A bold, fruit-forward cherry mead built on a blended wildflower and orange blossom honey base. Tart cherry purée in primary builds structure and acidity; sweet dark cherry in secondary adds depth and color. Targets 14% ABV with a medium-sweet finish. This is the flagship melomel from Chapter 11 Cellars, formulated for four-barrel production. Formulated by the owner. Exact water volume, nutrient protocol, and production completion status are estimated values pending owner confirmation.
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Batch size
124 gallons
Target ABV
14%
Fermentation
6–10 weeks (primary + secondary)
Conditioning
3–6 months minimum
Responsible use: These recipes produce alcoholic beverages. Ferment and consume responsibly. Verify all quantities, equipment, and safety procedures before beginning. Consult local regulations regarding home fermentation.
Approximately 70% of total honey weight. Owner anchor: ~430–450 lbs total honey.
Approximately 30% of total honey weight. Owner anchor specifies orange blossom or clover.
Estimated from target OG and honey weight. Owner must confirm actual water volume.
Owner anchor: 200–220 lbs. Added in primary fermentation. Midpoint used.
Owner anchor: 120–150 lbs. Added in secondary. Midpoint used.
Owner anchor: 2.5–3.5 lbs. Optional. Midpoint used. Owner to confirm if used and duration.
Estimated TOSNA dose for high-gravity batch. Owner must confirm actual nutrient protocol.
For must treatment and stabilization. Dose per batch volume — owner to confirm.
Yeast
Lalvin EC-1118 or DV10 — 20 packets
Owner anchor specifies EC-1118 or DV10. Both are high-gravity, high-alcohol-tolerant strains. Pitch rate estimated for 135-gallon gross batch. Owner to confirm strain selection and actual pitch rate.
| Timing | Nutrient | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 0 (pitch) | Fermaid-O | 85 g | Estimated 25% of total TOSNA dose at pitch. Owner must confirm actual protocol. |
| 24 hours after pitch | Fermaid-O | 85 g | Estimated 25% of total dose. Degas before adding. |
| 48 hours after pitch | Fermaid-O | 85 g | Estimated 25% of total dose. Degas before adding. |
| 1/3 sugar break (approx. SG 1.080) | Fermaid-O | 85 g | Estimated 25% of total dose. Monitor gravity to hit 1/3 sugar break. |
Prepare no-rinse sanitizer solution. Sanitize all vessels, tools, and transfer equipment.
Dissolve honey blend (70% wildflower, 30% orange blossom/clover) in filtered water. Mix thoroughly to achieve target OG of approximately 1.122.
Add 200–220 lbs tart cherry purée to the must. Stir to combine. The cherry addition will lower the effective OG slightly — adjust honey if needed.
Record the original gravity of the combined must. Target approximately 1.120–1.125.
Rehydrate EC-1118 or DV10 per manufacturer instructions. Pitch at appropriate rate for batch volume. Add first Fermaid-O addition at pitch.
High-gravity must requires careful yeast rehydration and acclimatization.
Follow the staggered nutrient schedule. Degas before each addition to prevent CO2 eruption.
Check gravity regularly. Primary fermentation with cherry solids typically runs 2–4 weeks.
When primary fermentation is complete, rack the mead off the cherry solids and lees. Press or strain cherry solids to recover liquid.
Add 120–150 lbs sweet dark cherry purée to the secondary vessel. Allow to macerate for 2–4 weeks.
If using oak, add 2.5–3.5 lbs medium-toast American oak. Taste regularly and remove when desired oak character is achieved.
Oak integration time varies by format (cubes, spirals, staves). Monitor closely.
Condition for a minimum of 3–6 months. Rack as needed to remove sediment.
When clear and stable, package into sanitized bottles or barrels.
Ensure fermentation is fully complete and gravity is stable before packaging. Sanitize all bottles and equipment. Rack into bottles using pump or auto-siphon. For still mead, cap or cork immediately. Owner to confirm specific packaging format (bottles, kegs, or barrels).
This recipe is written for a four-barrel (124-gallon net) batch. Honey and cherry quantities scale linearly with batch volume. Nutrient additions (Fermaid-O) do NOT scale linearly — recalculate using TOSNA for any target volume. Yeast pitch rate must be recalculated for the target volume. Water volume is estimated and must be confirmed by the owner.
Enter your desired finished batch size to scale ingredient quantities. Press Enter or tap away to apply.
Target ABV
14%
Original gravity
1.122
Final gravity
1.014
Sweetness
medium
Finished volume
124 gallons
Gross starting volume
135 gallons
Expected loss
11 gallons(8%)
| Ingredient | Quantity | Unit | Scaling notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw wildflower honey (70% of blend) | 308 | lbs | |
| Orange blossom or clover honey (30% of blend) | 132 | lbs | |
| Filtered water | 125 | gallons | |
| Tart cherry purée (primary addition) | 210 | lbs | |
| Sweet dark cherry purée (secondary addition) | 135 | lbs | |
| Medium-toast American oak (optional)(optional) | 3 | lbs | ⚠ review |
| Fermaid-O (organic yeast nutrient) | 340 | g | ⚠ review |
| Potassium metabisulfite(optional) | 20 | g | ⚠ review |
⚠ Ingredients requiring review
Initial record created from owner-supplied anchor specification. Awaiting owner review.
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