Blueberry Mead procedure help

*** Finale recipe modified from 1 to 3 gallons ***

Batch: 3 gallon (OG 1.100)
96 oz Blueberry Juice
12 oz Pomegranate Juice Concentrate
7 lbs Clover Honey
0.5 tsp Pectic Enzyme
2.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient
1.00 tsp Yeast Energizer
3 Campden Tablets
3 lb Frozen Blueberries (secondary)
1# Blueberry Honey/Juice (2nd rack)
Lalvin EC-1118 yeast

1. Mix honey with hot water. Shake vigorously add to carboy.
2. Add three 32-oz bottles of Blueberry Juice.
3. Add one 12-oz bottle concentrated Pomegranate juice.
3. Top off with warm water (OG 1.100).
4. Add 3 crushed campden tablets.
5. 12 hrs later: Add pectic, energizer, nutrient.
6. 12 hrs later: Aerate must and add rehydrated yeast. Stir once daily for 5-7 days (until SG =1.050).
7. Add yeast energizer and nutrient on days 1, 2 & 5 and stir well.
8. Secondary when SG = 1.000.
9. Rack onto frozen and thawed blueberries and top off with blueberry juice/honey.
10. Secondary for 2 months then bottle. Let age 1 year.

Poobah58 - Pomegranate juice? Where did you get that?
The recipe looks killer, a lot more fruit than I like to use, and usually I like to have the mead fermenting well, slowing down, then add the "bombed fruit" after 24 hours soaking with Camden tablets.
Active fermentation tends to drive off the flavors of the fruits, so I tend to add them later. Also, just to clarify. I do not go for heavy fruit flavors, I want the hint and slight taste. If I can actually taste it, I'm over satisfied if that's possible.

Kahuna, I found the pomegranate in Whole Foods. I added it for some tartness. The blueberries will be added to secondary, like on day 60. I have 3 gallons of traditional mead going. This is a 1 gallon experiment. I will taste after primary and then determine if I need the dried blueberries. By too much fruit do you mean the blueberries or the juice? If it's over the top with fruit I could cut it with some of the Traditional mead.

Thought about what Kahuna said. I have never done a fruited mead before. Maybe I should take it a little slow. I modified the recipe to 3 gallons by adding honey water and a little more juice. Will keep progress posted.

Came in a 1.100 and she's percolating already!
Day 2: Down to 1.070. Added energizer & nutrient. Will stir at least once a day until day 7...

It's down to 1.000 in only 10 days! Gotta love the staggered nutrient method. BTW it tastes wonderful. Will rack on top of 3# blueberries next week.

Good man, bet it tastes great. It will only get better too!

Racked this puppy today. Down to 0.991 (used refractometer). Taste is terrific. This is going to be awesome! Topped of with about 20 oz Blueberry/Pomegranate juice mixed with 1# Blueberry Honey.

Poobah58 said:

...Down to 0.991 (used refractometer)...

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Did you remember to use some form of correction for the presence of alcohol?

hightest said:

Did you remember to use some form of correction for the presence of alcohol?

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Yes, I use Brewsmith to do the calculation for me. OG was 1.100, new Brix = 8. Calculated SG = 0.991...

Technically, this is a melomel. Mead typically only contains honey.

Semantics aside, the recipe looks quite tasty!

Poobah58 said:

Yes, I use Brewsmith to do the calculation for me. OG was 1.100, new Brix = 8. Calculated SG = 0.991...

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Great! Just checking - not everyone knows the reading needs to be corrected once fermentation begins...

FWIW, using your data, my calc came out to 0.990 - right in the ball park!

Yuri_Rage said:

Technically, this is a melomel. Mead typically only contains honey.

Semantics aside, the recipe looks quite tasty!

Click to expand...

Correct! I just hate that word... Melomel. Who came up with that anyway. Only mead makers know what the hell it is. The average Joe might know what a mead is, but a Melomel???

Bottled this one today. It's drinkable right now and is fantastic!