Sweet strawberry mead

[Devo9]

The big white thing is a grain bag filled with strawberries, the dark brown bits are oak chips, and the yellow things are lemon zest (well actually lemon shavings would be more accurate).

The liquid itself is a dark amber colour. It is nice and clear, but very dark.

 

[Devo9]

Another picture:

 

[kevokie]

Looking good. I can't wait to hear how this tastes.

 

[K9Handler]

The big white thing is a grain bag filled with strawberries......

What size grain bag did you use?

 

[Devo9]

What size grain bag did you use?

Honestly, I'm not sure. I didn't have any choices in my local home brew store. I just bought what they had. I'd have to check next time i go there.

It was a pretty large bag, it could have taken more then I put in it

 

[K9Handler]

To make this you ferment the primary ingredients for 10 days then add the secondary ingredients and let it ferment for 7 days then rack it and add the lemon and thyme? How long will you leave it on the thyme and lemon?

 

[Devo9]

To make this you ferment the primary ingredients for 10 days then add the secondary ingredients and let it ferment for 7 days then rack it and add the lemon and thyme? How long will you leave it on the thyme and lemon?

I actually kept it on the fruit until it dropped. I think it was more like 15 - 20 days. I juiced the strawberries in my juicer (I highly recommend this) then added the rhubarb in the grain bag. Finally, I added more strawberries in the grain bag (not nearly as clean as the juiced strawberries). The new strawberries haven't dropped yet.

 

[K9Handler]

I actually kept it on the fruit until it dropped. I think it was more like 15 - 20 days. I juiced the strawberries in my juicer (I highly recommend this) then added the rhubarb in the grain bag. Finally, I added more strawberries in the grain bag (not nearly as clean as the juiced strawberries). The new strawberries haven't dropped yet.

How many more pounds of strawberries did you add? Are you saying you added the second addition of strawberries once the rhubarb dropped? Thanks for the info, I just want to get it right.

 

[Devo9]

How many more pounds of strawberries did you add? Are you saying you added the second addition of strawberries once the rhubarb dropped? Thanks for the info, I just want to get it right.

Yes, I waited for the rhubarb to drop before I added the additional strawberries. I didn't want to displace too much mead at once. I also added the vanilla, lemon, and thyme with the rhubarb, as soon as it went to secondary.

Here is the amounts I used (found in my original post near the end):

New Revised Recipie: (Final revision, I hope)

Ingredients
Primary Ingredients
12 lbs. Clover honey
½ cup of raisins
~4 Gallons water (fill to 5 gallon level)
1 pack of D47, 71B, or Montratchet wine yeast (still deciding)

Secondary Ingredients
12 lbs. of frozen strawberries (Juiced, if possible)
3 lbs. of rhubarb
2 Vanilla Beans
Zest from one lemon
1 teaspoon of Thyme

Backsweetening Ingredients
2 lbs. Clover honey or
strawberry juice to taste

 

[K9Handler]

Thanks for the information!!

 

[Devo9]

oh, and I basically did 1/2 the strawberriess before the rhubarb and 1/2 after

 

[K9Handler]

Ok, thanks.

 

[TedLarsen]

My version of this mead is progressing nicely. I racked it onto some more strawberries last night, and of course I had to take a taste of it. It's far from clear -- I imagine it will take several more months to clear. The color was more orange (with a touch of pink) than red, although it's already picking up a >lot< more color from the new strawberries.

It's got a very nice, subtly floral and fruity nose, bringing out both the honey (I used a really good honey from a friend of mine who owns a local apiary) and the strawberries. The rhubarb has hard to detect, but I think will come out as it all mellows. I think.

Wasn't the finest tasting drink in the world -- hot! with alcohol -- but I have no doubt it will mellow into something really really nice.

Plus, in a couple of weeks (or less), I will rack it off the strawberries and onto two very high grade vanilla beans, and leave it there for 6 weeks or a couple of months.....

After that, I'll age it longer on some oak.....I really like the process of slowly adding and infusing new tastes to this.

 

[luda007]

I started a version of this last night.

Really the only variation was that I put a lb of strawberries and 2 lbs of rhubarb in the primary.
I did something similar with a blueberry that I made and it came out really dark. I'm hoping for a dark pinkish product.

 

[TedLarsen]

I bottled this just last night. Here's a picture of it -- it's crystal clear, and has a beautiful orange color to it (which surprised me).

I will age this in the bottle at least a year -- probably two....but it's already delicious. Subtle and amazing (with a luxurious mouth feel). It's already the nicest, most mature beverage I've brewed so far. I can't wait to taste it in a year or two!

 

[newbiewinemaker]

Can I ask how you got the strainer bag out? OR did you rack the wine out of the carboy and then take the bag out? I am really interested in this and have never made mead but this sounds amazing and I think I will try this when I get back from my business tip to India next week.

Thanks!

 

[newbiewinemaker]

Also I have another question. Do you need to degass this at all? When would you add sorbat? After it has cleared and before backsweetening? I have never made mead before so this is why I am asking. Also what was your starting SG? What yeast did you use? I would love to make this but I do not want more than 12% alcohol in it.

I have decided to start the primary and then after 10 days add the strawberries for another 7 days. Then I will rack this into a carboy and add the lemon zest and thyme.

After it has started to clear nice, I will rack off the lees and add the vanilla beans and oak chips. I do not want a lot of oak flavor. I will only leave those in for about 2 weeks to a month. Then I will rack again and leave it sit to clear. What do you use to top up with?
THis is where my question comes in about the sorbate. Would the final time I rack be a good time to add it? I just do not want any bottle bombs when I bottle this.

Any input on this would be awesome!

Thanks!

 

[TedLarsen]

You won't need to degas it if you let it bulk age. I bulk aged mine about 9 months, and it ended up completely degassed and crystal clear.

I didn't use a strainer bag, except for the oak. The fruit, I just lobbed it in there. No worries! Getting the bag with the oak out is a bit of a pain, but doable after racking the mead away.

Yes, you will want to stabilize this before bottling -- bottle bombs = bad.

Good luck with your first mead!

 

[newbiewinemaker]

You won't need to degas it if you let it bulk age. I bulk aged mine about 9 months, and it ended up completely degassed and crystal clear.

I didn't use a strainer bag, except for the oak. The fruit, I just lobbed it in there. No worries! Getting the bag with the oak out is a bit of a pain, but doable after racking the mead away.

Yes, you will want to stabilize this before bottling -- bottle bombs = bad.

Good luck with your first mead!

Do you know what kind of yeast I should use? I do not want alot of alcohol in this. Just about 10-12%?

Thanks!