2.2 KiB
2.2 KiB
Recipe — 3 Gallon Apple Honey Butter Mead
Target profile
A sweet/semi-sweet apple dessert mead with:
- fermented apple/cyser base
- honey sweetness and body
- vanilla warmth
- cinnamon/apple-pie note
- optional tiny butter/butterscotch impression
- enough acidity/tannin to keep it balanced
Batch targets
| Target | Value |
|---|---|
| Finished volume | 3.0 gallons |
| Primary honey | start with 5.5–6 lb, adjust toward OG |
| Apple cider/juice | to 3.0 gallons total |
| Target original gravity | ~1.095–1.105 |
| Yeast | 1 packet Lalvin 71B-1122 |
| Expected ABV if dry | ~12.5–13.5% |
| Final sweetness | Adjust after stabilization |
Primary recipe
- Add about 2 gallons preservative-free cider/juice to sanitized bucket.
- Dissolve 5.5–6 lb honey thoroughly.
- Top up with cider/juice to 3 gallons total.
- Mix very thoroughly.
- Measure gravity.
- If OG is below target, add honey incrementally and recheck.
- Add pectic enzyme per label.
- Rehydrate/pitch 71B.
- Follow nutrient schedule based on pitch time.
Honey adjustment guide
Honey adds roughly 35 gravity points per pound per gallon.
In a 3 gallon batch:
1 lb honey ≈ +0.011–0.012 SG
Apple juice/cider may already be around 1.045–1.055. Start with 5.5–6 lb honey, measure, then adjust. Do not blindly add all possible honey before measuring.
Nutrient schedule template
Use ~12 g Fermaid O total for 3 gallons, split approximately:
| Time | Amount |
|---|---|
| T+24h | 3 g |
| T+48h | 3 g |
| T+72h | 3 g |
| Day 5 or before 1/3 sugar break | 3 g only if appropriate |
Before nutrient additions, degas gently first. Nutrient powder can cause a foam-up.
For OG 1.100, 1/3 sugar break is around 1.067.
Post-fermentation flavor direction
After fermentation is complete, gravity is stable, the mead is racked, and it is stabilized:
- backsweeten with honey
- add vanilla by bench trial/contact time
- add cinnamon carefully by contact time or tincture
- test butter/butterscotch extract in 100 ml samples
- consider tiny salt solution
- adjust acid/tannin only if needed
- optional apple concentrate if apple character faded
Do not add these during active fermentation.