# Cherry: wine, mead, or cider?



## greyday (Jan 26, 2013)

So I have a bunch of cherry juice and canned cherries (all montmorancy, or in other words, tart). I'm trying to decide what to make with them; I've had cherry cider before, both high abv flat and normal sparkling, and I like it, but I'd rather make wine or melomel I think. Anyone had/made either? I leave it up to you guys!


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## Rampage4all (Jan 27, 2013)

I'm making my first mead now and think it to be my new fav. So cherry mead I think yes.


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## btom2004 (Jan 27, 2013)

OK I voted Cherry wine, since you didn't say you had any honey. However I change my vote to mead. I have a can of cherry puree and honey on hand, that's what I'll make as well.


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## Deezil (Jan 27, 2013)

My vote would be for a melomel - honey quality, depending.

If you can source something other than the generic "on the shelf" honey, which is generally over-processed and stripped of some more delicate aromas & flavors - then i'd make a mead over a wine/cider, any day.

Although it also depends on your wine making/drinking habits - if you tend to make and consume early drinkers and have a bit of difficulty aging particular batches for long periods of time, then you may want to consider cane sugar over honey; would be a shame to source a nice honey only to consume it all before it has time to shine (and wouldnt be worth the added price of honey over sugar)


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## mmadmikes1 (Jan 28, 2013)

Along Deezils line, the last cherry wine I made took quite a while to stop tasting like vicks cough syrup. after a year it was great. Adding in mead takes longer than wine to become drinkable I would say be prepared to practice patience


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## greyday (Jan 28, 2013)

Thanks all! The vote seems to be leaning sharply towards melomel, so I think I'll go that route.

As for the honey, I have about 30# of locally sourced blackberry honey left, so I thought I'd use that. I'm patient and I know meads take a while...

One question--topping up. Is it better to top up with some cherry juice or some straight honey mead?


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## Arne (Jan 28, 2013)

I have made quite a bit of cherry wine and it comes out very nice. I have found it is best to pit the cherries which yours are probably pitted as they were canned. Just a hint, Arne.


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## btom2004 (Jan 28, 2013)

So it does taste good alone. Ok then I'll be making one gal cherry and one gal mead. Just to see what the big deal is with plain old honey wine dry and no backsweetening.


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## greyday (Feb 7, 2013)

So question: most of what I've read says not to ferment with primarily cherry juice, to do at least a 1:1 ratio with apple juice. Is there a reason for that? My plan WAS to use all cherry juice and 1 can of cherries per 2 gallons, then on second rack (after clearing) racking onto another couple cans of cherries, then topping up with cherry juice on subsequent rackings. Decent plan? Or should I use apple juice to some degree in primary?


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## Arne (Feb 7, 2013)

Just went and checked my notes. 20 plus lb. pitted pie cherries. 5 gal. water. 12 lb. sugar, nutrient, pectic enzime, tannin and acid blend. It was started in 2 buckets, adding half to each by eyeball. One bucket started out at 1.112, the other at 1.070. After they fermented down to 1.010, racked to secondary. Still sitting in the secondary, but down to a 3 gal. carboy. The gremlins have been at work and with a bit of sugar, it is pretty tasty. It was started june 18, will sweeten and bottle shortly. Arne.


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## btom2004 (Feb 14, 2013)

I would just use cherry to keep it a cherry wine. You could always blend some with other wines later on.

@


mmadmikes1 said:


> The last cherry wine I made took quite a while to stop tasting like vicks cough syrup. after a year it was great.



I just sampled some of my cherry wine and it does taste like the above. I was hoping cherry would be a quick drinker. Dang that's another year before I get to drink any wine.


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