Blueberry Mead

[corexcore]

So my fermentation seems to be stuck. I just watched the air lock for a full minute and couldn't tell that it had moved at all. This is problematic because I just racked it and added honey about two days ago. I used Lalvin EC 1118 initially, which I understand is a quick fermenting yeast. Is it likely that this yeast is dead? I understand that I could re-energize it with yeast nutrient and energizer and see if that would help. However, I've moved to a different area since I started brewing and the homebrew shop here has the recommended Lalvin d-47 strain of yeast. Is it advisable, since my fermentation seems to have stuck, to pull a sample out, check the SG, and, if it's too high to have stopped switch over to D-47? will this negatively impact my mead? If I add too much, I suspect that it would give yeasty flavors that might have to be aged out, but perhaps just a little bit, and some energizer and so forth? Any insights?

I have acquired an automatic siphon, by the way, so no more suck-siphoning for me.

Also, I look forward to hearing how Lightning's brew goes. Keep us informed!

 

[LightningInABottle]

I pitched mine last night with the following changes.
15 lbs of Blueberry Blossom honey
60oz of fresh blueberries
1 packet of Lalvin EC 1118
2 1/2 teaspoons of Peptic Enzyme
5 tsps of Yeast Nutrients
2 tsps of Yeast Energizer
5 Campden Tablets

I cleaned the Blueberries and put them in ziplock freezer bags. (I had read that this would turn them to mush once they were frozen, but it did not happen.) I de-thawed them and smashed them in the fermentation bucket. I added water, honey, energizer, nutrients, peptic enzyme and the campden tablets. Gave it a good stir and covered with clean towel/bungee. Let it sit 24 hours. I rehydrated 1 packet of EC 1118 yeast. I smooshed the berrrys that floated to the top and gave it a good stir for over 15 minutes. Took gravity reading of 1.13 @ 68 degrees F. Pitched yeast after 15 minutes and gave it a stir. (Noticable shock just after pitching yeast) I placed it in basement and put an airlock on it.

Notes: Fresh blueberries smelled very nice when crushed in bucket. They smelled even better with the addition of honey. 5 gallon batch is very dark blue/purple! I'm hoping the 24 hour airing and 15 minute stir will give my must enough oxegen to do the job. I'm not keen on leaving must in the open at my house. Things seem to mold very fast at this house so I put the lid on fermenter with an airlock. Hopefully my must has enough oxegen. This morning it is bubbling every 35 seconds.

 

[kjones]

i bought 12# of light/amber blend honey hope this works good, and i have about a gallon size ziplock bag full of blueberries hope its enough

 

[kjones]

ok well, i did it per instructions, left it for 24 hours with everything except yeast. Then i opened it up at the 24 hour mark to add the yeast and like two of the blueberrys had mold on them. hopefully it will be good.

 

[corexcore]

My fermentation has been going on track since I last posted. I've completed my final addition of honey and am going to rack it to age soon. Having used Lalvin EC-1118 yeast, often referred to as creating rocketfuel, I'm wondering about backsweetening with stevia or something similar, or possibly adding a good deal more honey. The recipe suggests that this ought to come out in the semi-sweet range, which is much higher than I expect this yeast will bring it. Thanks in advance.

 

[fishon]

My first post here...
I had made only one basic mead before reading and trying this one. I think I left my basic mead on the lees too long and my wife likened the finish to bees butts.
After reading this recipe for blueberry mead I decided to give it a try. I make wine from kits and grapes (chambourcin grapes in NC) so I have the necessary equipment.
Used 6 lbs frozen blueberries and 12 lbs clover honey from BJ's. Blended the blueberries before mixing. I don't have all the details but didn't have any issues with the berries expanding that I could tell.
Pretty much stayed the course adding 1 lb honey and water every time I racked it so have total 15 lbs honey for 5 gals mead.
It turned out cranberry colored and clear with a lot of alchohol. Similar to an after dinner liquor. Excellent and enjoyable.
Don't have a good handle on the alchohol but initially had the potential for about 15% before the extra honey/water/rackings. Made 5 gal so bottled 25 750 ml bottles about 2 weeks ago. Opened first one Sunday at a group wine tasting and got good reviews.
I put a case away for a year and have given a few bottles out to co-workers.
In reading a few other posts, since this has residual sugar (honey) can I expect a problem with renewed fermentation in the bottle. With wine sorbates/sulfites are used in the kits but I never had issues with using grapes from scratch and letting the juice ferment dry. Is there something recommended for mead that will allow the sweetness but eliminate re-fermentation in the bottle/
Thanks again.

 

[dbr80]

i have followed the original recipe and now have the mel in secondary but have not seen any bubbles in the airlock. i forgot to add the honey before racking and all is now on the bottom of the carboy. i read that i shouldnt stir but should i add some energizer? it has been in secondary for at least a week.
mine also had a smell of rotten berries and not the delightful smell that others have described.

 

[LightningInABottle]

I racked off on to more honey and concentrate at 1.001. I haven't seen any activity since in the air lock. I do see a light layer of lees on the bottom. Should I just wait a month and take a gravity reading or should I do something to kick the ferment back up. The reading after racking on to honey/concentrate is 1.024.

 

[flyweed]

Yes....for you guys watching your airlock for activity...don't rely on that...take gravity readings and use those to tell where your fermentation is at. Alot of times you'll see nothing in the airlock. Get a wine thief and take a sample every few days and take a reading.

Dan

 

[jim_reaper1066]

I want to put a batch of this on as my first mead, but I have a few questions before I do. After letting the must sit on campden tablets for 24 hours, would it make a difference to top off to ~3.75 gallons ensuring temperature control then pitching the yeast, or should the yeast be pitched first? Is everyone simply punching down the blueberries and aerating for 10-14 days before racking, or is there a S.G. I should be shooting for? And has anyone tried adding more blueberries to the secondary carboy, or is 5-10 lbs in the primary enough to impart the flavor and aroma?

 

[interplexr]

How did you mix the honey in with the secondary? Would you not induce O2 when you wouldn't want to at that point? I'm going to try my hand with this but was just curious about adding honey after you're near or at the end of fermentation.

Scratch this question. I missed that it was answered earlier in the post. I noticed on my second read through. :/

 

[rowingbrewer]

When my honey comes on I will be making a five gallon batch of this with your suggestions of 12lbs honey and 12lbs blueberries. Shooting for a dry 11-12%

 

[AugustDerleth]

I put the berries in vodka for a while in order to sterilize them, (and also to make homemade blueberry vodka heh) and am keeping the must in my fridge at about 55 degrees to try and possibly avoid the moldy berries mentioned earlier. I was wondering, no need to add grape tannin?
Thanks!

 

[AugustDerleth]

i have followed the original recipe and now have the mel in secondary but have not seen any bubbles in the airlock. i forgot to add the honey before racking and all is now on the bottom of the carboy. i read that i shouldnt stir but should i add some energizer? it has been in secondary for at least a week.
mine also had a smell of rotten berries and not the delightful smell that others have described.

I'm curious as to what temperature you kept the fermenter at?

 

[jim_reaper1066]

I put a batch of this on last january, and it has been sitting quietly in the fermenter ever since the last racking. Has anyone else ever left their mead that long? I have been under the impression that mead benefits from a extended aging process.

 

[mgayer]

I put a batch of this on last january, and it has been sitting quietly in the fermenter ever since the last racking. Has anyone else ever left their mead that long? I have been under the impression that mead benefits from a extended aging process.

My last 2 batches aged for a year in bulk after it finished and then bottled. It does smooth out a bunch.

 

[AugustDerleth]

This is day 6, I believe. There was significantly more foaming but I just stirred it very vigorously! Can't wait to taste this. Thanks for this recipe post, mgayer! :fro:

 

[Verloc5150]

Thanks for the recipe mgayer. This was my first attempt at mead, so I'm hoping it'll come out well

 

[AugustDerleth]

One suggestion, put your berries in a mesh bag or something or it's very possible you'll run into some serious clogging problems when you are racking this into secondary. At least, I did. >_<

 

[Verloc5150]

One suggestion, put your berries in a mesh bag or something or it's very possible you'll run into some serious clogging problems when you are racking this into secondary. At least, I did. >_<

Too late for me unfortunately. I hope I can avoid an autosiphon full of blueberries by wrapping some cheesecloth around the business end when I rack.

 

[LightningInABottle]

I've done 2 x 5 gallon batches of this so far and had no problems wrapping a fine mesh nylong brew bag around the racking cane. The only minor problem is the end of the racking process is slowed down a bit.

 

[AugustDerleth]

Mmm Mmmm. Can't wait for this to wrap up! :fro:

 

[Tank55]

I was looking for a decent blueberry mead recipe for my 5 gallon carboy and this looks great..thanks. I'm starting it this week..wish me luck!

 

[un1ty]

Also making this recipe, though I changed it up a bit.

Followed the advice of the OP and went with 10# berries and about 10# honey. I added all the dry stuff (minus yeast) and shook - then pitched yeast after 24 hours. Left in primary with a muslin cloth, triple folded, on top to allow air flow and stirred every day. About a week ago I strained out the berries and racked with 1.5# honey into a carboy. It was super bubbly for about 3 days and now has pretty much ceased to do anything...

Question:
If the carboy was shaken quite a bit, will this ruin or otherwise make this batch no good? I did not realize shaking was a huge no-no and shook is up enough to make it cloudy. It has since stabilized and formed on the bottom again....

Smell is GREAT! No rotten smells at all. When I racked it, we tasted it just a bit. Very awesome - tasted like blueberry juice with more sweetener (honey of course) and a bit of alcohol.

 

[Sirthomas42]

After emptying our primary the other day, we couldn't just leave it empty so we took the 10 pounds of blueberries we had sitting around in the freezer and started a batch of this this weekend. If I did the math right, it'll finish off right at 14%, and we'll sweeten with a little honey at racking. Can't wait... 'till September? Ugh, such a horrible hobby for me to be into... I have no patience.

 

[AugustDerleth]

Can't wait... 'till September? Ugh, such a horrible hobby for me to be into... I have no patience.

Mine have been sitting for coming up on six months, and I intend to leave them for another six before bottling, at which point they'll sit for longer. I've tasted it and it's certainly drink-able right now, but will only get finer with time. I'm excited. Just brew some tasty beers to drink in the meantime!

 

[Sirthomas42]

I hate beer I wish I liked it, but I don't. So I make wine... *hides*

 

[AugustDerleth]

I hate beer

 

[Sirthomas42]

...but I love Apfelwein, Mead, sweet grape wines, Grape Mead... does that help?

 

[burkej]

So should I be racking this without the blueberries after primary?