How do I keep the colour?

[Jack_0106]

Hi folks,

Brewed a gorgeous blackberry mead. Bottled on Friday and it was fabulous. However, I was hoping to keep the dark colouring given by the blackberries at the start. By time bottling came around, it was more of a pinkish Aperol colour (see photo). I thought about adding more blackberries in secondary but didn't want to restart fermentation as it was already at 14.5% and didn't want to change the flavour profile.

Any ideas how I can keep the dark purple colour of the black berries?

 

[CKuhns]

Your initial thought of adding your berries to secondary is a good one.
I add fruit almost exclusively to sec9ndary and let it ferment if the yeast choose to do so. Yes adds a bit m9re alcohol too.

Full disclosure. I never use these chemicals to inhibit yeast. This article might help. How to Stabilize Mead - Mead University — You To Brew
If your ferment is "done" and cleared add potassium sorbate and potassium metabisufite then your fruit.
The 14% alcohol potassium sorbate and potassium metabisulfite will inhibit the yeast likely not allow8ng the yeast to c9nsume the sugars.

 

[Jack_0106]

Your initial thought of adding your berries to secondary is a good one.
I add fruit almost exclusively to sec9ndary and let it ferment if the yeast choose to do so. Yes adds a bit m9re alcohol too.

Full disclosure. I never use these chemicals to inhibit yeast. This article might help. How to Stabilize Mead - Mead University — You To Brew
If your ferment is "done" and cleared add potassium sorbate and potassium metabisufite then your fruit.
The 14% alcohol potassium sorbate and potassium metabisulfite will inhibit the yeast likely not allow8ng the yeast to c9nsume the sugars.

Yeah I was using Gervin GV3 yeast which is good up to 18% so didn't really want it going that high. I wonder if I killed the yeast be it with chems or pasteurizing and then added more blackberries would the flavour be too tart?

 

[CKuhns]

Should have mentioned. (Or thought of it), I am a fan of pasteurizing.

 

[bushpilot]

Adding the fruit to secondary will not increase the alcohol. The berries will add more water (relatively speaking) than sugar, so it will actually decrease abv an insignificant amount.

I'd do it, and not stabilize at the point; let it ferment.