Been making beer and wine for a while, but want to try to make a honey/jam mead. I've been reading a few other threads, and tried to put together a recipe and steps to make it, so please review, and comment. Also, I saw in the sticky at the top of the thread that Potassium Carbonate might be a good additive, yet I don't see it used in any of the threads I've been reading. Any comments on Potassium Carbonate? Should I be adding some or not? You will recognize some of the text from other threads, since I admit I plagiarize....Thanks in advance.
Black Cherry Jam Mead
Recipe: [5 gallons]
Black Cherry Jam 5 lbs (65g of sugar/55g of fruit per 100g)
7 tsp pectic enzyme
½ gallon water
Honey - 10 lbs
5 tsp black tea (Earl grey)
4 gallons water
10g Lalvin K1-V1116 yeast
12g Rehydration Nutrient - Go-Ferm
167ml water
9.1g Yeast Nutrient - Fermaid-K
9.1g Yeast Energizer - Diammonium phosphate (DAP)
2 Camden tablets
5.5g Potassium Sorbate
Black Cherry Jam 1.87 lbs (back sweetening)
3 tsp pectic enzyme
OG - 1.100 [nominal]; FG - 1.000 [or below]
1) Mix 5 lbs of Jam, 7 tsp of pectic enzyme and ½ gallon of water. Cover and let sit 24-48 hours.
2) Rehydrate the 10g of dry yeast using GO-Ferm in the rehydration water [167 ml water & 12g Go-Ferm]. Caution: Do not use other nutrients! Fermaid-K and DAP should NOT be added to the rehydration water.
3) Prepare the Must by adding 2 gallons of water to a sanitized plastic primary bucket. Then heat another 2 gallons of water to 115°F, and remove it from the heat. IMPORTANT: Remove the pan from the heat, or the honey may scorch on the bottom of the pan. Now, add all of the honey to the heated water -mix well. Put some of the hot honey/water back into the honey container to get all the honey out. Mix until all the honey is dissolved. The goal is to thoroughly mix 4 gallons of water with 10 pounds of honey. Stir in the 5 pounds of jam and mix well. Add the warm honey/jam/water mixture to a plastic primary bucket, and then add the Stage 1 Nutrients (4.5g Fermaid-K & 4.5g DAP)- stir-in to dissolve. The honey/jam/water mixture should be a little over 5 gallons. Check the mixture’s temperature and allow it to cool below 80°F – install an airlock during this cooling time, and from this point onward.
AFTER the honey/jam/water mixture is BELOW 80°F, take a SG / Brix, & temperature reading and record these values with the date and time, then install the primary lid and airlock.
4) Pitch the rehydrated Yeast - Pour the yeast slurry into your cooled mead mixture, and mix it in thoroughly with a sanitized mixing tool (spoon). Put the lid on your primary plastic bucket.
5) Add additional nutrients as follows:
-- Stage 2: At active fermentation (when the Brix drops 2-3°)
Add the Stage 2 Nutrients (2.8g Fermaid-K & 2.8g DAP) - stir-in to dissolve.
-- Stage 3: At mid-fermentation (OG+FG)/2, -
Add the Stage 3 Nutrients (1.8g Fermaid-K & 1.8g DAP)- stir-in to dissolve.
6) First Racking (from bucket to carboy)
When SG reaches ~1.000, rack the mead to a clean, sanitized, 5 gallon glass carboy. At 1-3 month intervals, rack the mead off the lees until you have relatively clear mead. Some mead will be left behind and your final volume should be about 4½ - 5 gallons. Add 2 tablets Camden and 5.5g Potassium Sorbate to stabilize.
7) Mix 1.87 lbs of Jam, 3 tsp of pectic enzyme and 2 cups of mead from carboy. Cover and let sit 24-48 hours, then add to carboy. Allow to sit 14-21 days.
8) Bottle and age 6-12 months before consumption.
Black Cherry Jam Mead
Recipe: [5 gallons]
Black Cherry Jam 5 lbs (65g of sugar/55g of fruit per 100g)
7 tsp pectic enzyme
½ gallon water
Honey - 10 lbs
5 tsp black tea (Earl grey)
4 gallons water
10g Lalvin K1-V1116 yeast
12g Rehydration Nutrient - Go-Ferm
167ml water
9.1g Yeast Nutrient - Fermaid-K
9.1g Yeast Energizer - Diammonium phosphate (DAP)
2 Camden tablets
5.5g Potassium Sorbate
Black Cherry Jam 1.87 lbs (back sweetening)
3 tsp pectic enzyme
OG - 1.100 [nominal]; FG - 1.000 [or below]
1) Mix 5 lbs of Jam, 7 tsp of pectic enzyme and ½ gallon of water. Cover and let sit 24-48 hours.
2) Rehydrate the 10g of dry yeast using GO-Ferm in the rehydration water [167 ml water & 12g Go-Ferm]. Caution: Do not use other nutrients! Fermaid-K and DAP should NOT be added to the rehydration water.
3) Prepare the Must by adding 2 gallons of water to a sanitized plastic primary bucket. Then heat another 2 gallons of water to 115°F, and remove it from the heat. IMPORTANT: Remove the pan from the heat, or the honey may scorch on the bottom of the pan. Now, add all of the honey to the heated water -mix well. Put some of the hot honey/water back into the honey container to get all the honey out. Mix until all the honey is dissolved. The goal is to thoroughly mix 4 gallons of water with 10 pounds of honey. Stir in the 5 pounds of jam and mix well. Add the warm honey/jam/water mixture to a plastic primary bucket, and then add the Stage 1 Nutrients (4.5g Fermaid-K & 4.5g DAP)- stir-in to dissolve. The honey/jam/water mixture should be a little over 5 gallons. Check the mixture’s temperature and allow it to cool below 80°F – install an airlock during this cooling time, and from this point onward.
AFTER the honey/jam/water mixture is BELOW 80°F, take a SG / Brix, & temperature reading and record these values with the date and time, then install the primary lid and airlock.
4) Pitch the rehydrated Yeast - Pour the yeast slurry into your cooled mead mixture, and mix it in thoroughly with a sanitized mixing tool (spoon). Put the lid on your primary plastic bucket.
5) Add additional nutrients as follows:
-- Stage 2: At active fermentation (when the Brix drops 2-3°)
Add the Stage 2 Nutrients (2.8g Fermaid-K & 2.8g DAP) - stir-in to dissolve.
-- Stage 3: At mid-fermentation (OG+FG)/2, -
Add the Stage 3 Nutrients (1.8g Fermaid-K & 1.8g DAP)- stir-in to dissolve.
6) First Racking (from bucket to carboy)
When SG reaches ~1.000, rack the mead to a clean, sanitized, 5 gallon glass carboy. At 1-3 month intervals, rack the mead off the lees until you have relatively clear mead. Some mead will be left behind and your final volume should be about 4½ - 5 gallons. Add 2 tablets Camden and 5.5g Potassium Sorbate to stabilize.
7) Mix 1.87 lbs of Jam, 3 tsp of pectic enzyme and 2 cups of mead from carboy. Cover and let sit 24-48 hours, then add to carboy. Allow to sit 14-21 days.
8) Bottle and age 6-12 months before consumption.
