https://advancedmixology.com/blogs/art-of-mixology/how-to-make-blueberry-mead#recipe
Ingredients
- 1-gallon Water (non-chlorinated or filtered)
- 2-3 lbs. Honey (depending on how sweet you want your mead)
- 1 to 2 lbs. Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- ½ packet Champagne yeast or other wine yeast
- 1/8 cup Raisins or yeast nutrient
- 1 Vanilla bean sliced lengthwise (optional)
- 1 Cinnamon stick (optional)
Directions
- Put the blueberries into the carboy. Make sure to choose the ripe blueberries and discard low quality and moldy ones. As a general rule of thumb, don’t put it in your mead if you would not eat it. Remove all stems and leafy parts, then clean the fruits.
- Put the cinnamon and vanilla into the glass carboy for added flavors (optional)
- Then, add the raisins. Homebrewers use raisins as a natural yeast nutrient. They provide the yeast’s additional nutrient requirement without leaving any flavor.
- Using the funnel, carefully pour the warm honey-and-water mixture into the glass jug.
- Pour the remaining ½ gallon of the non-chlorinated or filtered water into the jug. Make sure to leave extra headspace of at least two inches to make room for degassing.
- Then, put the lid on the jug and lightly mix everything around.
- To help you determine the mead’s alcohol percentage, take a gravity reading using the hydrometer and a sample from the bucket. This step is optional, so it is fine even if you do not have a hydrometer.
- Prepare the yeast by rehydrating it according to the package instructions.
- Once you have achieved the desired temperature, put half of the packet’s contents into the must and shake (or stir if you are using a fermenting bucket) to distribute the yeast evenly.
- Put the lid back on, add the airlock, and let the fermentation begin. Usually, it takes 12 to 24 hours for the bubbles to appear, meaning the fermentation is a success.
- Set the mixture aside to ferment. Keep the jug in a cool, dark place without direct sunlight.
12/27/22
Putting together this mead today. Recipe below. Starting gravity 1.080 with a potential of 10.7 % ABV. Not to shabby.
1lb Frozen Blueberries
2oz Chopped raisins (yes I measured)
1 Cinnamon stick
2.5 lbs honey
1 cup Hot earl Grey tea
2 tsp Fleishmans bread yest
I did NOT use the vanilla……
1/13
Still some activity in the airlock. On Tuesday 1/17 I’m going to take a reading and rack off the berries.
1/21
I racked off Stella from the berries today. It wasn’t clear at all but it tasted very good. It was a bit sweet with a hint of blueberry flavor. Still very alcoholic flavor though. I took a reading and got 1.020. If it doesn’t ferment any more that is 8.44% ABV. I will take one more reading before bottling of course.
There is still some activity in the airlock and there is a weird floating substance on top. I’m not to worried, everything was sanitized. 2/11 will be 3 weeks racked and may be ready for bottling.
2/4/23
Final Gravity 1.014. Bottling day. OMG this thing tastes soooo good. It’s got that nice sweet blueberry taste with the hit of the alcohol up front. It smells delicious and the clarity is just OK. It’s not great but not terrible either. I’m sure that once in the bottle for a while it will clear even more. I got 5 full bottles and about 1/2 of another. It wasn’t a complete FULL gallon.
SG = 1.080
FG = 1.014
ABV = 9.75%
NOT TO BAD!!!!!!!
