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Cherry Cider Suggestions?

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Helios

NewBee
Registered Member
Sep 6, 2004
45
0
0
I just got back from Trader Joes looking for ideas and ingerdients. I picked up a 48 oz bottle of Trader Joes All Natural CHERRY CIDER.....its said Pasturized and didnt list any preservatives so I thought I would give it a whirl. After putting it in a 1 gallon jug I rewalized that its hardly anything at all.....I could always add another 48 oz bottle but what fun would that be?......right now the SG is at 1.050.

question #1: What is a good SG for a quick, easy batch?

question #2: Suggestions for any other ingredients to use to top off the bottle?

Last Question: Is there any tricks or standard time frame I should try to follow....that would have this drinkable quickly?
 

Oskaar

Got Mead Partner
Administrator
Dec 26, 2004
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The OC
You could try adding two or three pounds of meduim bodied honey, a Joe Mattioli hand full of chopped raisins (25 by his reckoning) and the same amount of chopped dates, some grape tannin, maybe a quarter cup of raw brown sugar and top it off with some more cherry juice or apple juice, shake it good and pitch some K1-V1116 yeast.

I've never done the above recipe before, so maybe the folks who are the one gallon gurus can give you a better idea if what I put down would work. It sounds good to me though.

Take a chance . . . Custer did!

Oskaar
 

Helios

NewBee
Registered Member
Sep 6, 2004
45
0
0
making note of those ingredients..(<~~ spelled right this time)....not even sure what a date taste like ..the raisins I have as well as dehydrated bing cherries and strawberries....guess those will work.....will have to get medium honey tomorrow...alls I have here is Killer Bee Honey and thats like Buckwheat.....too heavy.....
still taking suggestions......

the starting SG should be where?...abouts?
 

Jmattioli

Senior Member
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Starting gravity of 1.100 to 1.110
That will give you 13-14% alcohol
48 oz of cherry cider should be good for a melomel
32 is usually enough but 48 is fine. You are right to use a light honey so as not to overpower cherries. It should make a good mead. I usually just use 2 lbs of honey with that recipe and you willl probably have to sweeten it up a bit when finished since cherries are quite tart.
Joe
 
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