Holiday Spiced Melomel: 15.4% ABV
Benjamin Williamson
Ingredients:
- 64 oz cranberry juice
- 64 oz pomegranate juice
- 64 oz black cherry juice
- 1 cup sugar, 2 lb honey
- 1 pint chai tea brewed with 4 tbsp Chai tea leaves and 1 tbsp hibiscus
- 2 tsp yeast nutrient
- 1 tsp energizer
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 5 cloves
- 4 black cardamom pods
- 1 packet of raisins
- 3 halved cutie oranges
- 1 packet K1-V1116
- ¼ cup French oak chips, soaked in ½ cup bottled water for 1 hour
Mix juices, sugar, honey, nutrient, energizer, and spices in a 2-gallon fermenter. Brew tea and hibiscus for 10 minutes, strain off solids, and add the tea to the mix. Add raisins, then cut the oranges in half, squeeze them into the mixture, and add the oranges to the mixture. Take gravity (should be around 1.11-1.12) and pitch yeast. Let ferment for 2-3 weeks, then rack and test gravity. Add oak chips to the racked melomel and let sit another 2 weeks. Rack and test gravity again. If gravity readings are consistent, back-sweeten if desired (I added 1.5 cups of honey) and bottle. My yield was 7 wine bottles. This melomel is excellent after 5-6 months of aging and can be enjoyed at room temperature or warmed like a gluwein.