Dried Deglet dates question(amount, what else to add)

[Berries n honey]

I need your opinions. I purchased 19 lbs of dried deglet dates, almost two gallons (clearance). I plan on brewing mead in a 7 gallon carboy using organic honey(not raw).
My goal is to make it taste good and Ive considered adding the following from my pantry:
Whole vanilla bean, frozen strawberries or blueberries.

Should I use all 19 lbs of dates?
Should I add some strawberries and vanilla?

My plan is to at least put in the vanilla and see if I like it after primary and maybe add a few gallons of strawberries. Let me know if you think id be better off saving the berries for next batch. Thanks!

 

[Dan O]

Dates have the highest sugars of any fruit. Not sure how much honey you plan on using, but, the dates will add a significant amount of your fermentable sugars. As to how much you should use.....I personally have never used dates, so, I really don't know. I think even half of that 19 lbs would still be too much, but, again, I've never used them. If your gravity is too high, your ferment
will stall, or not even start at all, also stressing your yeast. Stressed yeast will contribute to fussels and off flavors.
100 grams of dates= (.88 lbs)= 257 grams of sugars.
Do you get all the sugars out of them when you ferment? Probably not, but, I would air on the side of caution.
Also, I've seen date meads made on YouTube. Be prepared to lose quite a bit when it comes time to rack off of the fruit. Dates break down funny, just do a search for date meads & you'll see what I mean.
I would advise the small test batch before you go using enormous amounts of honey. Nothing worse than using a huge amount of honey & having the ferment not go like it should.
As for the vanilla & strawberry, personal tastes would dictate to me what would go in. Do those flavors all mixed together taste good to you? Have you tried them together in @ least some form or fashion?
I hope this helps.
Happy meading