My melomel

So after making 2 batches of JAOM I wanted to release my inner tweaker. Of course I didn't tweak a whole lot but I wanted to make some changes nonetheless. So here we go. Any feedback is appreciated.

1 Nectarine
5 Strawberries
2 handfuls of blueberries
1 small box of raisins (for the yeast to eat more)
3lbs of clover honey
1 package of fleischmann's yeast

~rev3rb

You will need more strawberries to get some flavor

good to know thanks!

It looks really good. A nice fruit medley of a mead if you will. Mmmmm.

I was able to add another handful of strawberries. Had to since the ... what's the wine version of krausen? started leaking through the airlock, so I had another one in waiting, added the strawberries and replaced the airlock. Seems to be doing ok but the fermentation is crazy active. Keeping an eye on it ha!

That happens a lot with fruit in the primary and strawberries seem to top the list of mead eruptions.

Downside of strawberries I've seen and heard is they don't impart a ton of flavor in primary, since you're veering off the JAOM road, I'll guess that you plan on racking into a secondary, that'd be a good time to add more strawberries, it'll really ramp up the amount of flavor you end up with, could really add some more of all of your fruits to get more flavor.

You're gonna have a very nice color in the end with the blueberries and strawberries.

I hadn't really thought that far about racking into the secondary. Guess it's a good thought though if I want to add some more strawberries in the second. If I were to do that, which I probably will, is a month a good amount of time in the primary you think?

I brewed a batch of IPA several months ago. Had so much pressure it blew the lid off the primary bucket. Had to fashion a blow off tube using my airlock and a syphon so that I could sleep through the night and make it to work the next day. Couldn't do anything but laugh if I didn't make it in. "uh yeah I'm calling in sick because my beer kept me up all night" yeah that wouldn't fly.

I've sort of gotten in the habit of starting with a blow off tube for the first few days on everything I make now, recently had a chai blend tea metheglin that went nuts the first few days so its not just fruit that does it.

As far as a time frame in primary, it's hard to say, some ferments last days, some weeks, some longer. Your best most accurate way of knowing is use a hydrometer, once it seems like all activity is done, start taking readings and once you have at least three that are the same with a span of a few days to a week inbetween them then you know fermentation is basically done.

Once you reach this point you have two options.

First, some just like to add the adjuncts (fruits, spices, etc.) right into the primary fermenter and let the flavorings steep in there to save a step of racking.

Second, my preferred method, rack off the gross lees of the primary into a secondary onto your fruit or what have you.

But yeah, use a hydrometer, listen to the mead, it'll tell you when to proceed.