Syrup in primary

[Nixkev]

I am currently about to start 6-9 micro batches (one quart mason jars) to get a taste of multiple recipes without dedicating a carboy. In order to save some mead when I take it off the lees I was thinking about making a homemade simple syrup out of the fruit I would be using to flavor rsther than putting pieces in. Has anyone done this? How has it gone?

 

[beer-me-now]

After fermentation is complete I rack off the lees and then use Campden & Potassium Sorbate to prevent further fermentation during back-sweeting. I regularly make simple syrups for flavor & back-sweeting to great effect with Cider, Cyser and Mead.

I recently made a lemon vanilla simple syrup (10oz of fresh squeezed lemon juice plus 10oz table sugar plus half of the total zest from the lemons plus 0.5oz vanilla extract - combine all in small pan and boil for 10 minutes). I added 8oz of this lemon vanilla syrup to 1 gallon of cyser and it came out very zesty with sweet lemon and subtle vanilla. I used the other 2oz of left over syrup to flavor cocktails with (sidecar cocktail with 2 shots vanilla brandy, 1 shot orange liquer and 3 teaspoons of this syrup)!

Another favorite syrup I make is Coconut, Vanilla, Piloncillo (One 8oz piloncillo cone in the microwave for 45 seconds to soften it up then combine in a pan with 8oz water plus 1oz coconut extract and 1oz vanilla extract and boil for 10 minutes). I have used this syrup to flavor a Perry which came out beautiful, very tropical tasting. I also used it to flavor a BOMM bochet and most recently added this syrup to a brown ale with 10 minutes left in the boil to see how my syrups work (if at all) in beer.

 

[bernardsmith]

Hi Nixkev - and welcome. How would you make the simple syrup from the fruit? Obviously horses for courses, but you should find that heating the fruit changes the flavors but if you prefer the flavors of cooked fruit when making wine or mead then more power to you. Also, while some fruits work well enough as added fruit juices many fruits offer up far more complex flavors when the alcohol extracts the flavors as opposed to you pressing or juicing the fruit. In short, any approach you use will produce different results, and some of those results you might prefer while others you might not like so much.

 

[RedHeadMead]

Hi Nixkev - and welcome. How would you make the simple syrup from the fruit? Obviously horses for courses, but you should find that heating the fruit changes the flavors but if you prefer the flavors of cooked fruit when making wine or mead then more power to you. Also, while some fruits work well enough as added fruit juices many fruits offer up far more complex flavors when the alcohol extracts the flavors as opposed to you pressing or juicing the fruit. In short, any approach you use will produce different results, and some of those results you might prefer while others you might not like so much.

I agree here. When cooking fruit your not just getting flavors from the juice and sugars. It will come from skins and seeds as well. I would say cook a small amout of the desired fruit and taste it before making syrups. That way if the flavor isnt what you're looking for you haven't wasted so much.