first time making it.

Dragonslayer,

I haven't used loquats before, so I have no info there, but I do believe that you're right about trying something a little more basic -- or time-tested -- before experimenting with something new. Joe's Ancient Orange is probably the best first mead a new enthusiast could put together: it's very easy, inexpensive, requires close to nothing in the way of equipment (a jug and an airlock), fast (only three months -- sometimes sooner), and quite good. After that, maybe a straight mead, or a simple melomel using juices. A little experience can go a long way once you do branch out on your own.

-David

Loquats are really not that tough to work with. I seed them and then freeze them before mushing them up good and into the must.

However, they are a delicate flavor, and you need to use a lot of them to get and preserve the flavor in the mead.

Practice . . . a lot before you tackle them. Pick the fruit and freeze it, then when you have a good basic mead recipe add them at a rate of at least 3.5 to 4.5 lbs per gallon, you may need even more of them depending on how concentrated they are, and what time of year.

Loquat wood is excellent for slow cooking pork ribs and pork in general as it is one of the densest woods I use when slow BBQing meat.

Also, there is a stylized version of Miyamoto Musashi using a loquat wood bo-ken (wooden sword) to defeat Sasaki Kojiro in a sword duel in 1612.

Cheers,

Oskaar

I have made loquat meads and really like them. I use about 6lbs for 5 gallons and the flavor comes out. If you can get more even better. Like with most fruits I will freeze them for a week. I add my to the primary fermentation, however, if you have extra fruit around to add in the second fermentation this will add to the aroma of the fruit. The fruitiness of the loquat does come out but I would have a hard time guessing the fruit in a blind taste test. I now leave the pits in them as I like the complex woody flavor the pits add to it. Without the pits the melomel has a more fruity, but not as multi-dimensional, flavor.

I would be careful with those "complex woody flavors." How much depends on the cultivar, but Loquat seeds have cyanogenic glycosides which can be hydrolyzed to cyanide and become toxic.

Do you guys realize this thread is older than you are? LOL. Don't resurrect this type of thread. These people have been gone for years. Just start something new. Or don't even bother if you were just going to add something on to a dead thread.