I've got my first mead - a medium traditional - in secondary right now, and I'm ready to make my second. I'd like to do a pomegranate melomel.
Although I've been tweaking my beer kits for a long time, this is my first stab at making my own mead recipe. So I really appreciate any feedback anyone can give.
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8 lbs Greek honey
6 lbs wildflower honey
2 gal pomegranate juice (100% juice from concentrate, maybe POM brand?)
water to make 5 gallons
10 g Lalvin 71B-1122
Fermaid-K & DAP (staggered per hightest's nutrient schedule)
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A note about the Greek honey - I'm not sure what it's made from. I have 8 lbs of the stuff that I got from a family friend, and it came from Greece ... not marked for sale in the USA so it doesn't say what it's made from. I figure I'll just open it up, taste it, and use it if it tastes good. The rest of the honey I will get from local sources.
As for my expectations of the finished product ... I'd like it to come out medium sweet, with a noticeable pomegranate flavor and aroma, but not so much to make it too dry or mouth-puckering tart. I don't care as much about the color, but I'd rather it look mostly yellow or mostly rose rather than bright orange, LOL.
As for the yeast, I'm planning on going with the 71B-1122 because Ken Schramm recommends it for "dark fruit" melomels. From what I've read, it also leaves some residual sweetness and ages quickly. Can anyone confirm if this would be a good yeast for this recipe?
Also, if anyone thinks I'm way off (like if I need a lot more honey to get it sweeter, or a lot more juice to get any noticeable pom flavor) please let me know. Like I said, first time and I'm just makin' this up as I go ...
Although I've been tweaking my beer kits for a long time, this is my first stab at making my own mead recipe. So I really appreciate any feedback anyone can give.
--
8 lbs Greek honey
6 lbs wildflower honey
2 gal pomegranate juice (100% juice from concentrate, maybe POM brand?)
water to make 5 gallons
10 g Lalvin 71B-1122
Fermaid-K & DAP (staggered per hightest's nutrient schedule)
--
A note about the Greek honey - I'm not sure what it's made from. I have 8 lbs of the stuff that I got from a family friend, and it came from Greece ... not marked for sale in the USA so it doesn't say what it's made from. I figure I'll just open it up, taste it, and use it if it tastes good. The rest of the honey I will get from local sources.
As for my expectations of the finished product ... I'd like it to come out medium sweet, with a noticeable pomegranate flavor and aroma, but not so much to make it too dry or mouth-puckering tart. I don't care as much about the color, but I'd rather it look mostly yellow or mostly rose rather than bright orange, LOL.
As for the yeast, I'm planning on going with the 71B-1122 because Ken Schramm recommends it for "dark fruit" melomels. From what I've read, it also leaves some residual sweetness and ages quickly. Can anyone confirm if this would be a good yeast for this recipe?
Also, if anyone thinks I'm way off (like if I need a lot more honey to get it sweeter, or a lot more juice to get any noticeable pom flavor) please let me know. Like I said, first time and I'm just makin' this up as I go ...