Recipe input

My plan has been to do a strickly traditional mead in primary, 12 lbs of star thistle honey, 5lbs of wildflower, water, and 71B yeast. its been racked to secondary already and now I wanna go ahead and seporate the original 5 gallon into individual 1 gallons, each with different flavoring recipes. So...... I was wanting some opinions on my ideas for flavoring.......

1st one im thinking about is 1 1/2 lbs tart cherries, 1 necterine (cut up), 1 tablespoon of vanilla, and a hint of Lime juice.

2nd is 2 lbs Blackberries, 1/2 lbs Apricots, 1/2 lbs Cranberries, 1/8 stick cinnamon

and 3rd is 1 1/2 lbs mangos, 1 1/2 lbs peaches, 1 sm blood orange, 1 tablespoon of caramel, 1 tablespoon of vanilla

Also think I wanna try the Harvest mind crucher recipe posted a few days ago, as it sounds really good. Anyone have any opinions on my choice of flavorings or critiques? Thanks

The flavor choices sound interesting. If you are using a commercial vanilla extract then I might suggest starting with 1tsp rather than a whole tablespoon and then go up from there by taste if you want. If it is a home made extract then a Tbs should be fine.

I am a big fan of metheglins so I would suggest you make one of your choices based off of your favorite tea, Celestial Seasonings makes a lot of interesting herbal teas at 20 bags per box for only a few dollars. Rack 1 gallong onto 10 of those bags and let that sit for at least 30 days.

Just be cautious of the citrus, using the flesh and the zest is great but the pith can get pretty bitter pretty quick. You have enough other flavors and sweetness that should balance though. Just a thought to keep in the back of your mind

I actually ment a tsp and miswrote it as a tablespoon. Do these combinations sound like they may be winners or should they possibly be tweaked in any way. I was hoping they were not to far out in left field and might end up tasting bad once they are finalized, first attempt and original flavoring recipes and all lol.

I think they are all WAY left field lol. But that can make it fun. The only engrediant I think is funky it the Caramel. Also as Brewmedic said, it would be good to zest and peel your blood orange and necterine. I dont think any will taste bad but I like simpler flavor profiles with one maybe two fruits at a time. But that is just me.

was kinda thinking about dropping the caramel now that you say that Arpolis. Just needed some one elses opinion on it as well as I was unsure. As far as the orange and necterine, just zest and peel the two, dont include the fleshy fruit part? not really sure what is ment.
Are we talking out of bounds left, or down the line with the flavor combos lol, I didn't think they were to complex but this is my first time so I may be wrong. I figured the ingredients generally taste pretty good together, why not in mead?

Oh sorry I meant for you to use the fruit too. Just remove the pithy part is all. Rock on with the flavors though. Just let us now how it turnes out

Zest and flesh is great, pith and skin is the bitterness