Black Currant Melomel

[ColonelAngus]

16 lbs clover honey
Water to 4.5 gallons
128 oz Current Affair "juice" (will use pure juice next time)
Lavlin 71b-1122

Feedback?

 

[Bush_84]

I planted two consort black currant bushes last year. So I will be interested to see if anybody else has made something like this before.

 

[ColonelAngus]

I'm interested in planting some currants here in Maine, but have no land for it. That will have to wait for another year.
Fortunately for me I know of several wild Blueberry, Raspberry and Blackberry patches near me. I also have an in with some local strawberry farmers, and can pay a cheep hourly amount to pick as many berries as I can find near the end of the year after all of the tourists pick their fill. It usually works out to about 25 cents a pound for perfectly ripe and juicy berries. They resemble the Florida Berries that you can buy commercially that are red straight through the center, only they have a stronger flavor.

This will be a busy summer for me!

 

[jayich]

16 lbs clover honey
Water to 4.5 gallons
128 oz Current Affair "juice" (will use pure juice next time)
Lavlin 71b-1122

Feedback?

This sounds good. I think 71B is a good yeast choice for black currants. I am not familiar with Current Affair juice- I take it it is not pure black currant juice? I made a black currant mel last summer with Vintner's Harvest black currant puree(1 gallon) and about 3lbs of fresh currants and blackberry blossom honey. It turned out very good, with a strong black currrant taste. I would highly recommend the VH puree if you can get it.
Oh, one other thing, I estimate your OG at 1.125( actually it will be somewhat higher because I didn't account for any sugars in your currant juice) and if the 71B ferments this to it's usual EOH tolerance of about 14% this should finish at about 1.018 which will be fairly sweet. If you like your meads sweet this should be fine, but if you wanted this to finish dry, you would have to decrease the honey of add more water.

 

[jayich]

16 lbs clover honey
Water to 4.5 gallons
128 oz Current Affair "juice" (will use pure juice next time)
Lavlin 71b-1122

Feedback?

This sounds good. I think 71B is a good yeast choice for black currants. I am not familiar with Current Affair juice- I take it it is not pure black currant juice? I made a black currant mel last summer with Vintner's Harvest black currant puree(1 gallon) and about 3lbs of fresh currants and blackberry blossom honey. It turned out very good, with a strong black currrant taste. I would highly recommend the VH puree if you can get it.

 

[ColonelAngus]

I assure you, my hydrometer is correct.
Currant affair is a bit watered down. 22% juice.

 

[ColonelAngus]

Though I didn't mention my OG, which was about 1.1

I plan to top up with water when I rack it again. I want it to still have a little residual sweetness, but not be candy.

Thanks for the headsup on Vintners Harvest purees. I have a can of Oregon Fruit cherry puree. I plan to get a few more and make a cherry wine. Maybe melomel, maybe not.

I'll definitely get some currant puree for my next black Mead. I'd like to taste the currants a little more.

 

[Rockape66]

With an O.G. of 1.100 your mead is going to ferment out bone dry. I wouldn't top off with any more water, unless you adjust your gravity. Sic, another sugar source dissolved in your top off water (Turbinado, honey, DME, or some such).

Slainte, Mack

 

[ColonelAngus]

Thanks. I'll think about adding a little more honey or juice when I rack to clarify. The wort/must calculator is handy.

 

[ColonelAngus]

I picked up some gallon jugs from the redemption center for $0.50 each. I also have a bunch of drilled stoppers that fit nicely into the jugs.

I oxy-cleaned the hell out of them, so no worries about random nasty flavors and crud. I'll also sanitize everything before I start racking.

I'll be racking my melomel into them to bulk age and clarify tomorrow.

I'll be tasting and checking the SG when I rack, too. If needed I'll add more juice and cold-crash.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

16 lbs clover honey
Water to 4.5 gallons
128 oz Current Affair "juice" (will use pure juice next time)
Lavlin 71b-1122

Feedback?

Have a look here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f30/black-mead-197174/
Regards, GF.