# type of honey



## hounddawg

I'd like to know what types of honey makes the best mead, and I would love a simple mead recipe,,,
thank you
Richard

from reading I'm leaning toward golden rod raw honey
Richard::


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## salcoco

go to gotmead.com.


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## Deezil

Beautiful answer!


3lbs honey / gallon, should ballpark you about 1.085-1.090 SG
3lbs honey = ~1 quart

Depends on what you're shooting for,
If you're making a mead - as in, honey only, then it depends on how much (and how) you like your honey
If you can handle the flavors of the darker, bolder honeys, then you might consider a mead made with them

But usually Clover, Wildflower, Blackberry, are preferential - something lighter.

If you're adding fruits, then it depends on what you're showcasing - the fruit, the honey, or both?
If its the fruit, then your honey need only be something like Clover or Wildflower
If its the 'both', then you'll want something that's worth showcasing
Likewise if it's the honey, with a slight fruit undertone, then you'll want something worth showcasing

There's a lot of room for self-expression/art in all of this..


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## BernardSmith

You might want to avoid buckwheat. Tupelo honey makes an incredible mead but the secret is in the yeast and in feeding the yeast enough nutrient while fermenting at lower rather than higher temperatures. That said, any honey blend will make a decent mead and if the honey doe snot have a really distinctive flavor you might consider boiling the water you will use to dilute the honey with a flavor rich hops for 10 - 15 minutes... Hopped meads are very delicious.


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## Jericurl

Hmmmm...that's a pretty subjective question. I have a feeling if you ask 10 different maizers that question, you will get 10 different answers.

I personally really like orange blossom and tupelo.

I've got a 5 gallon batch using huajillo honey going right now that is shaping up to be very, very nice. 

I think mead using just about any honey has the potential to knock your socks off as long as you plan your work (and work your plan). Figure out how much alcohol you want it to have, choose your yeast, make sure you plan how to keep your temperatures within range, and work out how you are going to feed it nutrients. And yes...if you choose to not use any fruit or any other additives, it is definitely going to need it.
Yeah, they didn't do that years ago, but when you know better, you do better.
If you decide to skip all of that, plan on something that is probably not going to be as fantastic as it could have been, and will likely need a bit of aging on it.

eta: I've also heard that raspberry honey, cotton honey, and carrot blossom honey all make very interesting meads as well, though I've never tasted them.
I have several meads going using yaupon holly honey. It is amazing and has a spicy, woody undertone to it that would translate very well in a show mead.
I've never had goldenrod honey, so I can't speak to it.


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## hounddawg

thank you
Richard







salcoco said:


> go to gotmead.com.


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## hounddawg

this will be my first plunge into straight mead, I back sweeten most all my wines with honey but I've been reading on the mead threads, so I wish to make a strong tasting golden rod type mead, and I can convert your recipe up to 6 gallons, what's your choice for mead yeast,,,
and thank you both for your info as well as your time
Richard










Deezil said:


> Beautiful answer!
> 
> 
> 3lbs honey / gallon, should ballpark you about 1.085-1.090 SG
> 3lbs honey = ~1 quart
> 
> Depends on what you're shooting for,
> If you're making a mead - as in, honey only, then it depends on how much (and how) you like your honey
> If you can handle the flavors of the darker, bolder honeys, then you might consider a mead made with them
> 
> But usually Clover, Wildflower, Blackberry, are preferential - something lighter.
> 
> If you're adding fruits, then it depends on what you're showcasing - the fruit, the honey, or both?
> If its the fruit, then your honey need only be something like Clover or Wildflower
> If its the 'both', then you'll want something that's worth showcasing
> Likewise if it's the honey, with a slight fruit undertone, then you'll want something worth showcasing
> 
> There's a lot of room for self-expression/art in all of this..


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## hounddawg

so what would you recommend as a yeast for a dark stout honey like golden rod
thank you for your info and your time, this site has amazing people,,,
Richard




so


BernardSmith said:


> You might want to avoid buckwheat. Tupelo honey makes an incredible mead but the secret is in the yeast and in feeding the yeast enough nutrient while fermenting at lower rather than higher temperatures. That said, any honey blend will make a decent mead and if the honey doe snot have a really distinctive flavor you might consider boiling the water you will use to dilute the honey with a flavor rich hops for 10 - 15 minutes... Hopped meads are very delicious.


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## hounddawg

you wouldn't kind of walk me thru the steps and yeasts and feeding time for the yeast, everything I have made so far is at low temp's, my small home calls for a 1/2 ton ac unit, I put in a 4 ton unit, and I also have a 29,000 btu backup window unit, that takes a fifty watt plug, before I became so unhealthy I was in construction all my working life I can plumb, run electric an so on, but 70% of my outside days are gone,,, yet I refuse to lay on a couch watching TV waiting to die, just a brief outline, how often yeast nutrient , type of yeast, temps, so on so forth, yes/no sorbate, yes/no k-meta and so on,
thank you for any and all info an thank you for your timr
Richard









Jericurl said:


> Hmmmm...that's a pretty subjective question. I have a feeling if you ask 10 different maizers that question, you will get 10 different answers.
> 
> I personally really like orange blossom and tupelo.
> 
> I've got a 5 gallon batch using huajillo honey going right now that is shaping up to be very, very nice.
> 
> I think mead using just about any honey has the potential to knock your socks off as long as you plan your work (and work your plan). Figure out how much alcohol you want it to have, choose your yeast, make sure you plan how to keep your temperatures within range, and work out how you are going to feed it nutrients. And yes...if you choose to not use any fruit or any other additives, it is definitely going to need it.
> Yeah, they didn't do that years ago, but when you know better, you do better.
> If you decide to skip all of that, plan on something that is probably not going to be as fantastic as it could have been, and will likely need a bit of aging on it.
> 
> eta: I've also heard that raspberry honey, cotton honey, and carrot blossom honey all make very interesting meads as well, though I've never tasted them.
> I have several meads going using yaupon holly honey. It is amazing and has a spicy, woody undertone to it that would translate very well in a show mead.
> I've never had goldenrod honey, so I can't speak to it.


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## hounddawg

so when to feed yeast, I'm not deadest on golden rod honey, but I want a heavy flavored honey, something that can be enjoyed slowly but not over bearing, but like I said I'd like my honey flavors to come thru, so at least on my first attempt , I wish no fruits, no berries, no hops, or anything else, jst a straight heavy honey flavor to coincide with a high alcohol content. 
this will be a batch just for me I plan on breaking out a bottle once a year to twice at the very most. see how bad I failed or if I just squeaked thru and for the few that helps me try this I plan on sending each of you a bottle. for feed back
Richard 









BernardSmith said:


> You might want to avoid buckwheat. Tupelo honey makes an incredible mead but the secret is in the yeast and in feeding the yeast enough nutrient while fermenting at lower rather than higher temperatures. That said, any honey blend will make a decent mead and if the honey doe snot have a really distinctive flavor you might consider boiling the water you will use to dilute the honey with a flavor rich hops for 10 - 15 minutes... Hopped meads are very delicious.


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## Rampage4all

I find with the straight meads I have made. the foremost taste is just as the honey smelled so that's where you start selecting your honey I say.


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## Masbustelo

Richard suggested yeasts might be KV1-1116, Cotes des Blancs, 71B.


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## BernardSmith

I like 71B yeast with honey. But the issue with mead is this: all the sugar for the fermentation comes from the honey and all the flavor comes form the honey - so the lower the alcohol the less intense is the flavor, and the more intense the flavor , the higher the alcohol but there is a kind of organic balance between alcohol level and flavor so that you can destroy the pleasantness of the flavor because of the heat of the alcohol. Some honeys seem to me to have more intense flavor than others - I particularly like Tupelo and meadowfoam honey. 
I would suggest about 3 lbs of honey dissolved in spring water to make a gallon. 
Honey - unlike , say grapes, is nutrient poor as far as yeast is concerned. So you need to coddle the must by adding nutrient. You could add DAP or Fermaid K. There are lots of debates about which is better. Personally, I don't think that it really is all that critical if you are making small volumes (5 gallons or less). The idea , however, is to determine how much nutrient is required and then add that nutrient at critical points in the fermentation process - You add 1/2 the total amount required as soon as the lag time has ended and the yeast have begun to convert the sugars to alcohol. You add the next 1/4 after half the total sugar content has been used up by the yeast and you add the last 1/4 after half the remaining sugar has been consumed. To determine those times you need to use your hydrometer and you need to know the starting gravity. 
So, say your starting gravity was 1.090 - 1.100 then you would add half the nutrient at the start ; the next quarter when the gravity has dropped to about 1.050 and the last quarter when it drops to about 1.025. 
Honey is essentially a bacteriacide - it has so little water in it that it kills microbes, so you do not need to add K-meta before you pitch the yeast. You also do not need to boil or even heat honey. Assuming your water is good quality and you have no reason to boil it then all you need to do to help make the honey flow more easily and male it easier to mix with the water is to place unopened jars of honey in a hot water bath for a few minutes. The honey becomes more viscous and so flows far more easily. What I do is pour the water I intend to use into a blender (that I have santized) and then add a quantity of the honey to that water and blend the crap out of the mixture. This has the added benefit of getting air into the mixture - and aeration is very important for the yeast. 
If you ferment around 60F and your starting gravity is about 1.090 - 1.100 (about 12 -13% ABV) then your mead is drinkable in about 3 months, is better at 6 months and can be quite incredible at 12. 
But you can make what are known as short meads (hydromels) where the ABV is closer to a beer (about 5 or 6%) - and so you are using about 1.5 lbs of honey to make a gallon of mead - but in this case you may want to experiment with ale yeasts - saison and other yeasts - that help enhance and perhaps add different flavors


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## Jericurl

Have you decided where you are going to get your honey and which kind yet? It would be a lot cheaper for you to find something local, but if you don't have that option, I can post a couple of links from beekeepers I've used.


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## hounddawg

*,*

I found one place that sales golden rod honey a strong honey, I like strong flavors on my honey and maple syrup, what most call cooking maple syrup is grade A dark, that with peanut butter is how I like my hot cakes, twice a year, diabetic is I,,, but what I'm getting at is on stuff like honey, maple syrup and molasses I like very sharp strong taste, as for my water I have well water I think my well is 240 feet deep, sorry got lost again they want $270 for 60 pounds of golden rod honey , is that about average?,, I forget what they get for 12 pounds, just slightly higher per pound in smaller amounts but not much, so I'm thinking to start with I'll go with 12 pounds = to one gallon, the honey I keep on hand to back sweeten my wines is clover honey that way the fruit shines , but my thinking is with a mead I'd like to go more flavorful since it will be only honey, but if you know better sites for honey I'd be proud to check them out, been putting my startup wines or meads on the back burner lately, been clearing fence lines and repairing fence, I only got 9 head. but I put my momma cows to their selves till they calve, and put a yearling bull on pasture to feed out so on an so forth.. 
I found the step feeding on one of my other threads, I have problems remembering things, I was put on statins after I got to where I could not remember week to week I quit my statins, memory not perfect but much better then it was, it embarrass me to ask things again a month or two later I was a commercial construction superintendent before the statins I could read a set of prints in one night make all my lists and make 1 trip to which ever place I got my material, I works building stores in shopping malls, I could do a complete job from memory, now I couldn't do it with fifty trips to home depot, Lowes, manards ,,, so I apologize for having to bother people on here so much, but this has helped both my memory an my health, my animals outside, my wines inside. this gives me purpose, a reason to get up. 
Richard 






Jericurl said:


> Have you decided where you are going to get your honey and which kind yet? It would be a lot cheaper for you to find something local, but if you don't have that option, I can post a couple of links from beekeepers I've used.


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## hounddawg

*,*

I found one place that sales golden rod honey a strong honey or that (tuopol )(cant spell), I wont a strong flavor,, on my honey and maple syrup, what most call cooking maple syrup is grade A dark, that with peanut butter is how I like my hot cakes, twice a year, diabetic is I,,, but what I'm getting at is on stuff like honey, maple syrup and molasses I like very sharp strong taste, as for my water I have well water I think my well is 240 feet deep, sorry got lost again they want $270 for 60 pounds of golden rod honey , is that about average?,, I forget what they get for 12 pounds, just slightly higher per pound in smaller amounts but not much, so I'm thinking to start with I'll go with 12 pounds = to one gallon, that way I can try 2 kinds at the same time,,,, the honey I keep on hand to back sweeten my wines is clover honey that way the fruit an berries shines , but my thinking is with a mead I'd like to go more flavorful since it will be only honey, but if you know better sites for honey I'd be proud to check them out, been putting my startup wines or meads on the back burner lately, been clearing fence lines and repairing fence, I only got 9 head. but I put my momma cows to their selves till they calve, and put a yearling bull on pasture to feed out so on an so forth.. 
I found the step feeding on one of my other threads, I have problems remembering things, I was put on statins after I got to where I could not remember week to week I quit my statins, memory not perfect but much better then it was, it embarrass me to ask things again a month or two later I was a commercial construction superintendent before the statins I could read a set of prints in one night make all my lists and make 1 trip to which ever place I got my material, an but every thing in one trip, I worked building stores in shopping malls, I could do a complete job from memory, now I couldn't do it with fifty trips to home depot, Lowes, manards ,,, so I apologize for having to bother people on here so much, but this has helped both my memory an my health, my animals outside, my wines inside. this gives me purpose, a reason to get up.
and all you people on this site gives me hope for this world. and I've grown very fond of this site an it's people 
Richard 






Jericurl said:


> Have you decided where you are going to get your honey and which kind yet? It would be a lot cheaper for you to find something local, but if you don't have that option, I can post a couple of links from beekeepers I've used.


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## Winenoob66

$270 for 60 lbs?

Check these guys out

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/21/bulk-honey.html


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## hounddawg

oh heck yes, 
I can not tell you how much I appreciate..
thank you,, thank you,, thank you,,,
my god all I've found have been double that, 
I went thru lots of sights on ask.com
nothing no where as cheap as this,
I can not thank you enough,, Winenoob66
Richard 






Winenoob66 said:


> $270 for 60 lbs?
> 
> Check these guys out
> 
> http://www.webstaurantstore.com/21/bulk-honey.html?vendor=H-Fox-Co


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## Deezil

Except it's not honey:

"This honey blend includes a mixture of corn syrups and honey that adds extra sweetness and flavor to your recipes, and the familiar color and texture to regular honey makes H. Fox & Co's product ideal for baking into cakes and pies. It's also an economical alternative to pure honey, thanks to its mixture of other sugar products."

You get what you pay for, and the real deal will never be cheap.

$270 is about right commercially
You can get it for less if you know a local beekeeper


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## Jericurl

....

Just how much are you making here?

If you are only going to be drinking one or two bottles a year, I'm not sure you need a whole 5 gallons of it.

eta: I usually pay about $40 to $46 per gallon of honey before shipping, so $270 doesn't seem too out of bounds for 5 gallons.
Some of the fancier varietals charge up to $80 or $90 per gallon.


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## wpt-me

I was quoted a price of $7.00 dollars a pound by a 
bee keeping group here in Maine. 

Bill


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## Winenoob66

First post before editing it was just the cheaper one I looked at, after I noticed it wasn't pure honey I went back and edited it to link to the pure honey


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## hounddawg

how much hops to honey 
I think i'll try wild flower honey and Australian Stella hops
both claim to cast Floral hints,, and semi-sweet
DAWG::








BernardSmith said:


> You might want to avoid buckwheat. Tupelo honey makes an incredible mead but the secret is in the yeast and in feeding the yeast enough nutrient while fermenting at lower rather than higher temperatures. That said, any honey blend will make a decent mead and if the honey doe snot have a really distinctive flavor you might consider boiling the water you will use to dilute the honey with a flavor rich hops for 10 - 15 minutes... Hopped meads are very delicious.


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## BernardSmith

I might use 1/4 to 1/2 oz per gallon. Remember , it's not for a beer so the hops are not being added to balance the residual sweetness from unfermentable sugars in the malt. The idea is to provide additional flavor notes if you are making a low alcohol mead since low alcohol *can* mean less flavor in a mead. I have seen some old folk recipes from eastern Europe where people added hops to low alcohol meads made to be drunk a few weeks after the yeast was pitched 
Nelson Sauvin hops can add a fruity, a wine-like flavor


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## hounddawg

ok you lost me, is that link.. webstaurantstore.com monarch's choice wild flower is or is not pure honey, I read the description an it looks like real, do you know if it is or not, i'm disabled so moneys tight, but I only want the best whatever I buy, thank you for your time Winenoob66
Richard




Winenoob66 said:


> $270 for 60 lbs?
> 
> Check these guys out
> 
> http://www.webstaurantstore.com/21/bulk-honey.html


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## hounddawg

what do you think of this site, webstaurantstore.com in the search box put in bulk honey. I'm looking at the monarch's choice wild flower honey
let me know what you think about this site
richard





Jericurl said:


> Have you decided where you are going to get your honey and which kind yet? It would be a lot cheaper for you to find something local, but if you don't have that option, I can post a couple of links from beekeepers I've used.


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## Jericurl

Sounds fine to me.


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## Winenoob66

The link there now is to pure honey


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## hounddawg

ok I want higher alcohol not hot but as up their as I can get it and still have flavor, so do I still go 1/4 to 1/2 per gallon , I want as high an alcohol with equal flavor, wild flower honey an Australian Stella hops are both said to give floral notes, so this is what I want to try a real mead, I'll be starting with a 6 gallon carboy after fermentation with plans on bulk aging in a 5 gallon carboy I have airlock rubber stoppers to fit down to a wine bottle all the way up to a size 11.5,,, so as I'm racking I can top off with any extra mead, I always make my country wines with a few gallon, half gallon an smaller bottles so when I get to 5 gallon bulk aging everything is still pure, I know a lot top off with similar types but I an just a poor dumb hillbilly an mighty proud of the fact,, I by choice live a very slow laid back life, an I just got this hang up toping off with anything but what I started with, I've never bone a kit, nor made what a lot call real wine made with grapes I'm country an so is my style an my wines and fixing to be meads, I need advice and so on from anybody an every body, because the only reason I'm here is to learn from ya'll 
DAWG::
Richard






BernardSmith said:


> I might use 1/4 to 1/2 oz per gallon. Remember , it's not for a beer so the hops are not being added to balance the residual sweetness from unfermentable sugars in the malt. The idea is to provide additional flavor notes if you are making a low alcohol mead since low alcohol *can* mean less flavor in a mead. I have seen some old folk recipes from eastern Europe where people added hops to low alcohol meads made to be drunk a few weeks after the yeast was pitched
> Nelson Sauvin hops can add a fruity, a wine-like flavor


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## Deezil

Deezil said:


> 3lbs honey / gallon, should ballpark you about 1.085-1.090 SG
> 3lbs honey = ~1 quart



You'll still want to shoot for something like this.
It might come in as high as 1.100, which is still okay.
Every batch of honey is different.

You can push the alcohol higher in future batches, when you have a better understanding of how it changes the profile of the finished product. You don't need to push it higher to enjoy the mead though, it's not necessary. 

I've never done the hops things, so you'll want to listen to Bernard for that, for sure.

3lbs/gallon will give you a very nice finished product though, provided everything else goes acceptably well - sanitation, fermentation, racking, aging.

Pushing the alcohol higher with meads, increases the amount of honey, which makes the solution/must a harder place to propagate the yeast. More honey influences the acidity, and honey itself is already lacking in yeast nutrition, so adding more increases the gaps within the nutritional profile. They have an abundance of vitamins and nutrients that they need in small quantities but the main course never shows up until you add formulated yeast nutrients. 

So adding more honey makes the fermentation more difficult due to the nature of honey and yeast, alters the finished product both in ABV and TA/pH, is more expensive (more honey), and the kicker here, the alcohol will actually hide the flavor if you crank it up high enough.


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## hounddawg

ok thank you, 
you and the others are giving me a basic understanding,
so in about two to two an one half weeks I should have everything to start, 
as for sanitation, I single my whole house is a mess by any standards, except my wine room, clean as a whistle, live traps under benches just in case a rodent was to visit, floor covered in food grade Diatomaceous Earth, for ants and any other insects, every thing ran thru double strength sanitizer and water heater for wine room single element took out 2,500 watt element replaced by 5,500 element and element temperature control turn up to maxed out, you don't want to get your hands in the way and must have a rag to flush out stainless steel racking can, when I use vaccumpumpsmans vacuum racing/bottling gear run thru first with double strength sanitizer then scalding hot water, (built first house by my self age 15 and was federal grandfathered carpenter , residential plumber and electrician by age 15.) 
FHA. HOMES,,,,,,, WASH HANDS BEFOR ENTERING, THEN SANITIZE INSIDE ROOM, wear surgical grade dust mask over my tracheostomy tube. anyone know how to make me or my winery cleaner feel free to let me know as I said on interdictions I AM HERE ONLY TO LEARN, and I can never thank you people for being so free with your knowledge 
DAWG::







Deezil said:


> You'll still want to shoot for something like this.
> It might come in as high as 1.100, which is still okay.
> Every batch of honey is different.
> 
> You can push the alcohol higher in future batches, when you have a better understanding of how it changes the profile of the finished product. You don't need to push it higher to enjoy the mead though, it's not necessary.
> 
> I've never done the hops things, so you'll want to listen to Bernard for that, for sure.
> 
> 3lbs/gallon will give you a very nice finished product though, provided everything else goes acceptably well - sanitation, fermentation, racking, aging.
> 
> Pushing the alcohol higher with meads, increases the amount of honey, which makes the solution/must a harder place to propagate the yeast. More honey influences the acidity, and honey itself is already lacking in yeast nutrition, so adding more increases the gaps within the nutritional profile. They have an abundance of vitamins and nutrients that they need in small quantities but the main course never shows up until you add formulated yeast nutrients.
> 
> So adding more honey makes the fermentation more difficult due to the nature of honey and yeast, alters the finished product both in ABV and TA/pH, is more expensive (more honey), and the kicker here, the alcohol will actually hide the flavor if you crank it up high enough.


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## hounddawg

sorry to bother you but can I get a clear-faction , 3lb honey to one gallon water, or 3lb honey then water to bring up to one gallon, I've ordered wildflower honey, an one ounce of Stella hops, ya'll give me impression to start softly and with more knowledge then I can tweak and experiment, and ya'll have never steered me wrong, and I know both you men and you ladies have forgotten more then I'll ever know, so with the step feeding and the recipe posts, I am taking yalls guidance on this mead, I'll be starting in a 6 gallon carboy, do I do as with wine put it in a open ferment barrel for the first week to ten days taking readings of course from hydrometer,,,and stir daily or do I start a mead in a carboy, I know with the ferment barrel after around 10 days my guess only I'd rack it to a carboy and air lock it (right?) I need to know if I use 3 lbs. to a gallon or 3lbs then water to finish off a gallon, and if I stir daily or go straight to a airlock, wine room kept in the low sixties, it has own ac window unit, plus I have central HVAC, I bulk and ferment my wines at low and slow temps already, and as long as I'm breathing I have no problem waiting 2 years, I want a semi-sweet with as much alcohol with out the alcohol taste, I guess I'm saying I want good taste yet at least some kick, I mainly only drink a glass or two at bed time, ,,
thank you an all the rest for your time an knowledge, 
dawg:: 









Deezil said:


> Beautiful answer!
> 
> 
> 3lbs honey / gallon, should ballpark you about 1.085-1.090 SG
> 3lbs honey = ~1 quart
> 
> Depends on what you're shooting for,
> If you're making a mead - as in, honey only, then it depends on how much (and how) you like your honey
> If you can handle the flavors of the darker, bolder honeys, then you might consider a mead made with them
> 
> But usually Clover, Wildflower, Blackberry, are preferential - something lighter.
> 
> If you're adding fruits, then it depends on what you're showcasing - the fruit, the honey, or both?
> If its the fruit, then your honey need only be something like Clover or Wildflower
> If its the 'both', then you'll want something that's worth showcasing
> Likewise if it's the honey, with a slight fruit undertone, then you'll want something worth showcasing
> 
> There's a lot of room for self-expression/art in all of this..


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## Jericurl

3 lbs of honey is roughly 1 quart. I usually empty the jar into my primary, then use super hot water (not boiling) to fill the quart jar 3 times. That's four quarts worth of liquid which equals 1 gallon. Stir really, really well. I have a drill with a fancy stirring attachment (a plastic clothes hanger I cut) that makes quick work of this step. Then I take a hydrometer reading and see where I am at and add more honey or more water, whichever gets me to the starting SG I wanted. 

Likewise, if you add 1 gallon of honey, fill/rinse the gallon jug 3 times into the primary. That should get you into the ballpark.


Hope that helps.


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## hounddawg

thanks, that's what I wanted to know, 1 part honey to 3 part water, thank you Jericurl, so with all the post from above ,, I go plunging in, but not as blindly anymore
dawg::
gawd gotta love this forum an it's gracious people,






Jericurl said:


> 3 lbs of honey is roughly 1 quart. I usually empty the jar into my primary, then use super hot water (not boiling) to fill the quart jar 3 times. That's four quarts worth of liquid which equals 1 gallon. Stir really, really well. I have a drill with a fancy stirring attachment (a plastic clothes hanger I cut) that makes quick work of this step. Then I take a hydrometer reading and see where I am at and add more honey or more water, whichever gets me to the starting SG I wanted.
> 
> Likewise, if you add 1 gallon of honey, fill/rinse the gallon jug 3 times into the primary. That should get you into the ballpark.
> 
> 
> Hope that helps.


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## Jericurl

@hounddawg

Richard,
Have you started your mead yet?


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## hounddawg

sadly no. I had to put it back a month, I've gathered everything but my honey 
so the third of next month I will order my wild flower honey, you know how bills are they come from nowhere and multiply while in route to your mail box, 
so I have been forced to wait, but as soon as my honey comes in I will post for sure,,,
Dawg 





Jericurl said:


> @hounddawg
> 
> Richard,
> Have you started your mead yet?


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## Jericurl

> sadly no. I had to put it back a month, I've gathered everything but my honey
> so the third of next month I will order my wild flower honey, you know how bills are they come from nowhere and multiply while in route to your mail box,
> so I have been forced to wait, but as soon as my honey comes in I will post for sure,,,
> Dawg



Oh no hurry, just wanted to see how you are coming along is all. 

We are getting to be mead snobs over in this household! It seems like we just want to make mead only and no wine at all here lately.
If you end up liking it you may have to start budgeting for honey!


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## hounddawg

al right I'm an easy mark... lol
I hollered at my nephew 10 or 15 minutes ago, well shucks now I got 30lb coming of wild flower honey, I plan to start with a 6 gallon carboy, your a bad, bad gurl.. LOL JUST WONDERING HOW LONG DO YOU AGE YOUR MEAD,,
Dawg::











Jericurl said:


> Oh no hurry, just wanted to see how you are coming along is all.
> 
> We are getting to be mead snobs over in this household! It seems like we just want to make mead only and no wine at all here lately.
> If you end up liking it you may have to start budgeting for honey!


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## Jericurl

hounddawg said:


> LOL JUST WONDERING HOW LONG DO YOU AGE YOUR MEAD,,
> Dawg::



As long as I can keep Manthing out of it. It's usually ok at 6 months, but after a year is when it really starts to bloom.


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## hounddawg

thank you
an please be nice to your MANTHING,, LOL ,,
Dawg::




Jericurl said:


> As long as I can keep Manthing out of it. It's usually ok at 6 months, but after a year is when it really starts to bloom.


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## Jericurl

hounddawg said:


> thank you
> an please be nice to your MANTHING,, LOL ,,
> Dawg::



Oh he is spoiled rotten! ROTTEN! He is trying to talk me into making him a blackberry cobbler tonight.


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## hounddawg

holy sheep ****, to hell with him please send that blackberry cobbler to me
that is my upmost addiction,
I give my word today I told dad to work on mom because I really want some blackberry cobbler,, dant it ya'lls killing me.
Dawg:: 




Jericurl said:


> Oh he is spoiled rotten! ROTTEN! He is trying to talk me into making him a blackberry cobbler tonight.


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## Jericurl

Well, he got his blackberry cobbler.

The poor thing had to eat it with store bought ice cream instead of homemade.


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## hounddawg

I NEVER LIKED HIM ANYWAY,, LOL
Dawg::





Jericurl said:


> Well, he got his blackberry cobbler.
> 
> The poor thing had to eat it with store bought ice cream instead of homemade.


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## hounddawg

ok like I said I ordered 30lbs of wildflower honey 20 of that will go into a 6 gallon carboy after ferment I'll also be using 1 once of Stella hops from Australia since that hop gives a mild wild flower taste I hope they will complement each other, I'll be using 20lb instead of 18lbs. that leaves me 10lbs of wildflower honey, now just by accident I happen to have one more 6 gallon carboy, sooo I plan on using ten pounds honey but i'm trying to figure out what type fruit or berry to add to in, I'm learning toward either blackberry or elderberry, both of which should start coming off in a few weeks, but if anyone has made a honey an fruit/berry blend that was good I'm open to suggestions, now by blends I do all my blends together from day one in the fermenter, I find that fermenting them together from the very start they taste much better to me then fermenting them separate then blending, so any thoughts greatly appreciated
Dawg::


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## Jericurl

> I'm learning toward either blackberry or elderberry,



Use both.

I made one using a 50/50 blend of blackberry and elderberry and it is hands down my favorite mead so far.


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## hounddawg

well young lady,
I'll do just that I was leaning are on each, but both that sounds great to me, I got a 6 gal carboy of straight both of them, but knock on wood it looks like I might get a bumper crop of both, so when they come off i'll freeze them for a day or two, thaw and add all three into a ferment barrel, Ill go with 3 pound per gallon which will be 18 blackberry and 18 pound elderberry and ten pound of wild flower honey, that'll work,, beings them 2 berries are my favorite berry wines, thank you for your input, I now have my mind made up,
Dawg::





Jericurl said:


> Use both.
> 
> I made one using a 50/50 blend of blackberry and elderberry and it is hands down my favorite mead so far.


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## Tnuscan

hounddawg said:


> well young lady,
> I'll do just that I was leaning are on each, but both that sounds great to me, I got a 6 gal carboy of straight both of them, but knock on wood it looks like I might get a bumper crop of both, so when they come off i'll freeze them for a day or two, thaw and add all three into a ferment barrel, Ill go with 3 pound per gallon which will be 18 blackberry and 18 pound elderberry and ten pound of wild flower honey, that'll work,, beings them 2 berries are my favorite berry wines, thank you for your input, I now have my mind made up,
> Dawg::



This sounds like it would be awesome. I think I will start looking into making this one too,


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## hounddawg

if you make some let me know how it go4es and if your interested i'll let you know how mine goes, ole jerigurl is pretty slick I thought on trying a backberry an honey, an I'd thought about a elderberry mead, but I had not thought about all of them together, I might of just found me a new weakness
Dawg::






Tnuscan said:


> This sounds like it would be awesome. I think I will start looking into making this one too,


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## hounddawg

JERICRUL's
PRIVATE STOCK
blackberry, elderberry
wildflower honey
MEAD,,, 2016

thinking hard about that label... 

DAWG::


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## Jericurl

Hey now, I can't take all the credit! Blame @wvmountaineerjack

I followed his blog very closely when I was working up my own recipe for that mead. I don't have access to that many blackberries without absolutely going broke, and I have access to exactly zero fresh elderberries, so I improvised. I'm sure yours will be much better with so much fresh fruit added to it.

Here is his blog: http://wvmjack.com/Elderberries/WineRecipies.html

He has a TON of valuable information and is great about answering any questions you might have.

Here is what I did: http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48365&highlight=elderberry


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## Jericurl

> I might of just found me a new weakness



Good luck with that!
I'm trying to work out a deal with a lady at the local Farmer's Market for some blackberries. They lost about 90% of their crop to all the hail we had this year. I'd like to get a large amount of blackberries to just put in the freezer. I'll be making another batch here in the fall.

Between this, the strawberry, and the winter mead we have made, our friends are starting to sniff when they come over and we give them wine instead of mead. Everyone wants the mead!
I think I'm going to start making all mead and only start a wine batch every once in awhile.


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## Arne

I think I'm going to start making all mead and only start a wine batch every once in awhile.[/QUOTE] @Jericurl hope this works, don't know why it didn't make it a quote. 

LOL, looks like you are going to have to go into beekeeping. It is another addicting hobby, at least if you take a look at my bro. in law. He started out with a couple of hives to try and get his grandson involved with it. He is up to a bunch of them now and started a LLC as he is going to bottle and sell it. Hope he still has enough left over for me to get a couple of gallon. Anyway, beekeeping you can recoup some of your expenses. Home winemaking, not so much. Good luck with all the meads, Arne.


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## Jericurl

> I think I'm going to start making all mead and only start a wine batch every once in awhile. @Jericurl hope this works, don't know why it didn't make it a quote.



You have the command telling the program to end the quote, but not the command telling it to begin.
You need


> then type in whatever you are wanting to appear in the quote, then type the same prompt except adding the / at the beginning. That tells it to stop here. Hope that makes sense.
> 
> And yes, my grandfather kept bees and I've wanted to for years. We plan on buying a house next summer. The next spring after that I will have bees!!


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## hounddawg

I do not take it for granted that I have many types of stuff on my land, and neighbors that sell out for farm fresh eggs, lol,, I looked today at my elderberries, be a while before their ready, I have one huge bush, 3 moderate bushes and 2 small bushes that are loaded, and another 4 or 5 that should start to bare next year, as for black berries if noting goes wrong I should get close to 100lbs this year a few are red most still green, but soon,, my pear tree looks like I might get 30 or 40 lbs, I guess the tree is nearing it's end, 5 or 6 years ago I got tons of pairs, I use a 18 foot extension ladder then standing on the very top rung I got a telescoping paint pole with a fruit basket on it it'12 foot i'm 6-1 and I have to leave the top 15 to 20 feet to free fall which if at night then the deer beats me to that, last few years it's started slowing down, but across the road on 17 an 1/2 acres I got 14 pear trees that produce I usually leave for the wild life, but this year they going to have to share, then the 22 an 1/2 acres that's dads blackberries every where, peaches on very nice tree looking close to loaded in the next few dats I'll take a paint pole an knock about 1/2 off it, makes the tree live longer , got 3 more peach trees about 4 foot tall I saw on maybe 10 or 12 peaches combined but they are young, i'm hoping to fill a 6 an 1/2 carboy wine pure peach juice,, I hope an pray knock on wood, i'm blessed an know it, I see on post here people talking about places to buy fruit and berries, that's sad cause they want a arm an a leg for that stuff, oh and I got no possum grapes this year but my muscadines are looking loaded, if I can out do the birds an squirrels I hope to get a few mull berries too , as ARNE said about honey,, i'm giving serous thought to starting 2 Italian nooks, I've never be allergic to waspers but after getting sick I now must carry Benadryl,, i'm thinking about letting a bee sting me and see if they mess with me, the last 3 days I've been crawling in to deep bunches of poison ivy and poison oak, no shirt an shorts cutting the vine where they come outta the ground, I've never been bothered by poison oak or ivy,, i'm lucky on that.. knock on wood,, but if I end up making meads as well I'll have to raise my own honey , that stuff you'd think was Gold,,, I really do feel sorry for all that must buy their fruits an berries... shoot once I get my carboys built up I'll be set, I only have 12 so far, I got enough open top barrels food grade from14 gallon to 40 gallon.
but I half to buy my strawberries an cherries for now any way I got cherry trees growing but after 3 years in a row all my strawberry plants have died
I do have a few wild straw berries but so little that when I see em I stand their eating till all are gone,, gawd I hope my anti-fungus gets here soon my 2biggest Stewarts yellow crab apple bushes have cedar rust fungus . my other 3 are still looking clear, but they are much younger so my crab apples will be very limited, I like using crab apples instead of acid blend,,i like it, you could ask JohnT, about my apple/pear/crab apple blend wine, I had him test some for me last year, like I've said in other posts I blend any blends I do from day one in the ferment barrels, I like my results, I know I can never repay all the people on here that has helped me and I still need help. I at one time was on statin medicines till I could not remember last week, so I quit them better then a year ago, my memory is still not up to par, but way better then when they had me on statins, any one that takes medicine from doctors need to go home an research before taking anything, and all my doctors know I blow up if giving a medicine that aint been out at least 8 years, I used to love they lawyer adds if you or a loved one has been damaged or died call Sokolove, lol ,,, they finally left out if you have died, dumb asses,,,, how you going to call if you have died,,, but you see almost every day of some new medicine that hurts or kills you far worse then whatever you have, and arthritis meds are pure poison, and yep I got that as well but I don't take meds for my osteoid arthritis yard word brush cutting keeping active keeps that at bay except god bless them that has rumeoid arthritis,, that's a screwed if you do and screwed if you don't,,,, 
well I guess by now every body knows I have been sampling wines,, lol,, sorry
Dawg:: 





Jericurl said:


> Good luck with that!
> I'm trying to work out a deal with a lady at the local Farmer's Market for some blackberries. They lost about 90% of their crop to all the hail we had this year. I'd like to get a large amount of blackberries to just put in the freezer. I'll be making another batch here in the fall.
> 
> Between this, the strawberry, and the winter mead we have made, our friends are starting to sniff when they come over and we give them wine instead of mead. Everyone wants the mead!
> I think I'm going to start making all mead and only start a wine batch every once in awhile.


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## hounddawg

there's no way I'll give up my elderberry wines nor blackberry either, but I might start keeping both wines and meads in my magic closet that has nothing in it, lol,,, PS forget about that closet, your getting very, very sleepy,,,, 
as for you ARNE I take your opinion as the gold standered,,, theirs 7 or 8, well ok I follow 15 of yall' that moves me lights year beyond what i'm capable of by myself. I treasure all ya'll very much, I know I've been told many times I don't have to thank people, but I was raised deep country hillbilly southerner,, so yes I do have to tell all ya'll how much I value ya'lls knowledge shucks I been bopped on back of my head many times as a child for not being polite,, hehe,,, 
Dawg::



Arne said:


> I think I'm going to start making all mead and only start a wine batch every once in awhile.


 @Jericurl hope this works, don't know why it didn't make it a quote. 

LOL, looks like you are going to have to go into beekeeping. It is another addicting hobby, at least if you take a look at my bro. in law. He started out with a couple of hives to try and get his grandson involved with it. He is up to a bunch of them now and started a LLC as he is going to bottle and sell it. Hope he still has enough left over for me to get a couple of gallon. Anyway, beekeeping you can recoup some of your expenses. Home winemaking, not so much. Good luck with all the meads, Arne.[/QUOTE]


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## Arne

Jericurl said:


> You have the command telling the program to end the quote, but not the command telling it to begin.
> You need
> 
> 
> 
> then type in whatever you are wanting to appear in the quote, then type the same prompt except adding the / at the beginning. That tells it to stop here. Hope that makes sense.
> 
> And yes, my grandfather kept bees and I've wanted to for years. We plan on buying a house next summer. The next spring after that I will have bees!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Think I just deleted a bit much of the origional post. Didn't know how to fix it afterwards.
> And good for you on buying a house. Make sure you get enough land to hold the bees and all the fruits you want to make wine with. Gonna be a big loan. LOL, Arne.
Click to expand...


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## hounddawg

you've saved me many dollars,, I can never repay this favor,
but you have my heartfelt thanks,,,
Dawg::





Winenoob66 said:


> $270 for 60 lbs?
> 
> Check these guys out
> 
> http://www.webstaurantstore.com/21/bulk-honey.html


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## hounddawg

ok after several set backs (new-moan-ya) in right lung an tick fever just to name a couple, I got my organic wild flower honey in today, I got 1 ounce of Stella hops a couple weeks ago, I plan on using 1/2 ounce of Stella hops they claim it has a wild flower taste, and around 4lbs to the gallon wild flower honey, be warned I plan on asking many questions over the next few weeks so now's the time to block me,,, lol ,,, but first I got 10 gallon of apple wine to bottle, no strong alcohol taste but 1 18ounce glass and your asking where'd that wabbit go,,, I am very happy with it, 18ABV but you only taste apple and clover honey,, dang I love you folks, I have when I was working paid as high as $1500 for 1 bottle took one sip and poured it down the drain, but I love what you super people have taught me, and just think I still have years of learning yet, sorry I hope no one just commented suicide,, lol ,, i'll try to ask better questions but no guaranties..
Dawg:: 
Dawg::


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## hounddawg

OBTW yes I have been sampling the apple,,
Dawg::


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## hounddawg

ok I admit I run around like a chicken with it's head cut off.
but after much reading of old post on here, I've changed my mind more times then carter has liver pills, forgive me,, lol
ok i'm going to be starting in 2 0r 3 more days I'll be starting a wildflower mead but at some point in this process I wish to add either some cherries or cherry wine, seems to me adding cherries at the start of fermenting would be the way to go, that direction will take a week or two longer since i'm outta cherries. or right off the bat with cherry wine, unless any one knows a good reason , I plain on ordering a bottle of cherry from home winery, that is if they every get sour cherry back in stock, sorry I stretch my projects over such a lone time, this right lung (new-moan-ya) and tick fever has put my energy on the back burner, but that aint no step for a stepper ,, so here yet again on this project, above all I respect and appreciate any and all advice,,,
Dawg


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## hounddawg

so 1# 15 lb wildflower honey with 1/2 ounce stela hops and 12 lbs elderberry and 12 lbs blackberries, , in 6 gallon carboy


an 1# 15 lb wildflower honey with 1/2 ounce Stela hops with 64 oz sour cherries.. from home winery. 
Dawg


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## Arne

hounddawg said:


> ok I admit I run around like a chicken with it's head cut off.
> but after much reading of old post on here, I've changed my mind more times then carter has liver pills, forgive me,, lol
> ok i'm going to be starting in 2 0r 3 more days I'll be starting a wildflower mead but at some point in this process I wish to add either some cherries or cherry wine, seems to me adding cherries at the start of fermenting would be the way to go, that direction will take a week or two longer since i'm outta cherries. or right off the bat with cherry wine, unless any one knows a good reason , I plain on ordering a bottle of cherry from home winery, that is if they every get sour cherry back in stock, sorry I stretch my projects over such a lone time, this right lung (new-moan-ya) and tick fever has put my energy on the back burner, but that aint no step for a stepper ,, so here yet again on this project, above all I respect and appreciate any and all advice,,,
> Dawg



Think you should be just fine adding the cherries later in the ferment. Arne.


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## hounddawg

ok I know I've drug this out for way to long, but any thing worth doing is worth doing right. ok ya'll going to have to call me AIR HEAD,,, any way I've been back home now for about 2 weeks shoot maybe 3, to many doctors to many pill's from them doctors, lol ,, ok this last time laying in the hospital with platelets in my bone marrow depleted, white blood cells down to 2%,,,,,( new-moan-ya) in right lung and tick fever, all Greek to me, all I know is god has allowed me more mornings to awake to. so on this honey deal I got 30 lb. wildflower honey, and 1 ounce of Steller hop's.. so I know 1#- 6gal carboy will get 15lbs wildflower honey and 1/2 oz. Stellar hops, but my other will be 15lb wildflower honey and 64oz of sweet cherry from homewinery.com , so hears my question, all I want is your opinions and why that opinion, what is your thoughts on using the other 1/2 oz. of Steller hops in my cherry mead attempt, a cherry, honey mead, your opinion on using or not using the other 1/2 oz. of Steller hops, , in the cherry mead, sour cherry is out of stock so I'll have to go with sweet cherries this time. I'll take ( homewinery.com ) product over venter's or any other caned fruit base I have tried to date,, 
please help my poor dumb @ss,,,,,
lord knows I need all the help I can get,,,,,,
THIS YOU HAVE TO KNOW I'M A NEW KNOW NOTHING HOBBIE WINE MARKER , EXCEPT FOR 1 BATCH OF BLACKBERRY WITHOUT ENOUGH BERRIES IN IT, ON ALL THE REST I HAVE GOTTEN GOOD FEED BACK, THE ONLY REASON I HAVE GOTTEN SO MUCH GREAT FEEDBACK IS BECAUSE OF THIS SITE AND ALL OF YALL'S HELP AND INFOMATIN . YALL ARE EVERY BIT OF THE REASON FOR MY LIKEABLE WINE, I TAKE NO CREDIT AND YA'LL HAVE EARNED EVEY BIT OF THE SUSSES ON MY WINE, I KNOW THIS AS A FACT, 
THANK YOU EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YALL THAT HAVE GUIDED ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
Dawg::





Arne said:


> Think you should be just fine adding the cherries later in the ferment. Arne.


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## hounddawg

since I started making elderberry wine I started growing my own, 
but I have found when you drive the hyway in the spring I've looked on the hyway ditches there are tons growing down hyways but you must spot that umbrella looking white blossom, 8 miles from my home between here and there I have found tons of elderberry, but you must drive it in the spring when the blossoms are white, remember the location and you're set for the year, and you can always dig up small canes in the spring, I have better luck digging up the canes that are to young to flower yet, 
Dawg,,,
OBTW, I got my wild flower honey 30 lbs., and hops, so 1 carboy will start this week, I am out of blackberries and elderberries for the moment but the are getting ready to pick in a few weeks, then I'll start the second mead then,,,
Dawg, 







Jericurl said:


> Hey now, I can't take all the credit! Blame @wvmountaineerjack
> 
> I followed his blog very closely when I was working up my own recipe for that mead. I don't have access to that many blackberries without absolutely going broke, and I have access to exactly zero fresh elderberries, so I improvised. I'm sure yours will be much better with so much fresh fruit added to it.
> 
> Here is his blog: http://wvmjack.com/Elderberries/WineRecipies.html
> 
> He has a TON of valuable information and is great about answering any questions you might have.
> 
> Here is what I did: http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48365&highlight=elderberry


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## hounddawg

*mix to match*

5lb wildflower to 3 water from honey container, 1/2 ounce Stella hops and 2 lb wild blackberry,, shoot for the moon, or give up is my way of thinking
Dawg 









Jericurl said:


> Have you decided where you are going to get your honey and which kind yet? It would be a lot cheaper for you to find something local, but if you don't have that option, I can post a couple of links from beekeepers I've used.


----------



## hounddawg

ok i'm about a month an one half into my mead, i'm doing a six gallon batch, 
18lbs. organic wild flower honey, 2lbs. wild blackberries, and 1/2 ounce of Stella hops from Australia. my next attempt will be the very same except no blackberries but elderberries instead, you see that's the problem with a life long bachelor , I was never trained to be caucus., lol... I once again got some dry and empty carboys,, so another 6 of elderberry wine and a 6 with honey, hops and elderberry,, 






Jericurl said:


> @hounddawg
> 
> Richard,
> Have you started your mead yet?


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## hounddawg

ok it's getting racking time for my mead,5 months since i put into first carboy, so gathering up things to get started racking, when it hit me in every single wine I've ever made i always make a extra gallon and one half so as to be able to top off with what i'm making, but here i sit looking at a 6 gallon carboy with no extra to top off with, i have a couple dim thoughts, top off with more wildflower honey, or top off with sugar, i can not believe i did not make extra, will either one of these or a combination of nutrient sugar/wildflower honey,,,, my mead is 18lb. wildflower honey, 2 lbs. wild blackberry an 1/2 ounce of Australian Stella hops water up to 6 gallons,, using EC-1118 starting SG 1.40 so if i add some nutrients, sugar, honey, all three will that work, any an all opinions considered, except for sending it to your home to be tweaked,, LOL ... and yes i trust you like a stepped on copper head,,,

Dawg


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## spunk

You can top off with more mead or wine. I use water if it isn't very much. If I don't want any change to the flavor you can go to the dollar store and buy marbles add them to the mead.


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## wpt-me

I think I would rack down to a 5 gal carboy and assorted glass.

Bill


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## hounddawg

i got 1/2 gallon clear marbles i got put back if times get bad, and a couple sling shots to go with then, but thank you i had forgotten marbles
Dawg 






spunk said:


> You can top off with more mead or wine. I use water if it isn't very much. If I don't want any change to the flavor you can go to the dollar store and buy marbles add them to the mead.


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## hounddawg

hum, mighty astute, since i have 2 5gallon carboys, and a couple 1 gallon an a couple 1/2 gallon jugs, so your the one who's been sneaking looks in my wine room,,, between you and the poster above you i'm starting to see how forgetful i an getting,, about a year and 1/2 ago i put up my #2--5's, and went totally with 6's and several 1 gallon an 1/2 gallon jugs, and i keep #2--6 an 1/2 carboys to rack into tweak then return to a clean 6 carboy,
now i am embarrassed having 2#--5's drawling dust, 
i thank the both of yawl.
Dawg












wpt-me said:


> I think I would rack down to a 5 gal carboy and assorted glass.
> 
> Bill


----------

