# Blackberry/Elderberry Mead



## Jericurl (Jan 11, 2015)

I'll be starting this mead soon and I'm just looking for input.
This will be my largest (and most expensive) batch of mead and I don't want to screw it up.
I'm loosely basing it on Skyrim's Black Briar mead (never goes into how it's actually made, but for some odd reason I keep picturing things foraged from a heathrow in England...elderberries, blackberries, roses, thorny things, etc)

I'm starting with a large can of Vintner's crushed blackberry and one large can of crushed elderberries. And maybe some black currants.
I'm using blueberry honey.
I'm planning on a 5 to 6 gallon batch @ 11% ABV.

I would also like to use some fruit in primary as well, either blueberry or strawberry. And maybe rosehips? I have a ridiculous amount that haven't used yet that I need to dispose of.....or would that add bitterness to the mead?

I'm also wondering if adding dried elderberries in secondary is advisable or should I just leave it be with all the elderberries in primary.


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## WVMountaineerJack (Jan 11, 2015)

I would drop the currnant out, add dried elderberries in the primary, pout some strawberries in the secondary along with some elderflowers to add some fragrance, keep at 5 gallons if you want it to be richer, sounds like you want to make a dessert stylr, a good yeast like Ec118 or premier cuvee would crack it up nicely. Think maybe about some oak and a good nutrient schedule. WVMJ


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## Jericurl (Jan 11, 2015)

Thanks for chiming in. 

Any idea where I can get elderflower? My normal supplier doesn't carry it. And how much would I need for 5 gallons?

I'm not wanting a really sweet mead but I do want one that's a little heavy, if that makes sense.

eta: I was thinking of using KV-1116 or RC 212 yeast. Would you recommend the EC 1118 over either of those?


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## Jericurl (Jan 24, 2015)

Well, I got this batch going and now SG is down to 1.006, so I thought I would post an update.

I seemed to clumsily overshoot my mark on several things here, so hopefully it all works out.

*Black Briar Mead*

1 96 oz can of Elderberries
1 96 oz can of Blackberries
4 lbs blueberries, frozen then thawed
1/2 cup American Oak Powder
2 tsp acid blend
3 tsp pectic enzyme
16 lbs blueberry honey
Water to just a touch over 5 gallons
71B yeast

Pitched yeast on 01/12/2015. Starting gravity was 1.102. Oops! (edited because I fat fingered the amount)

I followed this SNA schedule and stirred my batch using my drill twice a day.

Day 0: Rehydrate yeast with Go-Ferm, pitch yeast, then add 4.5g of Fermaid-K and 2g Diammonium Phosphate (DAP)

Day 1, 3, 5, 7, 8: Stir

Day 2, 4, 6: Stir and add 4.5g Fermaid-K and 2g of DAP

On 01/22/2015, SG was @ 1.02 so I added 3 lbs of thawed strawberries, 1/2 c of elderflowers, and 1 oz dried elderberry.

On 01/24/2015, SG is @ 1.006. 

I've got it in a big mouth bubbler right now and it does have an airlock on it, but I really need to get it into secondary I think. And on some oak.
I'm not sure that it's been on the strawberries and elderflowers long enough though.


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## WVMountaineerJack (Jan 25, 2015)

Looks like you are doing pretty good. You did a good job if you got 71B to ferment all that out. We also use the bigmouths for primaries, I just got a box of stockings to stretch over the tops for the first week of fermenting, the ring holds them on very well! WVMJ


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## Jericurl (Jan 25, 2015)

Edited the recipe post. I saw your response and wondered why you thought it was a big deal for 71B to handle that. Then saw I had missed a couple of numbers!


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