Two Melomels from Curt Stock

Meadmaker of the Year (2005) and Northern Brewer mead kit creator Curt Stock shares two of his favorite melomel recipes with Brewing TV. Now you can make your own! See Curt make a similar melomel in Brewing TV Episode 21. Both recipes scaled for five gallon yield.

Black Currant Cherry Melomel

• 22 lbs Wildflower Honey
• 8 lbs Black Currants
• 12 lbs Tart Cherries
• 3 gal Water
• 3 tsp Yeast Energizer/Nutrient Blend (Fermaid-K and DAP)
• 10 g Lalvin Narbonne Yeast (71B-1122)

Approximate OG: 1.161

Target FG: 1.030 - 1.040

Estimated ABV: 16.1%

Super Berry Melomel

• 21 lbs Wildflower Honey
• 12 lbs Triple Berry Mix (Blackberries/Raspberries/Blueberries)
• 6 lbs Strawberries
• 96 oz Black Currant Juice (free of preservatives)
• 2.3 gal Water
• 3 tsp Yeast Energizer/Nutrient Blend (Fermaid-K and DAP)
• 10 g Lalvin Narbonne Yeast (71B-1122)

Approximate OG: 1.158

Target FG: 1.030 - 1.040

Estimated ABV: 15.8%

Staggered Nutrient Additions (SNA):

I prefer to use Fermaid-K (yeast energizer) and diammonium phosphate or DAP (yeast nutrient) for adding the additional nutrient requirements of the yeast during fermentation. One teaspoon of Fermaid-K and two teaspoons DAP should be adequate for a 5-gallon batch. You can mix them together for a stock blend and add them using the following schedule:

•  Add ¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix immediately after pitching yeast.
•  Add ¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix 24 hours after fermentation begins.
•  Add ¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix 48 hours after fermentation begins.
•  Add ¾ teaspoon yeast energizer/nutrient mix after 30% of the sugar has been depleted.

Anyone who has ever stirred a fermenting beverage knows the foaming, triggered by the release of CO2, can make one heck of a mess! To help minimize this, you should mix the nutrient blend into ½ cup of must and add it back to the fermenter. Then begin to slowly stir the must to release the main portion of the CO2 gas. After the foaming has subsided you can begin to stir more vigorously. Mix the must well enough to introduce plenty of oxygen into the fermenting must. Oxygen is needed by the yeast throughout the growth phase. Oxidation is not a huge concern until you get past 50 percent sugar depletion.