My version of Chocolate/Cherry/Vanilla/Pomegranate mead recipe
2.25 gallon batch
INGREDIENTS...
3 lbs 8 oz wildflower honey
96 oz regular POM juice (not the flavored ones)
72 oz Marco Polo sour cherries w/the juice
1/2 gallon spring water
80 grams cocoa nibs....(mine were toasted @ 350°F/ five minutes....not enough...I will go 10 minutes next time I toast some)
2 Ecuadorian Vanilla beans from Shawn Darryl Harris
5 grams QA23, rehydrated in spring water with 6.25 grams of GoFerm
3.8 grams Fermaid K, one time addition @ pitch
8 grams Potassium carbonate, one time addition @ pitch
2 grams Opti-red, one time addition @ pitch
2 grams Booster Blanc, one time addition @ pitch
12.6 grams TOTAL Fermaid O , (4.2 grams @ pitch, 4.2 @ first sugar break, 4.2 grams @ second sugar break)
2lb bag of sweet & tart cherries
Pectic enzyme (as per package instructions)
K Meta & K Sorb, (as per package instructions)
PROCESS
Must was created with the spring water, honey, POM juice & sour cherries (in a brew bag) in a 5 gallon brew bucket. Added the bloomed yeast, (rehydrated with GoFerm) as well as the one time additions of Booster Blanc, Opti-red, potassium carbonate, Fermaid K & the FIRST addition of Fermaid O.
(Then Fermaid O @ 1st & 2nd sugar breaks----1.077 & 1.038)
OG 1.116
Started 2/3/23, by 2/7, it was @ 1.006
2/20, removed fruit
3/7, racked & stabilized with K Meta & K Sorb
4/2, added 2 lbs sweet & tart cherries, in a brew bag, 2 Ecuadorian Vanilla beans, & 80 grams toasted cocoa nibs.
As of last night, I think I can let it go 2-3 more days before pulling any of the additions.
WHAT WOULD I DO DIFFERENT FOR NEXT BATCH
Toast the cocoa nibs longer, for a darker chocolate flavor...the house smelled great when I toasted them, but, next time I will go more with the on the nose smell for when they're done.
I do want to try the Cherry flavored POM juice for the next batch.
I have some Yaupon Holly honey to try for the next batch, which I have read has Cherry notes.
I also have some Cherry staves arriving that I will be adding to give some extra tannins..I got the staves here...https://www.bbaging.com/
2.25 gallon batch
INGREDIENTS...
3 lbs 8 oz wildflower honey
96 oz regular POM juice (not the flavored ones)
72 oz Marco Polo sour cherries w/the juice
1/2 gallon spring water
80 grams cocoa nibs....(mine were toasted @ 350°F/ five minutes....not enough...I will go 10 minutes next time I toast some)
2 Ecuadorian Vanilla beans from Shawn Darryl Harris
5 grams QA23, rehydrated in spring water with 6.25 grams of GoFerm
3.8 grams Fermaid K, one time addition @ pitch
8 grams Potassium carbonate, one time addition @ pitch
2 grams Opti-red, one time addition @ pitch
2 grams Booster Blanc, one time addition @ pitch
12.6 grams TOTAL Fermaid O , (4.2 grams @ pitch, 4.2 @ first sugar break, 4.2 grams @ second sugar break)
2lb bag of sweet & tart cherries
Pectic enzyme (as per package instructions)
K Meta & K Sorb, (as per package instructions)
PROCESS
Must was created with the spring water, honey, POM juice & sour cherries (in a brew bag) in a 5 gallon brew bucket. Added the bloomed yeast, (rehydrated with GoFerm) as well as the one time additions of Booster Blanc, Opti-red, potassium carbonate, Fermaid K & the FIRST addition of Fermaid O.
(Then Fermaid O @ 1st & 2nd sugar breaks----1.077 & 1.038)
OG 1.116
Started 2/3/23, by 2/7, it was @ 1.006
2/20, removed fruit
3/7, racked & stabilized with K Meta & K Sorb
4/2, added 2 lbs sweet & tart cherries, in a brew bag, 2 Ecuadorian Vanilla beans, & 80 grams toasted cocoa nibs.
As of last night, I think I can let it go 2-3 more days before pulling any of the additions.
WHAT WOULD I DO DIFFERENT FOR NEXT BATCH
Toast the cocoa nibs longer, for a darker chocolate flavor...the house smelled great when I toasted them, but, next time I will go more with the on the nose smell for when they're done.
I do want to try the Cherry flavored POM juice for the next batch.
I have some Yaupon Holly honey to try for the next batch, which I have read has Cherry notes.
I also have some Cherry staves arriving that I will be adding to give some extra tannins..I got the staves here...https://www.bbaging.com/