Smooth(est) Melomel!

[IJesusChrist]

Hey guys I'm wondering what you all would think would make for a very smooth, drinkable melomel. I want something just delicious that I can't put down.

I was thinking blueberries, pomegranates, or strawberries.

The issue with these would be to get enough to impact the flavor to a light to moderate degree.

Here is the base I'm going off;

Wyeast 1388 or ICV-D47
Recipe [5 gallons]
Honey - 14 Lbs (+ 1/3 cup)
Water - 4 gal
Yeast Nutrient - Red Star's SuperFood (SF), or Lallemand's Fermaid-K
Yeast Energizer - Diammonium phosphate (DAP)
Rehydration nutrient: Go-Ferm (only needed if using dry yeast)
Acid blend (post fermentation, if needed [to taste])
OG - 1.100 [nominal]; FG - 1.000 [or below]

If I added juice instead of water, this would allow for a greater OG, and thus a sweeter finish (fine by me).

Would anyone advise AGAINST using some kind of blueberry/pomegranate pre-mixed juice?

 

[damdaman]

A berry blend is hard to go wrong with. I don't have any experience pomegranate, but I did a mixed-berry melomel that was impossible to put down in my opinion. I used mixed frozen berries in the primary, thawed and mashed by hand in a large paint strainer bag. Never tried using juice, I'm of the opinion actual fruit is better.

 

[IJesusChrist]

I'm sure real fruit can be better.

Issue I see is that often frozen fruit is the lowest quality fruit, it is the stuff that they can't possibly sell on the market that year, has been sitting around for god knows how long, and then frozen. I've had some pretty disgusting blueberries from frozen bags before.

How much did you use?
And just water for the rest?

 

[Jericurl]

Frozen fruits and vegetables are quite often picked at the peak of maturity and frozen immediately vs fresh fruit/vegetables which are picked just prior to maturity and mature while in transit to the supermarket.

 

[damdaman]

Frozen fruits and vegetables are quite often picked at the peak of maturity and frozen immediately vs fresh fruit/vegetables which are picked just prior to maturity and mature while in transit to the supermarket.

Exactly. Frozen is better for brewing in my opinion. Fresh fruit is rarely as ripe. It's also much easier to mash frozen/thawed berries than fresh.

 

[Pitman]

I primarily use juice for my melomels. My favorite is Acia berry juice. (knudsens, or LW brand). Blueberry/Pomegranite would be my 2nd favorite. Mango would be my 3rd but it takes a while to age. I basically use the straight juice instead of water and 2lbs honey per gallon. The juices alone will have a gravity around 1.050--1.060

 

[fatbloke]

Exactly. Frozen is better for brewing in my opinion. Fresh fruit is rarely as ripe. It's also much easier to mash frozen/thawed berries than fresh.

So, as most frozen fruit, once defrosted, seems to lose its appearance, because of the ice crystals having broken down the cell walls etc..........

whats the point in mashing the fruit ?

When all that does is to make it harder to rack off the pulp at a later stage ?

Not forgetting that it can also damage the pips/seeds and cause some bitterness......

 

[IJesusChrist]

True fatbloke.

Anyway I will look at prices of acai juice (also love that, thanks for reminder) and frozen fruits.

Thanks guys.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Black plums. Best melomel I ever made was with black plums. I also bulk aged it 4 years & that had a lot to do with it too.
Regards, GF.

 

[damdaman]

So, as most frozen fruit, once defrosted, seems to lose its appearance, because of the ice crystals having broken down the cell walls etc..........

whats the point in mashing the fruit ?

When all that does is to make it harder to rack off the pulp at a later stage ?

Not forgetting that it can also damage the pips/seeds and cause some bitterness......

I use a paint strainer bag to contain my fruit so racking isn't an issue, I just remove the bag before racking, squeeze out as much juice from the bag as possible, and toss it in the compost. Mashing and squeezing out the juice as much as possible just seems like it will get more flavor out, and it's worked for me.

 

[fatbloke]

I use a paint strainer bag to contain my fruit so racking isn't an issue, I just remove the bag before racking, squeeze out as much juice from the bag as possible, and toss it in the compost. Mashing and squeezing out the juice as much as possible just seems like it will get more flavor out, and it's worked for me.

Yes that does indeed seem logical doesn't it. The bag technique works well for many fruit, just that people who think that blitzing fruit to puree are mis-guided.

All it does is damage the seed with the potential for bitterness and the fruit pulp becomes a total PITA to remove.

Just freezing the fruit and containing it in a bag is more than enough.

as for squeezing/pressing the fruit/bag, its often worth having a bit of a search and read, as there is some stuff that this is a big no-no for, as it can cause cloudiness, or "jellification" problems. Which is where you just hang the bag over a funnel and shroud it all in plastic (campdens in the wine/juice of course)......

 

[WVMJ]

Bloke, puree and crushing 2 different things. We crush all our fruit even if its been frozen, let the yeast get to every molecule of fruit right now. Cant think of a fruit that needs pureeing, that is really just a way to make a LOT more sediment. What is funny is that the food processors are used to harvest seeds from fruit with small seeds. One way they get viable elderberry seeds is to pulse them thru a food processor in some water and pour off the pulp after the seeds sink, they are to small for the blades to bite into. King Konging the bag to get every last drop is a bad idea depending on the fruit. We squeeze the heck out of elderberry but with raspberry and blacberry just squeeze to the firm stage. I have to try Bobs method one time of freezing and then thawing in a strainer and using just that free run juice, but that sure would take a lot of fruit. WVMJ

 

[IJesusChrist]

Bloke, puree and crushing 2 different things. We crush all our fruit even if its been frozen, let the yeast get to every molecule of fruit right now. Cant think of a fruit that needs pureeing, that is really just a way to make a LOT more sediment. What is funny is that the food processors are used to harvest seeds from fruit with small seeds. One way they get viable elderberry seeds is to pulse them thru a food processor in some water and pour off the pulp after the seeds sink, they are to small for the blades to bite into. King Konging the bag to get every last drop is a bad idea depending on the fruit. We squeeze the heck out of elderberry but with raspberry and blacberry just squeeze to the firm stage. I have to try Bobs method one time of freezing and then thawing in a strainer and using just that free run juice, but that sure would take a lot of fruit. WVMJ

When doing freeze/thaw cycle with fruit, its useful to do it 3 times.

 

[paraordnance]

I made them all but sour/tart cherry
was my favourite by far. Strawberries second. My strawberry mead scored 45 at mazer cup 2013, it was really nice. Makes for very smooth mead. Honeyberry also very good. I would advise against a juice. When I started i used juice a lot but all fruit is just much better taste. Pomegranate I was not a fan.

Sent from my GT-I9100M using Home Brew mobile app

 

[Jette]

I'm thinking about Costcos three berry blend. How much fruit to use in the 5 gal batch? 12-14 lbs honey.

 

[ostensibly]

I used 6 lbs of the Cascadian antioxidant berry blend from Costco in a 5gal batch, but I also used a bunch of other fruit too - 6 lbs of frozen blueberries and and some Vintner's Harvest black currant base.

 

[IJesusChrist]

I used 6 lbs of the Cascadian antioxidant berry blend from Costco in a 5gal batch, but I also used a bunch of other fruit too - 6 lbs of frozen blueberries and and some Vintner's Harvest black currant base.

Can you link a recipe, I'm interested. Also, results!?

 

[alaktheman]

This post is probably dead but I made a 1 gallon batch using about 1 cup of acai juice blend and brewing about three cups acai tea and mixed starthristle and bamboo honeys together. Just tried some today all I can say is I wish I made more.

 

[fuelish]

I make a peach pyment-hydromel that is quite good, relatively quick turnaround, lightly sparkling (bottle carbed), and my Mrs loves it. I use white grape-peach juice (no preservatives other than ascorbic acid afaik), and add IQF peaches at the end of primary but before racking....comes out maybe 7-8%-ish abv, tasty stuff. Have a sweet and sour cherry in the same vein about ready to bottle....same deal, used organic cherry juice and some IQF frozen cherries.....it tastes amazing, this may be SWMBO's fave once carbed