Raspberry Mead

[THRobinson]

So, I have a few raspberry bushes, had hoped to have enough for making wine but only got about 2lbs worth. At the same time, there is an apiary about 3km down the road so... figured make some mead!

I'm looking to make a simple, sweet raspberry mead, and found a few recipes, but most seem to miss giving an estimate of time.

Anyone know of a good recipe for 3-5gal of sweet raspberry, maybe medium... and what are we talking in terms of time from start to bottling? I saw a recipe that had about 4 fermentation stages and estimated 8 months before bottling. I just assumed it was like wine/beer and 4-6 weeks to bottle and then 2-4 months before decent to start drinking... 8-12 months for best results.

I have little wine making experience... have made beer a few times, from can-kits (never again) and a few times from scratch (much much better). So, I have the basic equipment.

Thanks

 

[01TRV]

with only 2lbs worth I'd say just do a 1 gal batch. I would add them in secondary so you don't blow all the nice fresh berry flavor out the airlock. Simple 2.5 or 3 lb recipe with some yeast nutrient added to keep the yeast happy. D-47 or KV-1116 should be easy to come by for yeast and would work just fine.

And yeah, 3 or 4 weeks in primary, then secondary and subsequent racking off any sediment that forms. 6 months out you might start to enjoy the taste depending on how much you mind that hot alcohol taste.

 

[THRobinson]

And yeah, 3 or 4 weeks in primary, then secondary and subsequent racking off any sediment that forms.

So, a month fermenting in the primary... THEN a secondary? how long is the secondary?

May or may not be moving within the next 3-4 months... that was my concern for time before bottling. Not a fan of the idea of having a carboy sloshing around when moving.

So... 1gal? few recipes I saw were saying for 5gal to use 1.5-2lbs raspeberries.

ie
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f30/raspberry-mead-52762/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f30/raspberry-honey-mead-126072/

then again, this one was 3.75lbs for 2.5gal, so... I have no idea...
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f80/sweet-raspberry-mead-88572/

 

[01TRV]

3 gal batch would probably work with berries in secondary. I would freeze the berries, go for 3 weeks in primary, rack on to the fruit for two weeks maybe, then rack off the fruit. You could probably stabilize and bottle right before the move then age it for quite a few more months.