Anyone wanna share a 1 gallon blueberry mead recipe?

[videojunkie1208]

Blueberry sounds like it could be fun!

Blueberry makes an excellent mead, but if you're using whole fruit you have to be very aware of when to pull the berries as they are very tannic. It goes through the whole range of red wines (from lightly tannic port, to heavily tannic shirah/zin) in about a week (It may be narrower than that) and then as the OP experienced, gets too bitter to enjoy.

 

[Dan O]

Blueberry makes an excellent mead, but if you're using whole fruit you have to be very aware of when to pull the berries as they are very tannic. It goes through the whole range of red wines (from lightly tannic port, to heavily tannic shirah/zin) in about a week (It may be narrower than that) and then as the OP experienced, gets too bitter to enjoy.

I had a similar experience with a raspberry addition I had made to a BOMM . I left it in there too long & the tannic values of the seeds made it bitter. I think it was in there for over a month, but, I never tasted it. That was my first time adding anything after racking & clearing. Lesson learned. I did a lot of reading on here since then about fruit additions.

 

[Flexmedia]

Blueberry makes an excellent mead, but if you're using whole fruit you have to be very aware of when to pull the berries as they are very tannic. It goes through the whole range of red wines (from lightly tannic port, to heavily tannic shirah/zin) in about a week (It may be narrower than that) and then as the OP experienced, gets too bitter to enjoy.

AND this batch is probably worse with the tannins because I tried to be all natural and whatnot and picked them wild. I have a lot of work ahead of me.

 

[Dan O]

AND this batch is probably worse with the tannins because I tried to be all natural and whatnot and picked them wild. I have a lot of work ahead of me.

DAMNThat's a LOT of blueberries! Do you sell them or just pick & eat/freeze them?

 

[Flexmedia]

DAMNThat's a LOT of blueberries! Do you sell them or just pick & eat/freeze them?

ha! Yup! My Brother in Law’s farm. I only picked enough for two gallons. Guess he thought he owed me Cuz I did mary his sister.

 

[Flexmedia]

Well if you have extra, and shipping isn't unreasonable, I happen to have a couple of fermenters that are empty at the moment...

I think in your case, I would start by dividing your current batch in half and you can experiment with each half, adding more honey and water to one and adding juice to the other. See which one you prefer. Secondary fermentation is slower than primary, I would expect it to take a month or so for results.

videojunkie,
finally got a chance to follow your advice. Had NO idea blueberry juice was so hard to find! I split the wine equally into two. I added blueberry juice to one and a mixture of honey and water in the other. So you say wait a month and have the wife taste it? The yeast should be done right?

 

[videojunkie1208]

I would take a sample in a month and see what your gravity is and try it. Then decide which direction you want to go.

 

[Flexmedia]

I would take a sample in a month and see what your gravity is and try it. Then decide which direction you want to go.

I had a decent gravity reading when I first started so fingers crossed in a month!
Thanks for the tips
Art

 

[SanAequitas]

Next time, on option we've done a couple times is a blueberry-lemon mead. Cut the vanilla and acid blend, and instead add juice of 2-3 lemons, and a bunch of zest.

Also, using the bagged frozen blueberries (or other fruit) tends to be a sweeter, fruitier flavor, and more flavorful for us than using fresh fruit. And easier / more convenient.

 

[Flexmedia]

Next time, on option we've done a couple times is a blueberry-lemon mead. Cut the vanilla and acid blend, and instead add juice of 2-3 lemons, and a bunch of zest.

Also, using the bagged frozen blueberries (or other fruit) tends to be a sweeter, fruitier flavor, and more flavorful for us than using fresh fruit. And easier / more convenient.

Yeah, I’m learning that. So much for trying to be all natural! This mead making takes some patience doesn’t it?

 

[videojunkie1208]

Yeah, I’m learning that. So much for trying to be all natural! This mead making takes some patience doesn’t it?

If you're used to making beer, then yes. Think wine time-frames. How many times to you see 4-5 year old red wines sold as this year's batch.

 

[Flexmedia]

If you're used to making beer, then yes. Think wine time-frames. How many times to you see 4-5 year old red wines sold as this year's batch.

Not many...
I made a 5 gallon beer a few years ago. I think I’ll stick to mead. Beer is a little smelly to me

 

[Flexmedia]

If you're used to making beer, then yes. Think wine time-frames. How many times to you see 4-5 year old red wines sold as this year's batch.

You know, I looked at the batch today and the 1/2 added blueberry juice is still bubbling every 30 seconds. The 1/2 honey added is not. I thought it was done fermenting?

 

[videojunkie1208]

You know, I looked at the batch today and the 1/2 added blueberry juice is still bubbling every 30 seconds. The 1/2 honey added is not. I thought it was done fermenting?

It's possible that the honey one has stalled. Check your gravity and see if it has plateaued. Bubbles are a good sign, but measuring the gravity confirms that you are still fermenting.

 

[videojunkie1208]

This is what mine looks like some 9 months old. It's really hard to photograph because it's so dark. Tastes like a good Shirah red wine. The tannins are fading slowly and this is turning into a delicious table wine with red meat dishes and steaks.

Glad I still have a few gallons left.

 

[Flexmedia]

This is what mine looks like some 9 months old. It's really hard to photograph because it's so dark. Tastes like a good Shirah red wine. The tannins are fading slowly and this is turning into a delicious table wine with red meat dishes and steaks.

Glad I still have a few gallons left.

View attachment 724501

that looks good! Mine looks nothing like that. Can’t see through it right now. I have not used any type of clarifier yet. The one with added grape juice doesn’t have gunk at the bottom. The one with added honey and water does. It will get there!

 

[Flexmedia]

This is what mine looks like some 9 months old. It's really hard to photograph because it's so dark. Tastes like a good Shirah red wine. The tannins are fading slowly and this is turning into a delicious table wine with red meat dishes and steaks.

Glad I still have a few gallons left.

View attachment 724501

well...time to rack and my added honey one will have to be strained before I can actually rack it. It’s like a very pulpy juice! How can I tell if this one is bad? The added blueberry juice one seems to be fine. I’ll find out soon!

 

[videojunkie1208]

You shouldn't have to strain it. Just rack the mead from the top. Do you have some good pictures?

 

[Flexmedia]

You shouldn't have to strain it. Just rack the mead from the top. Do you have some good pictures?

Kinda..I guess you are right. Most sediment is at the bottom. It’s just very thick looking. Still bubbling!

 

[videojunkie1208]

Check your SG. It should be around 1.0 or less.

Both of them look fantastic!

 

[Flexmedia]

Check your SG. It should be around 1.0 or less.

Both of them look fantastic!

Thanks for the encouragement! Sure is thicker than yours. Patience?

 

[videojunkie1208]

Worst case, cap it and stick in the corner for a year or so...

Mine was very wine like. Body about like a good shirah or zinfandel.

 

[Flexmedia]

Worst case, cap it and stick in the corner for a year or so...

Mine was very wine like. Body about like a good shirah or zinfandel.

Looks nice!

 

[T Murph]

If you're used to making beer, then yes. Think wine time-frames. How many times to you see 4-5 year old red wines sold as this year's batch.

I usually give 10 months to a year to finish completely. Primary for at least a month. Secondary for 4 to 6 weeks on fruit for melomels then keg condition for up to a year. I take readings, sample and make adjustments as needed during that time.

 

[Flexmedia]

I usually give 10 months to a year to finish completely. Primary for at least a month. Secondary for 4 to 6 weeks on fruit for melomels then keg condition for up to a year. I take readings, sample and make adjustments as needed during that time.
View attachment 727491

That looks good....and a lot!

 

[Flexmedia]

Worst case, cap it and stick in the corner for a year or so...

Mine was very wine like. Body about like a good shirah or zinfandel.

2nd Rack done! Had a hard time getting readings but the Added honey was 17.5 sugar by weight, 70 SG, 9.0 ABV. The juice added one didnt read much at all but showed 1.0 sugar by weight, 1.5 SG and .5 ABV. Smells much better than the first rack. That smelled like race gas. The wife will taste both tonight. Any guess which one she will like the best?

 

[Flexmedia]

Time for one more rack for this batch! The wife last tasted the batch I added honey to on April 29, 2021. And she liked it. I’ll have her taste it again and bottle it. A little worried about the batch I added blueberry juice to. I couldn’t get a SG reading on it and it looks and smells like Juicy Juice I used to give to the kids. Might do what Videojunkie suggest, cap it and leave it. I’ll let you know!

 

[Flexmedia]

Little bit of a recap. Let me know what ya think. I started this blueberry one gallon 1-17-21. Decide it had to many tannins in it and the wife said it tasted bitter and strong on 3-6-21. On 3-25-21 we split the gallon in half and added honey and water to one and blueberry concentrate and water to the other. 4-29-21 we racked it and took a reading. Had a hard time getting a reading on the blueberry concentrate but final got: 1.0 % sugar by weight (blue) 1.5 specific gravity (black) .5 ABV (red)

The added honey mixture was :17.5 % sugar by weight (blue) 70 Specific gravity 9.0 ABV. Blueberry concentrate tasted really dry and strong The honey one tasted a little better. The wife doesn’t like dry.

My question is do I take another reading for ABV now before you bottle it and is this the reading we go with? We are going to bottle it and put it away on August 11, 2021.
Thanks!
Art.

 

[videojunkie1208]

A final reading helps ensure that you are not making bottle bombs.

 

[Flexmedia]

A final reading helps ensure that you are not making bottle bombs.

phew! We didn’t. Came out pretty good.