorta tight. Busted gasket on the lid rim or for the airlock? Might wanna pour some soapy water (very little) around the airlock gasket to see if it's leaking.

I'd also check the level of liquid IN the airlock. As I'm sure you're aware, the liquid level can drop to a point where CO2 escapes through the airlock without having to bubble up through the liquid.
 
chronlord said:
I'd also check the level of liquid IN the airlock. As I'm sure you're aware, the liquid level can drop to a point where CO2 escapes through the airlock without having to bubble up through the liquid.

The airlock liquid is fine from what I've been told. I think I might have a bad gasket somewhere. I'll check it when I don't have a batch in the bucket. I'm afraid if I check it now I might get contaminates in the batch some how. I had an experienced brewer friend check it a couple days after I brewed and it has the Krausen layer. I think it's brewing fine, just a leak somewhere.
 
@Brobi: Sounds like everything will turn out fine.

A little OT, but: So, I've been promising to make a prickly pear mead for the past couple years and I never get around to sourcing any fresh prickly pears (which grow in abundance in my area). So, when I moved into my new house a few months ago I was delighted to see that the previous owner had nurtured a huge Prickly Pear Cactus near the horse stable (I live on a horse ranch). For the past three months I've watched the "tunas" grow with much excitement -- these tunas are HUGE and beautiful ... about half have turned red. I was going to harvest them in a week or so .... UNTIL I noticed that one of the Ranch employees dumped a tractor load of ****in horse manure right on top of the beautiful, ripe fruit. I took a leaf blower to try and blow the manure off the fruit, which worked well. Luckily, most of the fruit was un-tainted, but they'll take longer to ripen (still green). Anyway, there's my random prickly pear story for the day. :off::D
 
So at first the smell coming from my prickly pear bucket was delicious. Now it is starting to smell funny. This is my first batch so I'm not sure if it's just the fruit inside decomposing or if I have another issue. With the way this batch started, I want to make sure I catch any potential problems before its too late.

Smell might be a little sulfury. Maybe it's just me. How do I check it to make sure?
 
@Brobi: Sounds like everything will turn out fine.

A little OT, but: So, I've been promising to make a prickly pear mead for the past couple years and I never get around to sourcing any fresh prickly pears (which grow in abundance in my area). So, when I moved into my new house a few months ago I was delighted to see that the previous owner had nurtured a huge Prickly Pear Cactus near the horse stable (I live on a horse ranch). For the past three months I've watched the "tunas" grow with much excitement -- these tunas are HUGE and beautiful ... about half have turned red. I was going to harvest them in a week or so .... UNTIL I noticed that one of the Ranch employees dumped a tractor load of ****in horse manure right on top of the beautiful, ripe fruit. I took a leaf blower to try and blow the manure off the fruit, which worked well. Luckily, most of the fruit was un-tainted, but they'll take longer to ripen (still green). Anyway, there's my random prickly pear story for the day. :off::D

Just a word of warning, make sure the shoes and gloves you use to harvest in are not brought into your house or you will end up with invisible stickers everywhere. Trial by fire here.

I just put my prickly pear mead in tertiary with some lemon peel and juice today. It has been in secondary for 2.5 years. It is good but I think it can get better.
 
Just a word of warning, make sure the shoes and gloves you use to harvest in are not brought into your house or you will end up with invisible stickers everywhere. Trial by fire here.

I just put my prickly pear mead in tertiary with some lemon peel and juice today. It has been in secondary for 2.5 years. It is good but I think it can get better.

Holy smokes, 2.5 years in secondary. Surely you have the patience of a ... MeadWitch? ;)

Thanks for the warning about the stickers. I picked one with leather gloves a week ago, brought it in my house, skinned and ate it. The next morning, despite my precautions, I had a few of those tiny stickers embedded in my fingers. Maybe I'll do the peeling and processing outside ...
 
Finally bottled the prickly pear mead. For my first batch ever, it turned out really well IMHO. Thanks to everyone who gave advice on the problems I had at the beginning. Now I'm five batches In and hooked.
 
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