{"schema":{"type":"ModernMazerRecipe","version":"1.0"},"canonicalUrl":"https://modernmazer.com/recipes/cranium-smasher-cherry-mead","jsonUrl":"https://modernmazer.com/recipes/cranium-smasher-cherry-mead.json","slug":"cranium-smasher-cherry-mead","name":"Cranium Smasher Cherry Mead","summary":"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.","heroImage":null,"heroImageAlt":"A deep ruby glass of cherry mead beside fresh tart cherries and a jar of wildflower honey","author":"Chapter 11 Cellars / Modern Mazer","publishedDate":"2026-09-13","updatedDate":"2026-09-13","testingStatus":"owner-formulated","evidenceStatus":"owner-formulation","difficulty":"advanced","style":"Melomel","tags":["mead","melomel","cherry","fruit-mead","medium-sweet","four-barrel","chapter-11-cellars"],"targetBatchVolume":124,"targetBatchVolumeUnit":"gallons","grossBatchVolume":135,"grossBatchVolumeUnit":"gallons","expectedProductionLoss":0.08,"targetABV":14,"originalGravity":1.122,"finalGravity":1.014,"sweetnessLevel":"medium","carbonationLevel":"still","ingredients":[{"id":"honey-wildflower","name":"Raw wildflower honey (70% of blend)","quantity":308,"unit":"lbs","notes":"Approximately 70% of total honey weight. Owner anchor: ~430–450 lbs total honey.","optional":false,"scalingBehavior":"linear"},{"id":"honey-orange-blossom","name":"Orange blossom or clover honey (30% of blend)","quantity":132,"unit":"lbs","notes":"Approximately 30% of total honey weight. Owner anchor specifies orange blossom or clover.","optional":false,"scalingBehavior":"linear"},{"id":"water","name":"Filtered water","quantity":125,"unit":"gallons","notes":"Estimated from target OG and honey weight. Owner must confirm actual water volume.","optional":false,"scalingBehavior":"linear"},{"id":"tart-cherry-primary","name":"Tart cherry purée (primary addition)","quantity":210,"unit":"lbs","notes":"Owner anchor: 200–220 lbs. Added in primary fermentation. Midpoint used.","optional":false,"scalingBehavior":"linear"},{"id":"sweet-cherry-secondary","name":"Sweet dark cherry purée (secondary addition)","quantity":135,"unit":"lbs","notes":"Owner anchor: 120–150 lbs. Added in secondary. Midpoint used.","optional":false,"scalingBehavior":"linear"},{"id":"oak","name":"Medium-toast American oak (optional)","quantity":3,"unit":"lbs","notes":"Owner anchor: 2.5–3.5 lbs. Optional. Midpoint used. Owner to confirm if used and duration.","optional":true,"scalingBehavior":"manual"},{"id":"fermaid-o","name":"Fermaid-O (organic yeast nutrient)","quantity":340,"unit":"g","notes":"Estimated TOSNA dose for high-gravity batch. Owner must confirm actual nutrient protocol.","optional":false,"scalingBehavior":"manual"},{"id":"campden","name":"Potassium metabisulfite","quantity":20,"unit":"g","notes":"For must treatment and stabilization. Dose per batch volume — owner to confirm.","optional":true,"scalingBehavior":"manual"}],"yeast":{"name":"EC-1118 or DV10","brand":"Lalvin","quantity":20,"unit":"packets","notes":"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."},"nutrientSchedule":[{"timing":"Day 0 (pitch)","nutrient":"Fermaid-O","quantity":85,"unit":"g","notes":"Estimated 25% of total TOSNA dose at pitch. Owner must confirm actual protocol.","scalingBehavior":"manual"},{"timing":"24 hours after pitch","nutrient":"Fermaid-O","quantity":85,"unit":"g","notes":"Estimated 25% of total dose. Degas before adding.","scalingBehavior":"manual"},{"timing":"48 hours after pitch","nutrient":"Fermaid-O","quantity":85,"unit":"g","notes":"Estimated 25% of total dose. Degas before adding.","scalingBehavior":"manual"},{"timing":"1/3 sugar break (approx. SG 1.080)","nutrient":"Fermaid-O","quantity":85,"unit":"g","notes":"Estimated 25% of total dose. Monitor gravity to hit 1/3 sugar break.","scalingBehavior":"manual"}],"equipment":["150+ gallon fermentation vessel or multiple vessels","Airlock and stopper or blow-off tube","Hydrometer and test cylinder","Pump or auto-siphon for racking","Sanitizer (Star San or equivalent)","Thermometer","Fruit press or straining bags for cherry solids","Barrels or conditioning vessels (4 × 31-gallon)","Bottling equipment"],"process":[{"step":1,"title":"Sanitize all equipment","description":"Prepare no-rinse sanitizer solution. Sanitize all vessels, tools, and transfer equipment.","note":null},{"step":2,"title":"Prepare must","description":"Dissolve honey blend (70% wildflower, 30% orange blossom/clover) in filtered water. Mix thoroughly to achieve target OG of approximately 1.122.","note":null},{"step":3,"title":"Add tart cherry purée to primary","description":"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.","note":null},{"step":4,"title":"Take original gravity reading","description":"Record the original gravity of the combined must. Target approximately 1.120–1.125.","note":null},{"step":5,"title":"Rehydrate and pitch yeast","description":"Rehydrate EC-1118 or DV10 per manufacturer instructions. Pitch at appropriate rate for batch volume. Add first Fermaid-O addition at pitch.","note":"High-gravity must requires careful yeast rehydration and acclimatization."},{"step":6,"title":"Nutrient additions and degassing","description":"Follow the staggered nutrient schedule. Degas before each addition to prevent CO2 eruption.","note":null},{"step":7,"title":"Monitor primary fermentation","description":"Check gravity regularly. Primary fermentation with cherry solids typically runs 2–4 weeks.","note":null},{"step":8,"title":"Rack off cherry solids","description":"When primary fermentation is complete, rack the mead off the cherry solids and lees. Press or strain cherry solids to recover liquid.","note":null},{"step":9,"title":"Add sweet dark cherry purée in secondary","description":"Add 120–150 lbs sweet dark cherry purée to the secondary vessel. Allow to macerate for 2–4 weeks.","note":null},{"step":10,"title":"Add oak (optional)","description":"If using oak, add 2.5–3.5 lbs medium-toast American oak. Taste regularly and remove when desired oak character is achieved.","note":"Oak integration time varies by format (cubes, spirals, staves). Monitor closely."},{"step":11,"title":"Condition and clarify","description":"Condition for a minimum of 3–6 months. Rack as needed to remove sediment.","note":null},{"step":12,"title":"Package","description":"When clear and stable, package into sanitized bottles or barrels.","note":null}],"fermentationTemperature":"65–72°F (18–22°C)","fermentationTimeline":"6–10 weeks (primary + secondary)","conditioningTimeline":"3–6 months minimum","packagingInstructions":"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).","safetyNotes":["Never seal a bottle of mead that has not fully finished fermenting — residual fermentation in a sealed bottle can cause dangerous pressure buildup and bottle explosions.","Cherry purée introduces wild microorganisms. Ensure proper sanitation and consider SO2 additions at racking.","High-gravity fermentations (OG 1.120+) require careful yeast management. Stuck fermentation risk is elevated.","Scaling ingredient quantities does not guarantee identical fermentation results.","Nutrient additions do not scale linearly. Recalculate using TOSNA for any batch size change.","This recipe has not been confirmed as production-proven. Do not present as a validated commercial formulation."],"scalingNotes":"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.","version":"1.0.0","changeHistory":[{"version":"1.0.0","date":"2026-09-13","summary":"Initial record created from owner-supplied anchor specification. Awaiting owner review.","changedBy":"Modern Mazer"}],"relatedRecipes":["traditional-mead-v1"],"relatedTutorials":[],"references":[{"title":"TOSNA 3.0 — Tailored Organic Staggered Nutrient Additions","url":"https://www.meadmakr.com/tosna-calculator/","author":null,"year":null,"notes":null},{"title":"Lalvin EC-1118 Technical Data Sheet","url":"https://www.lallemandwine.com/en/products/yeast/ec-1118/","author":null,"year":null,"notes":null}]}