Fruit additions

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Southside

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Hi everyone I'm new here to this forum. I wading through the posts here looking for an answer to my question and didnt see it. I have just made my first mead on the 11th of Nov. Ingredients are 10.5lbs local clover honey (I kept 1.5 lbs to back sweeten), yeast nutrients, champagne yeast, water to top off to 4.5 gallons.... OG 1.108. I did 4.5 gallons so after the primary stops I can transfer and add fruit... a bunch of mixed berries.

Here's the question. Do I just add the berries whole? smash them up? puree them?

I will be adding some fresh and frozen. Im also guessing wash fresh berries good to remove any "wild stuff".

Thank you for any help :)
 
Southside said:
Hi everyone I'm new here to this forum. I wading through the posts here looking for an answer to my question and didnt see it. I have just made my first mead on the 11th of Nov. Ingredients are 10.5lbs local clover honey (I kept 1.5 lbs to back sweeten), yeast nutrients, champagne yeast, water to top off to 4.5 gallons.... OG 1.108. I did 4.5 gallons so after the primary stops I can transfer and add fruit... a bunch of mixed berries.

Here's the question. Do I just add the berries whole? smash them up? puree them?

I will be adding some fresh and frozen. Im also guessing wash fresh berries good to remove any "wild stuff".

Thank you for any help :)
Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum! :mug:

Since you're adding your berries in the secondary - your mead is already going to have enough alcohol to over power anything. So, you can get by with just a little smashing. Some people like to freeze and thaw a couple of times to help break down cell walls and then give a smash. Just make sure the fruit is clean.

what kind of berriers are you going to add?
 
Awesome, thanks guys!

I looking at adding a mixed berry. maybe rasberry, blackberry. my buddy has a ton of frozen blackberries from his back yard. he gave some to me and my SWMBO made us a cobbler and it was amazing. I'm looking to add maybe about 5 lbs or so total. should I add any acid blend when I add the fruit?

THanks again :)
 
Awesome! thanks guys. I planning on doing like 2.5 lbs of rasberries and another 2.5 lbs of blackberries. will that be enough for 5 gallons? I'm just trying to add some flavor to it, nothing to over powering.

Thanks again!
 
Southside said:
Awesome, thanks guys!

I looking at adding a mixed berry. maybe rasberry, blackberry. should I add any acid blend when I add the fruit?

THanks again :)
Click to expand...

I wouldn't, you might be surprised at how tart blackberries & raspberries can be after the sugars have been fermented out. I'd at least wait till the fermentation was in secondary; tertiary if you add the fruit in secondary, then have a taste & see if you think it needs any additions of acid/tannins/etc... You can add acid blend/tannin any time. I'd let it sit on that fruit for about a month before you rack again. Regards, GF.
 

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