Carbonated Blackberry Mead

[thevalor]

Hi all,

I'm making my second batch of mead! I want to achieve a light, highly carbonated, slightly sour, semi dry mead for the summer weather. My biggest concern is bottle conditioning and halting fermentation (or not halting fermentation?) So the plan so far is as follows:

5(ish) gal batch
8lbs wildflower honey (from costco)
3lbs blackberry (frozen)

-Dilute until OG is 1.085
-Pitch EC-1118 yeast and nutrients
-Ferment for ??? amount of time, I'm thinking 6 weeks
-Transfer to Secondary for clarification and aging(or maybe not?)
-Goal of FG is 1.010
-Bottle condition with sugar because that champagne yeast is still hungry
-Great Success?

My big concern is that the end result will bee too dry and too sour. I also had the thought to let fermentation finish in the bottles instead of secondary. Lemme know what you guys think. Thanks!

 

[MightyMosin]

Goal of FG is 1.010

That yeast will almost certainly take it to 1.000 or lower. You will have to stabilize with metabisulfate and potassium sorbate before you can back sweeten it to bring it up to the sweetness that you are looking for.

The problem is that the potassium sorbate will prevent you from bottle conditioning it. That's one of the reasons that so many people force carbonate in a keg

 

[Srimmey]

I think you will need more honey/berries to hit that OG in a 5 gallon batch (probably around 10lb of honey). I would also aim to use 2lb of berries per gallon so the flavor carries through.

Finally, I would also keg it for carbonation. It’s so much less complicated than all the other ways of carbonating something that isn’t completely devoid of fermentable sugars.

 

[thevalor]

All I have to work with is a 5 gallon bucket, a hose, and some bottles. I wish I could just keg it I did go ahead and start the batch as described above. It ended up at a little less than 4.5 gallons and the OG is 1.080. If I finish at 1.010 the ABV should be 9.2% which is what I wanted. I was told to go light with blackberries because they are very sour. I probably should've used a different yeast to start it. I understand that I am making this more difficult than it needs to be but... screw it.

So how can I save this batch from infinite horde of champagne yeast?

Idea 1: accept fate. just allow the gravity to go to 1.000, add some sugar to the bottles, bottle condition, and deal with the results.

Idea 2: I was thinking I could bottle it early towards the end of fermentation, allow it to bottle condition, and then pasteurize the bottles by heating the bottles in hot water to kill the yeast? (bottle explosion incoming). For example (and I'm just ball parking numbers here), if I measure the gravity at 1.012 go ahead and bottle. Allow 3-4 days for bottle conditioning and then pasteurize the bottles?

Second idea sounds dangerous, but if I can be precise about it, I think it could work. I also have wine bottles with corks, so hopefully I could make a mess instead of bombs if I screw it up.

 

[thevalor]

3rd option: just do what mosin said and have no carbonation.

 

[bushpilot]

Idea 1: Let it go dry, this is what I would do.

Then sweeten with a non-fermentable sweetener such as lactose, erythritol, xylitol, or sorbitol, and bottle condition with sucrose for carbonation.

Then let it age a few months, and you will be amazed with the result.

 

[Srimmey]

It’s going to be a challenge to keep it from going dry but if I had to I would do the following once the brew is at my desired FG…

1. Put it in the fridge to lower the temp
2. Rack it off the yeast colony
3. Hit it em with meta K and K sorbate

 

[Srimmey]

It’s going to be a challenge to keep it from going dry but if I had to I would do the following once the brew is at my desired FG…

1. Put it in the fridge to lower the temp
2. Rack it off the yeast colony
3. Hit it em with meta K and K sorbate

Ooo…You can also try the step below. Keep in mind it’s much more dicey. Bottle carbonation and pasteurization can take a careful hand.

1. Let it go completely dry
2. Let it clear
3. Backsweeten and bottle in swing tops
4. Check carb levels daily, pasteurize once desired carbonation levels are achieved

 

[AzOr]

Pasteurizing is fairly common with cider. It is a risky proposition if you are not using a keg and co2, though.

I’ve pasteurized several hundred bottles and have had two bombs. Both were 22 oz bottles and yes they made loud noises but only cracked at the neck. No schrapnel. There were also several caps that popped off with no broken glass.

I’ve never had a 12oz bottle crack fwiw.

Best of luck

 

[Rish]

This may be more than you want to read but it gives details on how to do what you are wanting to do. Good luck!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/heat-pasteurizing-and-carbonation-more-stuff.684883/

 

[MJd]

Why not make it a 5% or 6 % carbonated melomel by backing off the honey to somewhere around 1 lb/gallon amd keeping that rate of fruit? It will still be refreshing....and can drink a few on the back porch without consequence to the rest of your day. I do that (subbing blueberries for blackberries) and it isn't too sour or dry. The berries will add some perceived sweetness and body.

Pay attention to your nutrient protocol!

 

[thevalor]

Update: It's dry

So, I got distracted with some life changes, and now the mead is sitting right at 1.000. I tasted it and holy wow it's good as a dry still wine. It's obviously missing some body because it's only 10.5% abv, but awesome none the less. I almost wanna try adjusting this recipe for a pseudo pinot noir.

Anyway, I obviously missed my chance to pasteurize and get a carbonated 9.5% abv, so now I'm back to idea 1: back sweeten and bottle condition with tablets.

My question: what should I use to back sweeten? erythritol, xylitol or something else? Also should I add these non-fermentables during a transfer to a secondary fermenter or just directly into bottles?