Strawberry mel

[Shine0n]

This is a recipe I love and is very very fruit forward and delicious.

This is for a 1.5 gal batch and can be scaled up to fit any needs.

10lbs strawberries cut and topped
6lbs sweet clover honey
1 full 5g pack 1116
1tsp pectic enzyme
1tsp bentonite (primary)
1tsp sparkaloid (secondary)
6.5g fermaid O
Brew bag for berries
15 med toast AO cubes

Top and cut strawberries into halves or thirds, put 1 tsp pectic enzyme on top and give a stir and let sit for 24 hours

Mix honey and water to 1.5 gal
Aerate well with 02 or wine whip.

Add strawberries to must

Rehydrate yeast in 97°f water and after 20 minutes add a little must to the mix to let the yeasties start to bud and reproduce. Feed it a little must for 8-10 hours and build a strong colony.

Pitch yeast once it's reached the temp of the must within a few degrees and add in all nutrients up front. Add bentonite after the nutes and aerate the shit out of it. Also add the oak cubes during primary.

Aerate twice a day for 3 or 4 days and then leave alone to ferment other than pushing the berries down to keep moist.

OG should be right around 1.145ish and should finish at 1.020ish. If it goes lower its no big deal, you'll just have more alki to drink.

After fermentation has come to a halt, having the same reading for 4-6days and starting to settle, transfer to secondary along with the oak cubes leaving the berries behind. If fermentation takes longer than 10 days remove the berries as they've given all the have anyway and are now having the potential of rotting.

If you want to add more berries in secondary just remember to add pectic enzyme for 24 hours before adding them.

At this time mix up your sparkaloid as per instructions and only add half to secondary.

FG is never a given so always let it finish first before racking.

This yeast is a beast so going completely dry isn't out of the question so don't be surprised if it does.

If you want to back sweeten, add the appropriate stabilizers first to inhibit refermentaition.

My preference is the sweetness around 1.025 as the berries are tart and will balance out better but you do you by your taste. The oak will add much needed tannins and make this a nice rounded drink. Take them out at your own taste levels, I leave mine in until I'm ready to bottle.

Rack as many times as needed to keep off the lees and when clear.....ENJOY!

Shine0n

[DetroitDIY]

Sounds good ShineOn. Actually quite like a bottle of Strawjerry Breesil – {12%ABV Sweet, Wildflower Honey, Strawberries, Fresh Basil) that I picked up from Manic Meadery just before lockdown. I'd like to give your recipe a try, but it has to get in line behind a few other meads on my to do list.

Cheers!
DetroitDIY