Cranberry Mead Recipe Suggestions?

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Junior
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I want to make a 5 gallon batch of cranberry melomel. I do not want it to tart but want to retain some of the tartness. I have a base recipe using 12.5 pounds of honey and 10 pounds of fresh cranberries. I want a OG of 1.160. I don't think 12.5 pounds of honey will do that. So my basic question is should I just add more honey and leave my cranberries at 10 pounds. Or is that to many cranberries. I don't want it to have to much tartness to it. Any suggestions to % tartaric I should shoot for to start would be great also. If you have a great recipe that would be awesome also.
 
I never said I wanted to finish at 1.000. If you are familiar with award winning meads, then you would know that they do not finish that low. I haven't done the calcs yet, but will be stopping fermentation or it will end on its own at around 1.050. 18% ABV is the highest it will be. That is how they retain flavor and avoid excess dryness. Thanks for your time and info you shared though.
 
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Why not start with an SG that is more favorable to yeast, ferment dry, clear and then backsweeten? Doing it this way you do risk stuck fermentations with a starting gravity so high.
 
Never thought of a stuck fermentation being a problem. I would be adding staggered nutrient additions. The 2012 AHA winning Melomel OG was 1.160 and the FG was 1.050 using Lalvin71-B dry yeast and it is not back sweetened.
 
A 5 gallon batch with only 10lbs of cranberries is going to be mostly a mead with a cranberry influence.. I'd step up the cranberries (maybe double), and the honey, to reach your starting SG

Keeping it from being too tart, is a balance between acidity & sweetness.. And with a sweetness/final SG of 1.050 - 1.060 (where my Riesling Ice Wine Kit is, just fyi), its going to be hard for it to be "Tart" without the TA being pretty high ( .90 % +)

I'd shoot for .60 - .70 % TA

I can only assume you're using EC-1118.. And you'll want to make a yeast starter to acclimate the yeast to the high sugar must.. You'll also want to pitch more yeast than normal - i'd use 2 packets

I wouldnt try to ferment it any cooler than 65-70F because of the risk of stuck fermentation... Keep on top of the staggered nutrient additions... Aerate the hell out of it before fermentation starts

Feelin like i missed somethin..
 
I agree with Deezil on 2 lb not being enough. I used 4 lb and 2 lb raisin for wine. Also used the 71b and high sg like that . It settled out at `1.008. I really liked it. I have to dig up my notes but seems the SG was closer to 1.130. I set the sg for 1.100 and didnt count the sugar from the grapes. I checked the second day after setting on enzyme and it was about 1.130.
 
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A 5 gallon batch with only 10lbs of cranberries is going to be mostly a mead with a cranberry influence.. I'd step up the cranberries (maybe double), and the honey, to reach your starting SG

Keeping it from being too tart, is a balance between acidity & sweetness.. And with a sweetness/final SG of 1.050 - 1.060 (where my Riesling Ice Wine Kit is, just fyi), its going to be hard for it to be "Tart" without the TA being pretty high ( .90 % +)

I'd shoot for .60 - .70 % TA

I can only assume you're using EC-1118.. And you'll want to make a yeast starter to acclimate the yeast to the high sugar must.. You'll also want to pitch more yeast than normal - i'd use 2 packets

I wouldnt try to ferment it any cooler than 65-70F because of the risk of stuck fermentation... Keep on top of the staggered nutrient additions... Aerate the hell out of it before fermentation starts

Feelin like i missed somethin..

Now that's the kind of answer I was looking for. Thank You very much!
 

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