Mead Lovers Digest #0166

Published in

· 8 months ago

 

Mead Lover's Digest #166                            Sat 03 July 1993 

 
        Forum for Discussion of Mead Brewing and Consuming 
               John Dilley, Digest Coordinator 

 
Contents: 
  Mulberry Mead (Bob Mcdonald) 

 
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Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1993 17:01:40 +22306512 (CDT) 
From: remcdona@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu (Bob Mcdonald) 
Subject: Mulberry Mead 

According to the wine making book I have, mulberries average as follows: 
8.1 percent sugar as percent of fresh weight, .70 percent acid expressed as 
major type, and major type of acid present - citric. 
The quantities specified for your mead should work just fine.  About 2lbs fruit 
and 2 to 3 lbs of honey per gallon. 
Try crushing your fruit in a blender or food processor and use a pressing bag 
to remove the seeds and most of the pulp (a nylon hop bag works well for this 
if you are doing small batches).  Combine the fruit, honey, and water and check 
the acid content.  (Acid test kits are around $6.00 and are indispensible when 
making wines and meads)  Acid content should be around .5 percent for a mead. 
If its low add some acid blend.  The package should have instructions for how 
much to use.  When the acid is right, add 1 campden tablet per gallon (crushed 
and mixed with a little water.  Then stopper the fermenter and shake to mix and 
oxygenate.  Put some sterilized cotton in the opening of the fermenter to allow 
the sulfur dioxide to escape and leave overnight.  Add pectic enzyme and pitch 
your yeast the next day.  I typically use a wine yeast such as Epernay2.  I do 
all my fruit meads this way and get really good results.  You can also add 
yeast nutrients, Epsom salts, and vitamins B1 and B2 if you so desire to help 
the yeast do their thing. 

Good luck, 

Bob 

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