Jack Ratt Lyme Bay Black Cherry Mead, 75 cl

Product Information

The biggest thing about this recipe will be getting good cherries and having the patience to cut them up into halves. It’s annoying, but really leads to drawing that cherry flavor out of them. Not all of these materials will be needed initially; they will be used in later steps. I will specify which items won't be used right away which will give you time to get them if you do not already have them. If you do not have an item, I would recommend buying it, although some items are optional. If you have a local home brew store nearby, I would recommend supporting them and buying all the materials there. Otherwise buy online; one company that I trust is Northern Brewer. I have been buying from them for several years and they are always trustworthy. I will supply links for ease of access for those of you that do not have a local home brew store. Lastly, consider incorporating additional ingredients like lemon juice, grape juice concentrate, or a vanilla bean to give your cherry mead a unique touch. These are optional, but they can elevate the flavor and give your mead a personalized twist. Choosing the Right Honey and Cherries Additionally, the variety of cherry can alter the taste of your mead. For a more tart profile, opt for sour or red tart cherries. On the other hand, if you prefer a sweeter mead, you can use dark or Bing cherries. Remember to balance the sweetness of your cherries with the type of honey you choose; a more neutral honey works well with sweeter cherries, while a flavored honey like orange blossom pairs nicely with tart cherries. The Must Preparation Honey Dilution

Then, shake it all up! You'll want to shake it up for about 30 seconds — it's a good workout, too. Step Two: Fermentation

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A great way to do this it simply to pop your mead in the fridge! Keep it in there for at least two days. The cold forces any leftover particles to fall to the bottom of your container. There’s plenty of yeast in the pomace, so no need to pitch any more. I noticed signs of fermentation the same day. The CO2 from fermentation will push the fruit to the top. This is called a cap, and you need to stir it in every day. If you’ve every heard a winemaker talk about “punching down the cap,” this is what he was talking about. Add the pectic enzyme. It will further help to break down the fruits and get better extraction out of the fruits. This step is optional, and you can skip it if you like.

Towel - A towel will be needed to cover the mead once it is done being made. This will prevent sunlight or other light from reaching the carboy and disrupting the production of yeast.

Slow and Steady to the Finish

When using fresh cherries, I HIGHLY recommend getting a cherry pitter, if you don't already have them. Even if this batch of wine is the only time you'll ever be pitting cherries, it's worth the investment - makes life so much easier. This one is the model we have, I love it!