Two Cherry Tupelo Melomel With Two Cherry Varieties NHC08

Category 25: Melomel (Fruit Mead)

2008 AHA National Homebrew Competition Gold Medal

Sponsored by Bacchus & Barleycorn
Thomas Eibner, St Paul, MN, Other Fruit Melomel, Saint Paul Homebrewers CLub
"Two Cherry Tupelo"

Still Sweet Melomel with Two Cherry Varieties and Tupelo Honey

Ingredients for 5.5 U.S. gallons (20.82 liters)

24.0    lb (10.89 kg) tupelo honey

10.0    lb (4.54 kg) unpitted Montmorency sour cherries

10.0    lb (4.54 kg) unpitted dark sour cherries

1.0       tsp (4.9 mL) pectic enzyme

Filtered St. Paul water up to volume

2          packets Lalvin 71B yeast

Curt Stock nutrient additions

Directions

Mix honey with cold water and pour on top of cherries. Ferment, filter and keg.

Original Specific Gravity: unknown

Final Specific Gravity: unknown

Boiling Time: n/a

Primary Fermentation: 1 month on cherries in glass

Secondary Fermentation: 2 months in glass

Tertiary Fermentation: 1.5 years in steel

Judges' Comments

"Beautiful mead. Definitely a slow sipper. I salute you for using Tupelo honey. I think sweet is accurate, but verges on semi-sweet. I would cut down on the cherry slightly to bring out the Tupelo."

"This is a wonderfully seductive beverage. I really enjoy melomels and meads, and this is one of the better ones I've judged."