About to start my first batch of "kitchen sink" mead.

[AnotherFinch]

Once the last of the ingredients are delivered (this Thursday), I'm going to be making my first batch of mead and decided to go with the kitchen sink method. Let me know if you guys think I'm missing anything:

• 15lbs wildflower honey
• 2 gallons organic apple juice
• 3 gallons spring water
• 4lbs mixed fruit
  • Strawberries
  • Blackberries
  • Blueberries
• Pectic enzyme
• Yeast nutrient
• Lalvin EC-1118 yeast

Should I pick up some more fruit? Is 4lbs going to be enough to add any real flavor?

 

[Meadini]

It will probably be light on flavor. I used the same berries as you are, plus some grapes. I posted mine as Pylomel? under mead recipes. It’s tasting good, but tannic right now- I just racked off the gross lees. Here’s what it looks like right now.

 

[Dan O]

I agree with @Meadini, that your berry flavor will be minimal. Typically, I use 3 pounds/ gallon if I really want that berry punch in the face . Overall though, it sounds like a yummy recipe. Keep us posted how it comes out.
Happy meading

 

[AnotherFinch]

I ended up taking your guys advice and kicking it up a bit with an extra 12oz of blueberries. Still under 5lbs of fruit for a five gallon batch, but I'm okay with the light flavor.

Unfortunately I think I messed up pitching the first round of yeast and after an hour and a half I didn't see any movement on the airlock at all so I pitched a second round (properly this time) and mixed it in. It's been about an hour and I know I'm being impatient, but I'm still paranoid about messing up the recipe. The OG came out to 1.115 and I'm using Lalvin EC-1118 so I should be fine, but I think I got spoiled by how quickly my Apfelwein started bubbling away.

 

[AnotherFinch]

Ladies and gentlemen, the second yeast pitch seems to have done the trick and it looks like it's filling the airlock, so The Kitchen Sink Mead is a go!

Ignore my dirty stove. I threw the 4lb mixed berries and 12oz blueberries into a pot, filled with apple juice and got them to room temp, mixed everything up, and (after a failed yeast pitch) we're off to the races.

I should also mention that I toyed with the gravity a bit to get it to come out around 15% ABV, so this is nearly 6 gallons in a 6.5 gallon bucket. This way when I remove the fruit and rack it, I should still end up with a little over 5 gallons.

 

[Dan O]

Ladies and gentlemen, the second yeast pitch seems to have done the trick and it looks like it's filling the airlock, so The Kitchen Sink Mead is a go!

Ignore my dirty stove. I threw the 4lb mixed berries and 12oz blueberries into a pot, filled with apple juice and got them to room temp, mixed everything up, and (after a failed yeast pitch) we're off to the races.

I should also mention that I toyed with the gravity a bit to get it to come out around 15% ABV, so this is nearly 6 gallons in a 6.5 gallon bucket. This way when I remove the fruit and rack it, I should still end up with a little over 5 gallons.

You probably didn't need a second pitching of the yeast, but, no worries. Yeast goes through a lag phase when introduced to a bunch of sugars in your must. If you had no activity after 24 hrs, then I would've started to worry. But, considering it has started, woohoo . Keep us posted.
Happy meading