Thoughts on X-mas recipe

[Brewski01]

Ok so I have an idea for a Christmas brew I’d like to make for next year and since I’m new i dont know how much of each ingredient I should add. Here’s what I’m thinking:
-2lbs clover honey
-1lbs buckwheat honey
-Cranberries
-Vanilla
-Nutmeg
-cloves
-1 Braeburn apple
- 2 cinnamon sticks
This is what I’m thinking for a 1 gallon brew, but I don’t know how many cranberries I should put in, I’m thinking 1 dry cup. Also wondering how much vanilla, nutmeg and cloves I should put in. I don’t want a super overpowering cranberry taste and I still want to be able to taste the vanilla and other spices. Any thought and tweaks to this recipe would be very appreciated Also how much yeast nutrient do I put in initially and throughout fermentation(1 tbs or 1 tsp?). Thank you!!

 

[bernardsmith]

I would use one vanilla bean but sliced lengthwise to expose the innards. I might add the vanilla to the secondary so that you can remove the mead from the vanilla or vice versa if the flavor becomes too strong for what you are looking for.
With regards to nutrient - the bottles normally list the quantity per gallon you need to add.
Not clear what value one apple will add.
Cloves are strong - perhaps 1 per gallon?
Cranberries - again, you might want to freeze , then thaw and then add them to the secondary (enables you to remove them when the falvor you are looking for is hit. You might try 1 lb per gallon.
Buckwheat on the right coast is very earthy tasting... May not be what you are looking for. Good luck!

 

[Brewski01]

I would use one vanilla bean but sliced lengthwise to expose the innards. I might add the vanilla to the secondary so that you can remove the mead from the vanilla or vice versa if the flavor becomes too strong for what you are looking for.
With regards to nutrient - the bottles normally list the quantity per gallon you need to add.
Not clear what value one apple will add.
Cloves are strong - perhaps 1 per gallon?
Cranberries - again, you might want to freeze , then thaw and then add them to the secondary (enables you to remove them when the falvor you are looking for is hit. You might try 1 lb per gallon.
Buckwheat on the right coast is very earthy tasting... May not be what you are looking for. Good luck!

Thank you, I will try my best and I’ll give an update when I’m a few months in

 

[Brewski01]

I would use one vanilla bean but sliced lengthwise to expose the innards. I might add the vanilla to the secondary so that you can remove the mead from the vanilla or vice versa if the flavor becomes too strong for what you are looking for.
With regards to nutrient - the bottles normally list the quantity per gallon you need to add.
Not clear what value one apple will add.
Cloves are strong - perhaps 1 per gallon?
Cranberries - again, you might want to freeze , then thaw and then add them to the secondary (enables you to remove them when the falvor you are looking for is hit. You might try 1 lb per gallon.
Buckwheat on the right coast is very earthy tasting... May not be what you are looking for. Good luck!

Thank you, i will give an update once I’m a few months in!