Watermelon Mead

[michio]

I made a 3 gallon watermelon mead a few weeks ago from fresh watermelon juice. cut out the inner watermelon and blended it. Strained it with a mesh strainer 3 times each in a bowl to get out the watermelon bits. The taped stopper was because the damn thing got pushed into far after I left so they just taped it to keep (did it at someone elses house to get them interested).

3.5 large watermelons - ~2.5 gallons watermelon juice
Wyeast 4184 - Cider and Mead yeast
64 oz of Clover honey
SG: 1.72

in secondary will add more watermelon juice. Potentially in tertiary, more watermelon juice and water melon rinds.
Would like to hear suggestions for what else I should add.

(https://imgur.com/a/zqzISBP)

 

[tinhatcat]

I made a 3 gallon watermelon mead a few weeks ago from fresh watermelon juice. cut out the inner watermelon and blended it. Strained it with a mesh strainer 3 times each in a bowl to get out the watermelon bits. The taped stopper was because the damn thing got pushed into far after I left so they just taped it to keep (did it at someone elses house to get them interested).

3.5 large watermelons - ~2.5 gallons watermelon juice
Wyeast 4184 - Cider and Mead yeast
64 oz of Clover honey
SG: 1.72

View attachment 628949

in secondary will add more watermelon juice. Potentially in tertiary, more watermelon juice and water melon rinds.
Would like to hear suggestions for what else I should add.

(https://imgur.com/a/zqzISBP)

I'd be curious to hear how the fermentation went, color, smell, maybe taste? I've thought about trying something with watermelon but I haven't seen many writeups. Hopefully super tasty!

 

[michio]

I'd be curious to hear how the fermentation went, color, smell, maybe taste? I've thought about trying something with watermelon but I haven't seen many writeups. Hopefully super tasty!

An update.
It came out smelling like bad watermelon, however it tastes just like water melon juice.
The clarity is very good. Will need to get a little more bits out however.
My next plan is to use hibiscus flower to maybe lighten the smell up and change the color.
Will add more watermelon along with more sugar in the tertiary.
Welcome to hear ideas on the bad smell.

 

[Blacksmith1]

Time. My watermelon wine smelled horrid at first. Been smelling better little by little. Watermelon requires time to come into it's own.

 

[michio]

Time. My watermelon wine smelled horrid at first. Been smelling better little by little. Watermelon requires time to come into it's own.

Interesting. I was hoping for it be ready by Christmas. How long did yours take?
Can you mask the awful smell?

 

[Seamonkey84]

Degas and let breath before serving. It would involves some equipment, but I heard on “ask the mead maker” about bubbling CO2 through a brew to off gas the funk without oxidizing it.

 

[Soulshine2]

I made a 3 gallon watermelon mead a few weeks ago from fresh watermelon juice. cut out the inner watermelon and blended it. Strained it with a mesh strainer 3 times each in a bowl to get out the watermelon bits. The taped stopper was because the damn thing got pushed into far after I left so they just taped it to keep (did it at someone elses house to get them interested).

3.5 large watermelons - ~2.5 gallons watermelon juice
Wyeast 4184 - Cider and Mead yeast
64 oz of Clover honey
SG: 1.72

View attachment 628949

in secondary will add more watermelon juice. Potentially in tertiary, more watermelon juice and water melon rinds.
Would like to hear suggestions for what else I should add.

(https://imgur.com/a/zqzISBP)

a distillation step...watermelon crawl!!
but really, next time you do watermelon do a reduction twice. take your watermelon juice , put it in a plastic jug and freeze it,then turn it upside down and allow the juice to run out ,capture that then refreeze and run out again, add the reduction to your fermentation at secondary. Hibiscus flower(flor de jamaica if you have a mexican grocery store near you) 1oz per 8 oz of water/5 gallon batch ,make a tea of it add with the reduction.

 

[Blacksmith1]

Interesting. I was hoping for it be ready by Christmas. How long did yours take?
Can you mask the awful smell?

Mine was started on 5/12/19. The smell is still there but going away slowly. I am not too worried about it as this is going to sit in the carboy for at least 6 more months.