Peach Melomel
Start date 8/31/02
Ingredients
10 lb peaches
1 ½ gallon water
5 lb honey
½ tsp acid blend
pinch tannin
½ tsp yeast nutrient
Lalvin ICV D47 yeast
Method 8/31/02
Peaches were washed in Sodium metabisulfate solution, pitted and chopped
and placed in a bucket. Honey and boiling water were added with a
single campden tablet. Mixture was allowed to cool and yeast acid
blend, nutrient and tannin were added along with yeast. Ferment was
allowed to proceed for four days with the cap being pushed down every day.
Liquid was racked of and fruit was pressed to obtain all liquid.
1 lb of sugar was added at this point. Liquid was placed in an air-locked
carboy and placed in the dark to allow first fermentation.
Saturday, September 28, 2002, 2 lb honey, 8 oz sugar and 1 pint
water was brought to a boil. Wine was racked and was dry. Cooled
honey mix and yeast nutrient (1/2 tsp) was added.
Calculation of % sugar added, 10 lb peaches, figure about 1 lb sugars,
7 lb honey (sugar = 5 lb), sugar 1.5 lb. A probable total of 7.5lb
sugar in 2 gallons (16 pints). Which calculates to about 45% sugar.
Tuesday, January 28, 2003. Peach mead racked and SG tested,
has 16 on the brix scale. Therefore a potential alcohol concentration
of 16%. I tasted the wine at this point, I do not believe that the
alcohol concentration is this high therefore original calculation may be
off. Mead is stuck, an additional 2 tsp yeast nutrient added.
Melomel treated as for mead.
Monday, April 07, 2003. Racked and SG tested, currently
14 on the brix scale, still very sweet but in active ferment as evidenced
by bubbles in the wine. Added 4 pints of water to reduce sugar concentration
in hope of promoting further fermentation. Volume now 3 gallons (24
pints). Total sugar per gallon 8oz, honey 2 1/3 pounds, + sugar from
peaches. Returned to warm spot to continue fermenting. Final
calculation of amount of sugar in g/l of the brew at a final volume of
3 gallons is 320, which would give a starting S.G. of about 1125.
Current reading of 1065 is still high, amount of sugar used would indicate
a brew of about 7% alcohol.
Friday, July 18, 2003. Racked and SG tested currently
1040, still showing signs of fermentation. Returned to dark to continue
fermentation.
Saturday, November 08, 2003 Racked and SG tested, currently
1027, still got bubbles in the liquid (on the tongue). May still
be fermenting, although slowly. Very high alcohol content, with sweet
finish and no off flavors, however peach flavor is faint if present at
all. Racked mead moved back to dark to complete clearing.
Sunday, January 25, 2004 Mead finally racked and bottled.
Bottled six full size wine bottles and 5 capped bottles. Slurry transferred
to one wine bottle and one capped bottle to finish settling, should yield
two further capped bottles which are clear.