Very-very cranberry mead

[SimPilot]

Two batches of same honey but different OG.
Batch 33 (OG 1.110 / 5.5 gallons volume) and 34 (OG 1.120 / 5.5 gallons volume).
Start 31 Oct 2022.
Starter - 10.5 grams of Go-Ferm with 4 x D47 packets. Each batch got half.
Fermaid O added to each batch @ day 1 (5 grams), day 2 (5 grams) and day 3 (4 grams)
Finished fermenting on 30 Nov.
Batch 33 FG 1.006. (~14% abv)
Batch 34 FG 1.010 (~14.7% abv)

Start cold crash on 30 Nov.
Moved to secondary 4 Dec.
Added 10LB of cranberries to each batch.

Cranberries crashed through mead grinder and bagged.

Today 17 Dec. It's getting very clear and taste is extremely tart - full of cranberry. Zero taste of alcohol.

I'll probably bottle them in two weeks. Extremely delightful of my results.
Estimated cost for two batches ~ $140 ($90 for raw honey, 8 gallons of water, Go-firm, 4 pockets of yeast and 20 pounds of cranberries + bags) . Maybe 58 bottles making each about ~$<3ish.

 

[SimPilot]

Finally bottled cranberry mead. Image - left B33 and right is B34.

Batch 34 produced 21 x 750 ml bottles
Batch 33 produced 15 x 750 ml bottles and 4 x 1.5 L.

Additionally about 4 x 750ml was drained from cranberry bags. And during "testing" probably few bottles disappeared as well...

So far my fav is batch 34.

 

[SimPilot]

And since bags of cranberries still produce wonderful color - I decided to use them in the future cider.

B33/34 bags went into 5 gallons of cider, plus about 3lb of clover honey and 2 x 71B yeast. OG 1.072.

 

[SimPilot]

It's that time of the year again. Cranberries are on sale. Walmart has a bag of 340g for $1.50.

Lessons learned from 33/34 batches (only 8 bottles left). It's too cranberry. Too much acid. Also there is a bunch of lee on the bottom of bottles. Meaning it should have staying in a bucket much longer.

My batch 43, ~4 Gallons FG 1.010, just finished fermentation few weeks ago and now chilling in a secondary. Just grounded 2 Kg of cranberries and added to B43.
So less cranberries and this batch will stay longer in a secondary.

 

[OleBrewing]

cranberries indeed very tart and dry and would say crisp. i made a dry mead with them the age went cranberries for front young age, then several years later honey in front with hint of cranberry. I enjoyed it but most folks like sweetness to it apparently dry 13% beverage when people think dessert wine. have a bunch of honey crystalized waiting for next batch i just haven't decided what to make. I love cranberries maybe mix in cherries and back sweeten a tad.

 

[SimPilot]

Update on Batch 43. OG 1.106 FG 1.010 ~12ish ABV
I've added 2kg of cranberries on 18 Oct and removed them on 27th Oct.
Today poured a glass. Clarity is getting there. I can read this text through wine glass.
Smell of cranberries. Nothing smells off-putting.
Taste is not overwhelming. Just enough of berries and bite to my liking. I've really enjoying it. Too bad, I only have 4ish gallons.

 

[SimPilot]

Bottled this batch few weeks ago. A bit too early due to clarity, but I needed room for next batches. Result - 16 bottles x 750ml.
OG 1.106
~3 Gallons of water
~1 Gallon of raw honey
5 grams of GoFirm
7 grams of E1118
Start 29 July
19 Sep Confirmed - Finished fermentation with FG 1.010
No nutrients added as a test run during fermentation.
8 Oct Moved to secondary
18 Oct Added 2Kg cranberried.
27 Oct Removed berries.
26 Nov Bottled. 12-13% ABV
Taste profile from above post.

Lesson learned - without added nutrients, it takes much longer to finish fermentation. I didn't notice any off-taste. But desired 12 % with sugar remaining was my goal. No sulfates or other chemicals was used and fermentation didn't restart.
Cranberries are extremely overwhelming and small amount / short duration in the bucket is required.