Black Currant Melomel

If it's good for ancient Druids, runnin' nekkid through the wuids, Drinkin' strange fermented fluids, it's good enough for me! - Pete Seeger

Mission

If you're feeling flush, this recipe is as fine as a glass of wine gets. It requires at least a year of aging in the bottle.

Ingredients
  • 18 lbs clover honey (SG 1.132)
  • 288 oz (3 cans) Vintners Harvest Black Currant juice
  • Utah spring water for about 5.2 gallons
  • 1 pack Wyeast Zinfindel yeast
  • Yeast happiness nutrients
General Assembly

Clean and prep the primary
  • Scrub, rinse and then soak the plastic primary bucket/lid/airlock overnight using warm water and Five Star PBW®.
  • Rinse the primary well, then use One Step® and some warm water in each, swish around and drain. Do not rinse again.
Prepare the must
  • Heat fruit juice on stove to 115°F, and remove it from the heat.
  • Add 18 lbs of honey to the heated juice - mix well.
  • Add the warm honey/juice mixture to the primary.
  • Add enough chilled spring water to the primary to equal 5.2 gallons.
  • Check the mixture’s temperature, install an airlock and allow it to cool below 80°F.
  • AFTER the honey juice mixture is BELOW 80°F, take a SG reading and a temperature reading, and record these values with the date and time.
Make the yeast happy