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cyser as primary for melomel

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Ronnd

NewBee
Registered Member
Oct 23, 2010
6
0
0
Hi all, have been lurking around reading and have heard about using a cyser for primary fermation then after racking adding the blackberries to the secondary and looking for info on doing this and a good recipe for this I plan on making a 5 gal batch using K1V1116 yeast and 12 pounds wildflower honey do I need any nutrients?
 

Medsen Fey

Fuselier since 2007
Premium Patron
Hi all, have been lurking around reading and have heard about using a cyser for primary fermation then after racking adding the blackberries to the secondary and looking for info on doing this and a good recipe for this I plan on making a 5 gal batch using K1V1116 yeast and 12 pounds wildflower honey do I need any nutrients?

Welcome to GotMead Ronnd!

You can certainly make a cyser and add fruit in the secondary. What you are looking at here is a dry 17% ABV cyser which is going to be hot and will need some aging (or sweetening) to be enjoyable drinking. Is that what you are aiming for?

Although apple juice tends to ferment easily, I prefer to use some nutrients with them. For a batch with this kind of starting gravity (probably close to 1.135), I'd definitely use some.

How much Berry character do you want? little, medium, lots?
 

Ronnd

NewBee
Registered Member
Oct 23, 2010
6
0
0
Hopefully not to dry would like to get to a semi-sweet do I need to add more honey? Or just back sweeten to taste when done? The 17% ABV would be fine. I have 5 or 6 pounds of blackberries in the freezer which will probably keep me low on the fruit taste but figured that's a good start.
 

Chevette Girl

All around BAD EXAMPLE
Moderator
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Apr 27, 2010
8,443
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Ottawa, ON
actually I find I get very noticeable blackberry taste from 12 oz/gallon in my modified JAO, they're potent little suckers, so I think your 5-6 lbs will be just fine in a 5 gallon batch. I have a bunch more in the freezer and am planning to see what happens when I use more than 12 oz but you know how it is, so many things to ferment, so little time to bottle all the stuff in carboys to make room for new batches...
 

Ronnd

NewBee
Registered Member
Oct 23, 2010
6
0
0
All right all thanks for all the info one this site, finally got to getting my first batch on used 4 gal apple juice, 12 pounds honey, one packet kv1116 yeast started in bucket plan to aerate couple times day for first few days then move to fermenter then rack on to blackberries when fermention slows to one bubble every 30 sec. starting reading of 1.134 . How long should I leave the blackberries in? Is there anything else I'm missing?
 

Ronnd

NewBee
Registered Member
Oct 23, 2010
6
0
0
might need sum help

Ok I started as mentioned above and moved to fermenter today but my reading is still the same (are if its changed I couldn't tell) as when I put it on my question is should I have noticed a change after the aerating for three days?
 
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