Blackberry Melomel (Fruit Mead)
Total timeline: 215 days (35 fermentation + 180 aging)
- Day 0
Mix must
Dissolve honey in warm water; cool to 70°F.
- Day 0
Add fruit
Place blackberries in straining bag in primary.
- Day 0
Pitch yeast
Add nutrient, pectic enzyme, yeast. Aerate well.
- Day 0-10
Primary on fruit
Punch fruit cap daily; ferment 7-10 days.
- Day 10
Press + rack
Squeeze fruit bag gently; rack to secondary.
- Day 10-35
Secondary
Continue ferment to dryness (3-4 weeks).
- Day 35-180
Bulk age
Rack off lees; age 2-6 months.
- Day 180
Bottle
Bottle and rest 60+ days. Improves over a year.