Batch #262: Cherry on Top

2026-07-24: Mixed must

• 3 lbs mixed clover, wildflower, and blackberry blossom honeys
• 3 lbs Lapins cherries, frozen and thawed
• 2706ml bottled spring water (~.69 gal)
• 1 campden tablet
• ½ tsp pectinase

While I was putting the peaches away, I figured I’d do the same with the cherries I bought at the same time.

I’ve read that sweet cherries can get a little medicinal in meads, so I expect to need to adjust the flavor with oak, powdered acids, or both.

2026-07-25: Pitched yeast

• 5g Lalvin 71B wine yeast
• ½ tsp yeast nutrient

Measured the initial gravity to be 1.130 (so potential final ABV of 17.41%). That’s way higher than I would’ve guessed, so the cherries must’ve given up a ton of sugars. It’s unlikely the yeast will manage to consume all of the sugar, but technically possible (71B is rated for up to 15% ABV, but has been reported to survive up to 18%). I might have to split and dilute this batch, but for now I’ll just watch it.

Pitched yeast and nutrient.

2026-08-30: Racked and began aging

• 1 medium toast French oak staff
• 1 tsp powdered malic acid

Racked, sampled, and mesured FG at a round 1.000.

I’m not sure this one was as successful as the other summer meads this year. It’s quite noticeably medicinal. It’s strongly alcoholic on the nose and the palate, though I’m not sure I trust my starting gravity measurement (it’s way higher than I would’ve expected given the amount of honey I added).

So yeah, I’m not sure where we go from here, but I do know that oak papers over a lot of sins, so maybe this comes out pleasant in a few months. I’m open to the possibility of sweetening slightly or adding more acid, but I don’t want to do too many operations at once.