I don't keep real detailed notes anymore, but here is what I used for the cherry mead.
I usually use about 5 lbs. cherries per gal. this time:
29 lbs pie cherries This was started in March so cherries have been in the freezer since June. More cherries give more flavor. I pit the cherries after I pick them. Don't get all the pits, but there is a bitter taste that you get with the pits.It does seem to go away with time, tho. Also, I put fruit in a ferment bag. Much easier to remove when done fermenting it.
K- meta and wait 12 hrs or so before pitching yeast.
6 gal. water
2 1/2 tsp. bentonite sprinkled in after first 3 gal. water.
1 gal. honey.
Added enough sugar to bring s.g. up to 1.090 or so.
Add tannin if you like, I didn't this time and usually don't with cherry.
pitched yeast, think I used cotes de blanc- Red star.
Put in 1/2 the nutrient and yeast energizer after the ferment takes off. Nutrient and energizer according to label on pkg.
Add the other half when s.g. was down to 1.060
This was fermented pretty cool, my basement temp. was only 55 degrees.
No problem if it is warmer, If it was later in the season, the temp. will be up in the 70's and that is where I will ferment.
The rest of it is like I do with most of my wines
Pull the fruit bag about 1.005 or so. Maybe squeeze it a bit.
I usually let them ferment dry in the primary bucket.
Rack to carboy
Let it sit for a while til it drops the gross lees and starts clearing a bit. Maybe a couple of weeks, maybe a couple of months.
Rack and k-meta, let it sit with an airlock.
More lees? rack after a while, weeks or months, more k-meta after 3 months or so
Eventually it falls totally clear, if not you can hit it with finings to force it to clear.
I usually just let it clear on its own. Over the winter here they don't clear very good with my cold basement, but in the spring when it warms up they tend to degass and clear pretty fast.
Don't forget to taste test a bit along the way.
It will probably need some sweetening, I just sweeten it to taste, don't forget to stabalize it along the way if you sweeten it before bottling. I usually stabalize it, let it sit for a while, sweeten and let it sit to make sure it doesn't take off again, then bottle.
Good luck with it, any questions, just whistle. I'll try and help. Arne.
forgot the pectic enzime. Put it in 12 hours after the origonal dose of k-meta, wait about a day or so and pitch the yeast. Helps in clearing.
Arne.
