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.
