Elderberry Mead Recipe

15 lbs. Elderberries
12 lbs. Honey (light and delicate)
1 1/4 lb. Raisins
5 gallons Water
2 oz. “Beverage People” Yeast Nutrient for Meads
2 1/2 tsp. Pectic Enzyme
5 tsp. stock Sodium Metabisulfite solution (after fermentation)
3 Tbl. Tartaric Acid
10 grams “Prise de Mousse” Wine Yeast

Original Brix: 21
Total Acid: .5-.65%

1. Destem Elderberries and coarsely chop Raisins. Add Honey and at least 2 1/2 gallons Water. Bring to a boil in stainless steel or enamel cooking pot, turn off the heat, and allow to cool.

2. Pour the remaining (unheated) Water into the fermentor.

3. Pour the Elderberry, Raisin, and Honey mixture into a container lined with a straining bag. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible, adding it to your fermentor, and discarding the pulp. Add all other ingredients except Sodium Metabisulfite and Yeast, mixing well.

4. Test sugar and acid levels of the must. Raise if necessary. Slightly higher is okay.

5. Add Sodium Bisulfite stock solution, and mix well.

6. When must temperature of the must nears room temperature, add yeast to the surface. In 10 or 12 hours, stir it in.

7. Once fermentation begins, stir or push the pulp down into the liquid twice a day.

8. After five days, strain and press the pulp. Funnel the fermenting mead into closed fermentors, filling them no more than 80% full, and affix a fermentation lock to each. Allow fermentation to finish.

9. When bubbles can no longer be seen rising through the mead, rack away from the settlings into an open container. Fine with Sparkolloid, add a teaspoon per gallon stock sulfite solution. Siphon into a storage container, top up, and let set for four weeks.

10. Rack away from the settlings, top up again, and let stand for two or three months.

11. Carefully rack the into an open container, add 1 1/2 teaspoons stock Metabisulfite solution per gallon. Sweeten with Sugar Syrup, if desired, adding also 1/2 teaspoon Wine Stabilizer per gallon.

12. Siphon into bottles, cap, and set aside to age for at least three months.