Blackberry Honey

[tonyandkory]

Hello all,
I just bought 12 pounds of Blackberry Honey and am kind of undecided what to do with it.

I was thinking of maybe just a straight mead but that depends on the flavor of the honey.

If I add fruit,in your opinion, what should I use? how much?
Should I add half the fruit in primary and half in secondary?

how can I add some body to this mead? my last one came out thin.(raspberry-vanilla)

and last about how many gallons can I get out of 12 pounds of honey?
can I do 6 with the help of inverted sugar, or should I just see where it gets me SG wise with just the 12 pounds?

 

[rjb222]

I have found that every year the honey is different. Each mead is unique within it's self and that is what makes them so wonderful. I have never used Blackberry, but any mead I set up is for a 6 gallon US,5 Gallon Imperial or 23 liter batch as that is the size of my equipment. I always use 18 lbs per 6 US gallons for a base line. I have never had a thin mead. I handle mead different than any other product I ferment. I set up in a glass carboy no fuller than 1 inch below the taper point to the shoulder of the carboy. I then inoculate as normal with a live yeast starter the next day. I let go until the violent ferment is over and this varies with each honey so I look at the ferment every day when starting. When the real violent ferment is over I top up to within a inch of the bung and let things finish. I top up the air lock regularly and do not touch the mead until it is bright clear. I will then rack off put in 1/4 tsp k metta and 2 tsp potassium sorbate top up with a similar mead and leave for about 9-10 months keeping the air lock topped up. I'll then bottle. Works for me every time. Mind though I prefer a sweet mead.