MRM ~ Gennett Special Reserve

9/10/23 (day 1)

3 lbs Honey (Kendra’s work honey) (Enough honey left for back sweetening)
2 12 oz Jars Apricot Preserves
1 tsp Fermaid O
Red Star Premier Classique yeast
O.G. = 1.104  Possible 13% if ferments out!

Mixed all ingredients and pitched yeast at 80 degrees.  After a couple hours airlock activity was really going well.

9/16/23 (day 6)
1 tsp Diammonium Phosphate Yeast Nutrient added and degassed

9/21/23 (day 12)
S.G. = 1.040.  Added 2 tsp Diammonium Phosphate yeast nutrient.

10/11/23 (day 32)
S.G. = 1.010.  Racked into clean carboy and stabilized.  Added 1/4 tsp tannin and 1/2 cup sparkoloid.  It’s not very clear yet but after some time I’m hoping it clears out nicely. F.G. = 1.010 ABV = 12.5%

10/29/23 (50 days)
The gelatin destroyed this mead.  It did settle everything but made it cloudy.  It was clear.  I’m not letting it set any longer. I will NEVER use gelatin again for clearing.  I’m going to try adding some juice to this to see if I can salvage it.

11/5/23 (57 days) Bottling day!
So the gelatin was a bad idea.  To save this mead, because it was stabilized, I added 3 cups Juicy Juice Pineapple juice and bottled this.  It seems to be clearing nicely in the bottle but has a ton of sediment.  I didn’t take a gravity reading.  I was pissed at this batch!  It didn’t taste bad but the honey character isn’t really there.