Cherry Mel flavoring options

[foolsgold]

Hello I've got about 6 gallons of Cherry mead that I am wanting to split down into 1 gallon batches and flavor to see what I like best.
I know I want vanilla beans. Would you leave the bean whole, half it or scrape it and throw everything in?

What about chiles? I found this and thought it looked interesting but how would you got about adding them?
"I love the rich fire of sun-dried red chiles paired with the lusty flavor of stone fruit. If using a lighter fruit like a peach, reach for a darker chile like smoky urfa biber. Darker fruits like plums and cherries would better with bright aji amarillo and aleppo, or tangy guajillo. With all these pairings, I find they work best if the fruit is cooked, even lightly."

Considering doing a gallon of spiced cherry mead. Cinnamon, clove and allspice. How much of each would you add to a gallon and for how long?

My brother suggested trying some ginger in a gallon and I thought that sounded like it could be good.

So that's 3 gallons.... I have another two or three to figure something out with so ideas are welcome
Thanks in advance.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Split the vanilla beans, scrape the inside & add the bean & insides.

I've never used chilies, so cannot speak from experience, but I think I'd remove stem & seeds, quarter & dump them in; though they might benefit from blanching.

For the spices, use whole, cracked or sliced spices instead of powdered. Powdered spices cannot be removed without filtration & will continue to add spice flavor until it has all been extracted, likely making the spice flavor too strong. The longer you leave it in, the stronger the flavor. You can contain them in a hop sack & toss it in, you can weigh it down with a couple sanitized marbles if you want.

Peel the fresh ginger & slice into "coins" or stick shapes. Depending on how much you add & what your container is (bucket or carbouy) you might not be able to contain the ginger in a sack.
Regards, GF.

 

[NibblesMN]

Split the vanilla beans, scrape the inside & add the bean & insides.

I've never used chilies, so cannot speak from experience, but I think I'd remove stem & seeds, quarter & dump them in; though they might benefit from blanching.

Blanching is a good idea to remove the oil and other gunk on the outside of the chilies. I have also has good success making a separate chili tincture and adding it to taste right before bottling. It's really, really easy to go over board with chilis and you won't know until it's too late if you add the whole fruit.

 

[foolsgold]

Thank you guys

Nibbles how do you make the tincture? I assume chilies in vodka? I do that with herbs and vanilla all the time. I was thinking of doing a dried and smoked chilie. Something sweet and smoky with a little bit of heat. Maybe -
Ancho: The name means "wide chile" in Spanish, a fitting moniker for this wide-shouldered, nearly black pepper, made from ripe poblano peppers. They have a high yield of flesh to skin, which makes them a workhorse in sauces. Anchos are mild with a rich, dark cherry/raisin sweetness. Beware: Ancho chiles are sometimes labeled "pasilla chiles," but they are much wider at the stem than true pasillas.

Chipotle: Made by smoking and drying jalapenos, chipotles are often sold canned in tomato sauce as "chipotles in adobo," but they also come in two dried varieties: meco (mellower) and mora/moritas (very spicy). They have a dusty, tan appearance and a woodsy, smoky flavor with quite a bit of heat; they are best in moderation in sauces.

Thoughts?

 

[NibblesMN]

Thank you guys

Nibbles how do you make the tincture? I assume chilies in vodka? I do that with herbs and vanilla all the time. I was thinking of doing a dried and smoked chilie. Something sweet and smoky with a little bit of heat.
..

Thoughts?

Sorry, yep : ) Clean, blanch and quarter then soak them in vodka for anywhere from a few hours to a week. Taste with caution. I've also used leftover mead from other batches to make the tincture. Both work about the same.

Just like with herbs and spices it lets you taste the blend together with the alcohol flavor before you commit an entire batch to the spice. Especially useful when you're dealing with the variability of peppers.

 

[NibblesMN]

Also B Nektar makes a Cherry Chipotle mead called (you guessed it), Cherry Chipotle Mead. If you can find a bottle, try it. I really liked it. If you come anywhere close you'll have a winner for sure.