A vibrant, tart melomel built on wildflower honey and fresh raspberries. Raspberries contribute bright acidity, intense color, and a complex berry character. Added in secondary to preserve fresh aroma. Targets 12.5% ABV with a semi-sweet finish. 5-gallon batch.
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Batch size
5 gallons
Target ABV
12.5%
Fermentation
3–5 weeks primary + 1–2 weeks fruit contact
Conditioning
3–6 months
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.
Add in secondary. Frozen preferred.
Yeast
Lalvin Lalvin 71B — 1 packets
Enhances fruit esters; partially metabolizes malic acid.
| Timing | Nutrient | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 0 (pitch) | Fermaid-O | 2.5 g | |
| 24 hours | Fermaid-O | 2.5 g | |
| 48 hours | Fermaid-O | 2.5 g | |
| 1/3 sugar break | Fermaid-O | 2.5 g | |
| Day 0 (pitch) | Fermaid-K | 5 g |
Prepare no-rinse sanitizer. Sanitize all vessels and tools.
Dissolve honey in 1 gallon of warm water. Cool. Add to fermenter with remaining water to 5.5 gallons.
Record original gravity. Target approximately 1.094.
Pitch Lalvin 71B. Add Day 0 nutrients. Ferment at 65–72°F.
Follow TOSNA schedule. Degas before each addition.
Check gravity every few days. Primary typically completes in 3–5 weeks.
Rack onto thawed frozen raspberries. Add pectic enzyme. Allow 1–2 weeks of fruit contact.
Rack off fruit. Press gently.
Condition for 3–6 months.
Bottle or keg.
Ensure fermentation is fully complete before packaging.
Honey, water, and fruit scale linearly. Nutrient additions do NOT scale linearly.
Enter your desired finished batch size to scale ingredient quantities. Press Enter or tap away to apply.
Target ABV
12.5%
Original gravity
1.094
Final gravity
1.005
Sweetness
semi sweet
Finished volume
5 gallons
Gross starting volume
5.5 gallons
Expected loss
0.5 gallons(9%)
| Ingredient | Quantity | Unit | Scaling notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildflower honey | 12.5 | lbs | |
| Filtered water | 4 | gallons | |
| Fresh or frozen raspberries | 8 | lbs | |
| Pectic enzyme | 1 | tsp | |
| Fermaid-O | 10 | g | ⚠ review |
| Fermaid-K | 5 | g | ⚠ review |
⚠ Ingredients requiring review
Initial record. Phase 4C Batch 3.
A deep, richly colored melomel built on wildflower honey and wild blueberries. Blueberries contribute intense color, mild tannins, and a complex berry character. Added in secondary to preserve fresh aroma. Targets 13% ABV with a semi-sweet finish. 5-gallon batch.
A deep, complex melomel built on wildflower honey and dried elderberries. Elderberries contribute intense color, earthy tannins, and a distinctive dark-fruit character. Dried elderberries are used for consistent flavor and year-round availability. Targets 13% ABV with a semi-sweet finish. 5-gallon batch.
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