# Cranberry Mead



## vcasey (Aug 13, 2009)

I've been told I need to start cleaning out the freezer because it will be converted into a kegerater soon rather then later. So what to do with 13 lbs of cranberries but make some wine or mead. I choose some mead because now I have an excuse to go visit our local bee keeper




. And I did not have enough sugar.


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## vcasey (Aug 17, 2009)

The cranberry mead was racked into it's new home today. Really looks beautiful and tastes tart. The game plan is to leave it alone for a few months or so or maybe longer



. 
Below is one of my project meads. It was a nice apple juice color until I racked it on some coffee grounds, dates, &amp; raisins, now it looks rather dark. I will be soaking some oak in rum and adding it in a couple of months. Did get a taste and lots of apple a little oak not much honey, full mouth feel and a bit hot at the end. After I let the glass sit out for a while that hot at the end faded. I may need to put a warning on the label because it does hide the high alcohol level well!
VC


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## paubin (Sep 30, 2009)

Thats a beautiful color. Hope it doesn't fade. How is it looking now?


Pete


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## vcasey (Oct 1, 2009)

While playing with the ABC I took a peak. The mead is clearing nicely
and I'll check the SG in a couple of weeks or so. Still a pretty color
just a darker red.

VC


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## paubin (Oct 12, 2009)

Looks fantastic...all things cranberry are a personal fav of mine. Ive been trying to make a copy of Sam Adams cranberry lambic for years now so I can enjoy it all year round but haven't gotten as close as I'd like yet. 


Pete


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## Brewgrrrl (Oct 24, 2009)

There's a recipe for a sour mash beer in Papazian's "Microbrewed Adventures" book - I wonder if that would help with the lambic you're going for? His recipe calls for using either apple, raspberry or cherry (it's called "New Wisconsin Apple/Raspberry/Cherry Beer" if you are interested in looking at it). It's not aged like a true lambic but the sour mash process seems like it would produce a similar flavor profile in less time.


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## vcasey (Nov 6, 2009)

This baby got stabilized today and I'll sweeten it next week sometime. Still need to oak it as I am going for an off dry oaky mead. Last one cleared on its own, this one so far, not so much, but again its early. Looks about the same so no pictures this time. And no I did not taste it this time, last time it was pretty tart, but I will before I add any more honey.
VC


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## Goodfella (Nov 22, 2009)

I love the sound of coffee grounds in this!!!


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## Wade E (Nov 22, 2009)

I love the sounds of the Mead but the kegerator sounds damn good also, is it done yet as we want to see that also!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## vcasey (Nov 22, 2009)

wade said:


> I love the sounds of the Mead but the kegerator sounds damn good also, is it done yet as we want to see that also!!!!!!!!!!!!



Close, oh so close! I'll have pics once the project is completed. 
The cranberry mead is still where I left it, dry and tart. I think I have enough OBH to sweeten but I would rather have some extra before I start, just in case. We need to drive over and pick up some more honey next weekend, if the project is complete!
VC


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## vcasey (Mar 7, 2010)

The cranberry mead is coming along nicely and I still have not sweetened it, honestly I am still trying to decide. I did add some oak after I combined the 2 containers so perhaps in a couple of months I'll have a better idea. We did have enough for a good size glass for tasting and while its still tart the honey is starting to peak through. The color is beautiful.


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## fivebk (Mar 8, 2010)

Looks great !!!!

BOB


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## vcasey (Jun 19, 2010)

Cranberry Mead Update:
I decided to taste test the mead this morning and sweeten it,sort of........
The mead has really settled down and not as tart as the last tasting and finally the honey is starting to make its presence. I decided to leave 1 gallon as is )SG 1003), sweetened another gallon with maple syrup (SG 1012), and the remaining 3 gallons was sweetened with the rest of the OBH (SG 1028). All were very good and I'll let them sit for a bit before I bottle them. 
No pics this time, but I'll have some at bottling.


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## Wade E (Jun 19, 2010)

Im really liking the Orange Blossom honey I made some Cyser with. I used
Golden Rod for my Blueberry and although it too is very nice I prefer 
the OGH.


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## vcasey (Jun 19, 2010)

wade said:


> Im really liking the Orange Blossom honey I made some Cyser with. I used
> Golden Rod for my Blueberry and although it too is very nice I prefer
> the OGH.



OBH is local for us, but yes I agree it makes great tasting meads &amp; cysers. Not too bad in tea or mixed with mangos either ..... 
Tupelo is really nice as well.


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## Wade E (Jun 19, 2010)

I have not seen that available here anywhere.


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## vcasey (Jun 19, 2010)

It's a product of North Florida &amp; South Georgia. I usually order mine from herehttp://www.lltupelohoney.com/index.htm.


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## Wade E (Jun 19, 2010)

Thanks, bookmarked it for my next mead.


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## Brewgrrrl (Jun 22, 2010)

vcasey - I know you make a lot of meads, so I was wondering about this strange thing that's happened with one of the first ones I did a few years ago (a blueberry mel). When I first bottled it, I backsweetened it a bit. At the time you could taste blueberries and that early-mead sharpness. A year ago it had lost a lot of the sharpness. Well, I just opened a bottle the other day (probably about two years after bottling) and there is now a distinct honey flavor at the end. It's very strange - you can taste almost the whole flavor profile of the original honey I used. It actually tastes like someone mixed some fresh honey into it (which, unless my cats have gotten scarily smart, is impossible). Has this ever happened with your meads?


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## vcasey (Jun 22, 2010)

Brewgrrrl that happens all the time. As meads (and all the variations) age the honey flavor and aroma becomes more pronounced. This is also why you need to be careful sweetening meads.
Which is why I say when it comes to meads its all about the honey so pick wisely.


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## Brewgrrrl (Jun 22, 2010)

Huh. That is kind of cool actually. The honey smelled so delicious during the fermentation that I was bummed that it's taste/aroma weren't more pronounced at the end. Now the wine has characteristics of both blueberries AND the wildflower honey I used - it is really yummy, I was just surprised about the sudden return of the honey.


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## vcasey (Jun 22, 2010)

Good things come to those who wait.


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## Brewgrrrl (Jun 23, 2010)

Words to live by.


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## vcasey (Jul 19, 2010)

I want to push this one along so I helped it clear. I topped it off with a commercial mead which gave me a chance to taste &amp; compare it to mine. I had to taste it first because I have been less then pleased with commercial meads until now. For those still on the fence about meads, Honey Run Wines makes some pretty good meads. We have enjoyed both the blackberry and the cranberry.
Anyway here is a pic of the cranberry being racked. I'll give them a month or so to make sure the sediment has finished dropping before I bottle.


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## fivebk (Jul 19, 2010)

Looking GOOD !!!!

BOB


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## Waldo (Jul 19, 2010)




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