GROUP BREW: Strawberry Mead

I am in if detailed instructions are provided. This will be my second attempt at mead. !st is a Medium Show Mead from Ken Schramm. Sounds very interesting.

Just another update...after that Crazy restart after racking 2 days ago....my carboy has now settled down and I am getting about 1 bubble every 3 or 4 minutes. Still a nice orangish/pink color, cloudy.

Dan

Wow..no posts lately here...how ya'll doin???? How's it look and smell? I assume you are all at the "aging" part now, so not much to talk about.

Looking good!

Sorry for the delay. I was out of town.

Racked to secondary.
SG 1.018
PH 3.7
Temp 68F
1-2 beats per 5 min. so almost done
Starting to clear with a nice rosey orangish pink kind of color. Taste is kinda hot as all young meads are. Nose is Strawberry through the front with a good hint of Goldenrod smell at the end. I am guessing thats from the late hervest honey.

All is well, now the slow drudge of aging it for 3 months before bottling.

9 days ago it was at 1.024, pH 3.5. It tasted of sour strawberry but was still drinkable.

I finally got a chance to rack to secondary tonight. Holy smokes! 1.001 and SUPER HOT!!! That puts my ABV at almost 18%! Yikes.

I think I'll put it on some more honey and strawberries in tertiary and age for a while longer. But we'll see how it tastes in three months.

9 pages of a group mead brew and no pr0n? Come on, where's the strawberry mead group pr0n?

I did a no-no by going straight to glass. But here is mine on day -1. I'll have to take a current photo.

wow. Have fun cleaning up that mess after you rack!

AZ_IPA said:

wow. Have fun cleaning up that mess after you rack!

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It's funny. Everyone said that, but it mostly went like a typical racking. :fro:

I have 2 separate 1 gallon batches (in glass carboy) going that I started about a week apart from eachother. I started the first batch in my basement and it took 4 days total to start seeing activity. I then moved it upstairs and started my second batch upstairs from the start. Anyways, they are both now at 1.030. This morning I removed the towel from the top and fitted airlocks. I am seeing a bubble every 2 seconds or so out of each of them. Are they ready to be racked at this point, or should I wait until they get closer to 1.015-1.020?

No updates lately? I still have my 2 separate 1 gallon batches in their primary carboy. I am going to rack them soon but am not sure how much I'll get out of each one. Both of them are about 1/3 filled with seeds and sludge at the bottom, and then have the layer or strawberries on the top.

Will I be better off to combine them to one carboy and avoid the sludge and seeds all together, or continue to keep them separate and top of with a lot of water?

Should I completely avoid sucking up the seeds?

Hi...Here's some mead porn for you! I racked this into the secondary on 02/01/10...so it's been here for 20 days now.

YoMamma.....do you think I should rack into a tertiary since there is over 3 inches of LEES on the bottom????

Oh..those other two gallon jugs are a grape mead, and my blood orange mead.

Knock, Knock, Knock....is anyone home???????????? (echo mode off)

Yeah it seems like no one else is reading this thread anymore. I wish I could help... but I don't know either

Hey gents (and ladies...if it fits),

I've been lurking on this thread, and hope to hear more. I'm due to deploy in a month or so. I plan on making this mead recipe and leaving it to age for the year I'll be gone.

All of your efforts have been very educational, but don't stop now.

Thanks.

LM

flyweed said:

Hi...Here's some mead porn for you! I racked this into the secondary on 02/01/10...so it's been here for 20 days now.

YoMamma.....do you think I should rack into a tertiary since there is over 3 inches of LEES on the bottom????

Oh..those other two gallon jugs are a grape mead, and my blood orange mead.

Click to expand...

Flyweed: Yes you should rack. Any time you get more than ~3/4" or so is the standard I've seen in books, but I'm sure 3" is way lots more than you'd really want your mead sitting on.

Yep yep.....racked it off that sludge the other day. I now have it sitting and clearing....tastes pretty good..but HOT!!!

Dan

bumpidy-bump!

How are things going?

I just picked up 3 lbs of fresh strawberries for $0.97/lb :rockin:

I'll be starting a one gallon batch soon:

3lbs strawberries
3lbs orange blossom honey
D47 (or 71B-1122, not sure yet)

Hey IZA....things are going well...or more appropriate..things are going quickly! I probably have about 1 gallon left of my strawberry mead out of the 5 that I kegged. Everyone LOVES it. This is probably now my new, ALL TIME favorite mead!! Yeah, it's that good. Such a wonderful strawberry nose never disappated at all. wonderful orangeblossom honey and strawberry taste..but potent. my father in law, who is a beer drinker, had 3 glasses the other night and he was slurring his words and walking funny. so it's potent. The color is a rusty orange, clear beverage that carbonation really does well with this one.

For anyone following this thread and hasn't pulled the trigger on this one DO IT!! follow the recipe to the "T" and you'll be MORE than happy with your creation. It's beautiful, it's wonderful...I am gonna make it again very very soon

Dan

Flyweed, you're drinking this already?

Yep, I am drinking now...it is very good. Hell, it tasted good right out of secondary..but a bit HOT....it is now almost 8 weeks since I racked it off the secondary and into a keg..I let it sit then for a few weeks at room temp..then chilled and force carbed. I think the original directions say to age for 6 weeks..mine has been over that...It is DAMN GOOD..thats all I gotta say man. I am drinking a glass right now.

Dan

any updates from anyone else? this stuff is SO good...it will be my next batch after my hard cider is out of the conical fermenter.

Mine's still "cooking"...

Been thinking about gettin' this mead on. Has anyone tried freeze dried strawberries? I think there are some decent prices right now on strawberries where i live, but i know where to get some freeze dried ones for a good price online...The freeze dried strawberries instructions say "Freeze Dried Strawberries can replace Fresh Prepared Strawberries at a rate of 10 to 1." ANY THOUGHTS?

Also, I plan on bulk aging in a 5 gallon carboy for several months before bottling--how long you thinkin' this mead should age in the bottle?

TPS

well, the lazy man has been rewarded. I was gonna make a gallon batch, but never got around to it. Fresh strawberries on sale this weekend for $0.88/lb!!!!

Once I get my honey, I'll be starting a five gallon batch!

Man....that's awesome....send some my way...I Have about 1/8 of my keg left of this, and my friends want MORE for the summer months...good thing there are some local Pick your own strawberry patches..where I can pick up 10-15 pounds for $15.00 or so..I have to make another 6 gallon batch of this stuff SOON...it is SOOOOOOOOOO good.

Poop - I'd say if you bottle right after the secondary....6 weeks and you'll be good to go. Let me ASSURE you that this stuff is absolutely wonderful to drink straight outta the secondary OR 6 weeks later...it is just dang good.

Dan

the strawberry sale is good through tuesday - I'm tempted to buy them out - if I have freezer space!

I am so happy to read that you all are enjoying this. I am currently brewing a 500 Gallon batch through Bnektar meadery. Most of you know who they are if not go to Bnektar.com and check us out or go to your mead retailer and ask for it by name. Same recipe and we sold out fast. So keep brewing there so many recipes like this one that are as simple and taste just as good. Try this same one with Rasberry's. MMMMMMMM

We had some flooding here in Nashville, so my meadery/brewery is temporarily out of service. I had about 30 gallons of 8 different batches that are ok now but had to be moved. I hope to try this one soon and see if it's ready, but things are still a bit hectic ATM.

yomamma...WOW...500 gallons...sweet!! I wouldn't be able to "convince" you to send me a bottle of your strawberry pizazz to compare with mine would you? I'd love to taste yours and see what (if any) differences there are.

Dan

YoMomma said:

I am so happy to read that you all are enjoying this. I am currently brewing a 500 Gallon batch through Bnektar meadery. Most of you know who they are if not go to Bnektar.com and check us out or go to your mead retailer and ask for it by name. Same recipe and we sold out fast. So keep brewing there so many recipes like this one that are as simple and taste just as good. Try this same one with Rasberry's. MMMMMMMM

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So are you renting their facilities or will it be released by BNektar? Just wondering because I wanted to do this group brew when it first appeared but I had ordered honey for my Blood Orange mead already. If you are willing to trade Flint isn't too far to go for me. I have my Blood Orange bottled in 1l flip tops.

Let me see what I can do. A trade is always welcome. Brad Dolhofer is the owner and Paul (uh brain fart) is his master brewer. I met them while helping to bottle there first batch. since then they both have helped me become, what I consider, seasoned mazer. The strawberry is such a hit with my friends and family that I took some down to the meadery and they loved it. Walla they wanted to brew it and its a hit for them as well. SO thats kinda sorta the story behind the brew. When it becomes available I will let ya all know or you can go to there website www.Bnektar.com and oreder it with others as well. Thank you all for the kind words *blush* LOL! :rockin:

Yomamma you still out there? anyone else still out there making this? has anyone tapped into theirs yet? My 5 gallon keg of this has been gone since about April. I have a primary of Cream Ale and Hard Cider going right now...but as soon as one is free..I am starting another batch of this strawberry mead..it was SOOOOOOO Good. everyone loved it. I purposely picked pounds and pounds of strawberries this past July and froze them, so I have plenty to make a new batch.

Hope to hear from some of you soon

Dan

I carbed 3 gallons and bottled. Haven't tried any yet. The other 2 gallons is aging in carboys. Don't know if I should carb or still bottle the rest. I think I'll crack open a bottle this weekend!

Flyweed, can you describe the flavor? Do you taste the strawberry? How pronounced?

sure I can describe it. It is a sweet (not cloyingly) but nice sweet, strawberry flavor...light bodied and crisp in the mouth. I can taste a hint of the orange blossom honey I used, but it's ALL about the strawberry! It smells and tastes of fresh strawberry. Don't let this light drink fool you...it is heavy on the alcohol...and put my father in law under the table after 3 wine glasses of it. WOWZA!

Dan

Thanks Dan. Sounds wonderfull-I'm going to have to give it a try.

yes you gotta really try this one.. I guarantee if you follow directions you'll LOVE the outcome...it'll be gone very quick...so hoard it!!!

I know i'm late to this game, but I just got into meadmaking.
Just bought my ingredients today, I'm excited for this one. I'm aging this one all winter in preparation for next summer. Mmmmm strawberries....

5 Gal
12# Wildflower
14# Frozen strawberries

Trying to decide on yeasts. either 71B, D47 or 1116