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Fruit in the secondary...

Barrel Char Wood Products

midnightrackin

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 2, 2017
2
0
0
It’s been a number of years since I’ve made mead and after tasting a trad. made with wildflower that I made several years ago, I’ve decided to get back into it.

So I loosely followed a Curt Stock Triple Berry recipe, I’ve added some blackberries in secondary to up the flavor.

1. My question is should the berries be simply placed in secondary and then racked over or should they be mashed beforehand. (They we’re frozen and then added after dethaw.)

2. Is two weeks enough contact time?

3. I’ve read that headspace with mead over a short period of time will not oxidixe the Mead; is that correct?

4. Should I be stirring during this time or just allow it to settle and blend on its own?

This site and the podcasts have been a great wealth of knowledge and I appreciate any advice you can offer.
 

4give

Honey Master
Registered Member
Jan 1, 2018
402
76
28
Montrose, CO
Hi - for what it's worth, my 4 cents ;):
1 - Frozen is good, and I usually gently break some of the skin. I don't mash, just squish a little.
2 - 2 weeks should be fine, but it's really up to you and your taste. I personally try to stick with 2-3 weeks with fruit - no more.
3 - My understanding confirms what you're saying, but if you have a lot of head space, I'd still have it under an airlock and not open-air.
4 - If you don't have any yeast lees, then I'd only manage the cap a little bit - just gently pushing down the fruit when needed so it doesn't crust over and lend itself to getting mold on top.
Enjoy!
 
Barrel Char Wood Products

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