Black Cherry Melomel

[Wade E]

Most meads are designed to be very thin on fruit so just sneaking a bit of fruit in there would be very easy. I just like a lot of fruit flavor so I always go way beyond the fruit threshold on my recipes.

 

[RkyMtnWine]

think i have an apple in the fridge yet... and a banana on the kitchen table... wash them up good and toss them in the must...

 

[Wade E]

Hmmm, Cysermel!

 

[RkyMtnWine]

Naw... come on.. yur pullin my leg... yankin my chain or whatever

 

[Wade E]

Okay, you might want to pick up a few more nanas!

 

[RkyMtnWine]

Think this time I will stick to the basic recipe.... no other fruit. Its going to be a long winter so will have time to try others. Backstep just a bit. Does just the basic recipe reallymake a good wine

 

[Wade E]

Cant say as I have never tried a straight mead except for a commercial which was really nasty. Im positive that I ca make a better mead with my eyes closed then what was in that bottle!

 

[RkyMtnWine]

OK, ya got me wavering on my idea of a plain ole mead.. Now I have to go exploring... or.. like what I was talking about before, blend one gallon mead with one gallon blueberry.... or maybe my beet.

 

[vcasey]

Wade's right for the most part most meads are lighter on the fruit. The honey is supposed to be the star.
If you want an easy and fun mead experience make Ken Schramm's Fall's Bounty Cyser. The backbone is apple cider and honey with a little bit of dark brown sugar, dates and raisins in the primary. In the secondary you add cinnamon, cloves & nutmeg. I made this last year as part of a group brew with another board. Unlike everyone else I only make 1 1/2 gallons but I made another 1 1/2 gallons using pear juice. The half gallons were used to top off the gallons and I topped off the 1/2 gallons with equal parts honey and juice. Once the gallons were finished I stabilized and then combined the 1/2 gallons. They were very good at bottling and can't wait to try one next year after its got some age on it. Yes I did oak mine. A lot of the other folks who make this often, keg it to carbinate it.
VPC

 

[Wade E]

Rcky, Im in no means saying that Plain mead is not good, just this 1 commercial bottle which I believe was Irish and called Meade. I have tried many many meads since then, all non commercial and havent disliked 1 yet.
Edited by: wade

 

[RkyMtnWine]

 

[K&GB]

The 71B-1122 yeast hardly foamed at all. It seems to have gone straight to the fizz stage and is fizzing steadily today.

Here's a couple of pics.

I tossed in some house toast French Oak cubes. I know these are supposed to be used during secondary or bulk aging, but I'm a little leary of how much oaky-ness they might impart, so I put them in the primary to soften the effect.

 

[Wade E]

Looks great! Some yeasts dont foam like others do.

 

[RkyMtnWine]

Im jealous... nothing fermenting right now. Think I need to do some 5 gallon batches. My birthday was last month.. I think I need to buy a kit

 

[Wade E]

What kind of kit are you thinking of?

 

[RkyMtnWine]

Not sure Wade. Been scanning the ones available.. certainly open to suggestions.. really no preference. Once I learn to taste and enjoy wine like most of you I will be able to make an educated choice... So... what would you suggest..

 

[Wade E]

I need some kind of guidance from you, are you looking fro a dry red wine that is awesome and would like to age for when you have accepted your inner thoughts that wine is awesome or something a little lighter to help your inner voice talk to you? If you are looking for a good dry red then I would suggest the lower kit below as this is about as good as a wine gets or the upper kit to entice you into liking this type of wine. read the descriptions the lower 1 is dry and the above 1 is a tad sweeter.

<table ="Catalog" id="products" width="100%" align="center" border="1" bordercolor="#000000" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"><t><tr><td ="table" width="2%" align="default"><div align="center">RE078 </td>
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</td>
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Amarone (with raisins)


This powerful red wine bursts with tree-ripened fruit flavours balanced to an unrivalled finesse.
</td>
<td width="2%"><div align="right">$128.99</td></tr></t></table><table ="Catalog" id="productsnew" width="100%" align="center" border="1" bordercolor="#000000" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"><t><tr><td ="table" width="2%" align="default"><div align="center">3279 </td>
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White Merlot


Medium pink rose' style wine with luscious berry flavors &amp; aromas with a crisp finish.</td>
<td width="2%"><div align="right">$96.99</td></tr></t></table>







Edited by: wade

 

[RkyMtnWine]

Red wine... but just a tad on the sweet side

 

[RkyMtnWine]

Hey... like the sound of that Amarone.. is that one that would back sweeten just a smidgin.

 

[Wade E]

Okay the computer was really giving me problems just like my whole day went today. I would really suggest you try that White Merlot as it has a slight sweetness to it and is a very nice kit. I traded wines with someone on the forum close to me and he gave a bottle of that and i was very impressed with it and have it on my wish list.