Strawberry rhubarb mead recipe input

[agent44]

Do you have an update Goofynewfie? Just wondering how your turned out, I just chopped up a ton of strawberries for a five gallon batch I'm going to start soon, mine turned out great, I was making it for a gift, and the recipient shared it with a bunch of her friends at a party, they all loved it so much they want me to make a larger batch

 

[Goofynewfie]

Mine turned out good, I think next time I may stsbilize and backsweeten with just stawberry since my yeast took it a little drier than I prefer. My friends all liked it though.

 

[TheWadeShow]

So I'm interested in this recipe, but I am a bit confused on some of the details. I know it's been since 2013 since anyone's done this so hopefully someone still gets an alert, or some new folks see this and chime in.

I'm planning a 5gal batch. Based on what I've read here's what I'm going to do:

8lb frozen chopped rubharb
8lb frozem chopped strawberries
17lb raw clover honey
Lavlin KL-V116
Spring Water

I'm planning to puree/juice the Rubarb and Strawberries and mix them directly in with raw honey and spring water. I don't see the need to boil/skim off my honey so I'll just warm it up enough to pour easy and pour this all together in one concoction.

I'll dry pitch the yeast and give it a shake with some nutrient, but otherwise I'm planning to just let this thing take off on it's own. With that much raw honey it should be ok without any staggering (not quite sure what that even means besides putting in some more nutrient stuff everyday).

Let it complete it's primary fermentation and once the bubbling starts petering off, I'll rack it into secondary.

At this point I'm not quite sure what to do. A few folks mentioned in previous post adding more strawberries and rubarb. I figure another 5lbs of strawberies and rubarb should be enough to add in additional flavors (puree/juice again). Let it clear out, then rack into a new carboy for bulk aging.

Just curious what folks think, if that would work/be good, and if I should add or do anything else?

Thanks!

 

[Matrix4b]

So I'm interested in this recipe, but I am a bit confused on some of the details. I know it's been since 2013 since anyone's done this so hopefully someone still gets an alert, or some new folks see this and chime in.

I'm planning a 5gal batch. Based on what I've read here's what I'm going to do:

8lb frozen chopped rubharb
8lb frozem chopped strawberries
17lb raw clover honey
Lavlin KL-V116
Spring Water

I'm planning to puree/juice the Rubarb and Strawberries and mix them directly in with raw honey and spring water. I don't see the need to boil/skim off my honey so I'll just warm it up enough to pour easy and pour this all together in one concoction.

I'll dry pitch the yeast and give it a shake with some nutrient, but otherwise I'm planning to just let this thing take off on it's own. With that much raw honey it should be ok without any staggering (not quite sure what that even means besides putting in some more nutrient stuff everyday).

Let it complete it's primary fermentation and once the bubbling starts petering off, I'll rack it into secondary.

At this point I'm not quite sure what to do. A few folks mentioned in previous post adding more strawberries and rubarb. I figure another 5lbs of strawberies and rubarb should be enough to add in additional flavors (puree/juice again). Let it clear out, then rack into a new carboy for bulk aging.

Just curious what folks think, if that would work/be good, and if I should add or do anything else?

Thanks!

That's a lot of Rhubarb. This will be very tart.

Recommendations: Put the Fruit in the secondary, that is after you rack it for the first time about 1 month after it starts.. Just chop into cubes or bits about 1/2 inch size and put in a mesh bag, no need to puree, the alcohol and time will render it to pulp. The bag is for ease of removal. I would increase the Strawberry to 12-14 pounds and decrease the Rhubarb to 5 pounds, you will still end up a bit tart. I would also reduce the honey to the primary to 12 pounds and after you take out the fruit and about 2 months of settleing, stabilize (add Postassium Sorbate 1/4 Tablespoon per gallon, and wait 2 days) then add a 1/2 honey and 1/2 water mix to "Backsweeten" with 5 pounds. That is about 5-6 pounds of honey in 1/2 gal of water. Lastly, when it is nearly clear "Oak" it. That is put 1 oz of oak chips or cubes in for about 3 weeks, lightly toasted oak. I like to put the chips or cubes into a hops bag for ease of removal. When you remove your oak you then are just waiting for it to clear. Once cleared, age for 6-8 months, then bottle and enjoy or if you bottle age, just enjoy.

Matrix4b

 

[Matrix4b]

Oh, and Step Feeding is putting your total nutrients in stages. Like if you were using say 1 oz of nutrients (yes that is high but number is for example purposes) then you would put in 1/3 oz in the primary, add another 1/3 about a day or two later, then add the last 1/3 at the sugar break point.

Sugar break point is where the yeast has eaten about 1/2 the honey it's going to eat. That requires figuring out the gravity and expected gravity with a Hydrometer. Trust me, when starting off, you are fine with all the nutrients "Up Front", meaning all at once in the primary.

Matrix4b

 

[TheWadeShow]

Thanks very much for the reply Matrix!

That's a lot of Rhubarb. This will be very tart.

Recommendations: Put the Fruit in the secondary, that is after you rack it for the first time about 1 month after it starts.. Just chop into cubes or bits about 1/2 inch size and put in a mesh bag, no need to puree, the alcohol and time will render it to pulp. The bag is for ease of removal. I would increase the Strawberry to 12-14 pounds and decrease the Rhubarb to 5 pounds, you will still end up a bit tart. I would also reduce the honey to the primary to 12 pounds and after you take out the fruit and about 2 months of settleing, stabilize (add Postassium Sorbate 1/4 Tablespoon per gallon, and wait 2 days) then add a 1/2 honey and 1/2 water mix to "Backsweeten" with 5 pounds. That is about 5-6 pounds of honey in 1/2 gal of water. Lastly, when it is nearly clear "Oak" it. That is put 1 oz of oak chips or cubes in for about 3 weeks, lightly toasted oak. I like to put the chips or cubes into a hops bag for ease of removal. When you remove your oak you then are just waiting for it to clear. Once cleared, age for 6-8 months, then bottle and enjoy or if you bottle age, just enjoy.

Matrix4b

Just so I know I read all of that right...

5gal Batch of Strawberry Rhubarb Mead:

5lb frozen chopped rhubarb
14lb frozen chopped strawberries
12lb raw clover honey
Lavlin KL-V116
Spring Water
Postassium Sorbate
Oak Chips

Primary: 5lbs of frozen chopped rhubarb + 12lbs of raw clover honey + spring water + Lavlin KL-V116 + Nutrient. Let it bubble out, then transfer to secondary.

Secondary: Primary liquid + 14lb of Frozen Chopped Strawberries. Let it age for 2 months, then remove Strawberries. Add Postassium Sorbate. Add 5 pounds of honey and 1/2 gal of water. One it clears add Oak Chips. Wait 3 weeks. Move to bulk aging.

Does that sound right?

 

[madscientist451]

I don't see the point in adding the rhubarb prior to fermentation.
It's not going to add anything to your ABV since it is very low in sugar.
The fermentation process will scrub away much of the rhubarb flavor and aroma.
I'd make a base mead, when its done (and aged) put the rhubarb in a better bottle , about 1 lb per gallon, and then add the mead. I would then rack the mead off the rhubarb and on to the strawberries or use a strawberry flavoring. Strawberry flavor is somewhat delicate and I've had better results using a strawberry concentrate vs/ real strawberry.
I haven't done this with a mead, but have done it with a cider and the results were good.

 

[TheWadeShow]

Just so I follow... you are saying I just make a base mead: Water + Yeast + Honey + Nutrient. Once that's done fermenting move it to secondary with Rhubarb and Strawberries... then move to bulk age?

 

[Matrix4b]

Just so I follow... you are saying I just make a base mead: Water + Yeast + Honey + Nutrient. Once that's done fermenting move it to secondary with Rhubarb and Strawberries... then move to bulk age?

Correct on the Primary: Water+Yeast+Honey+Nutrient. Secondary as yeast is nearly stopped, one bubble a minute or less. Should be about 2 weeks, sometimes a month at most.

Secondary: Rack off lees and on to Rhubarb and Strawberries for a month to let fruit flavor into the mead.

It may be too much volume so you may wish to Rack onto Strawberries or Rhubarb...Leave for a month, remove mesh bag of fruit and then rack off on to the other fruit for about a month or so. Again don't forget to put fruit in a mesh bag for ease of removal.

Tetriary: Remove Fruit, rack off of lees, add Potassium Sorbate

Wait 2 days at least for potassium sorbate to work, this stops the yeast and stops active fermentation so that your back sweeting wont be for nothing.

Backsweeten with the honey and water. This will cloud up the mead again.

Rack off the lees as necessary (about 1/4 inch or so, should be once every 2-3 months depending on desire and lees level, some judgement here)

When nearly clear and very little if any lees: add oak for 2-3 weeks.

Remove oak. Wait til Clear. Sometimes a clarifying agent can be used here, depending on your desire.

Now Bulk Age or bottle age for 6-8 months at least.

Hope it turns out well.

Matrix4b

 

[TheWadeShow]

I appreciate it, Matrix. I plan to get this started in the next few weeks so we'll see where it goes!

 

[Baabaadoo]

TheWadeShow, How did it turn out?