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Juices for melomels


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#1 neddles

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Posted 05 March 2012 - 02:43 PM

The local heath food store has a large supply of quart size organic "just" juices on sale right now. "Just" meaning no added anything. No sugar, preservatives or anything else. They have "Just"... Black Currant, Tart Cherry, Black Cherry, Blueberry, Cranberry, and Cranberry-Pomegranite. Its got me thinking of trying a melomel with them. These are very strong flavored, very dark juices we have used as mixers or diluted with seltzer for a refreshing drink. The ones I have tried are exceedingly sour/non-sweet and I would never drink them on their own. I have a feeling these are very similar to the oregon canned fruit puree that people use in some recipes only a smaller size.Does anyone have any experiences using these types of juices for melomels added either to primary or secondary? How much would one use in a 5 gal batch? Any recipes anyone is willing to share? The black currant in particular has me very intrigued. Good potential for an interesting multiberry mel.?

#2 neddles

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Posted 05 March 2012 - 02:54 PM

Yeah no where to get black currents around here at all. Not sure how much to use. I think the oregon stuff is in 96oz cans. So maybe 3 qts or even a gallon in primary along with roughly 3 gal. water and a gallon or more of honey? Probably would need to do a hydrometer reading of the juice and plug it into the hightest spreadsheet to gauge where I'm starting from.

#3 MtnBrewer

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Posted 05 March 2012 - 02:59 PM

I used some frozen pomegranate juice in a mead. I don't think I have notes for that one (very early attempt) but I do recall that I used a bunch of them.

#4 neddles

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Posted 05 March 2012 - 03:35 PM

Yeah I've never actually used the oregon stuff I just know what it is.The juice runs about $18-20/gallon depending on which juice.So you would go to the fruit tab on the spreadsheet and enter in the pounds of juice as if they were fruit? Is there something I am not thinking of that would make this better than getting a hydrometer reading of the juice and entering the volume on the first page of the spreadsheet?

#5 MtnBrewer

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Posted 05 March 2012 - 03:41 PM

Guest, I just noticed that the link to the spreadsheet is busted. Must have happened when we moved to the new server.ettels4, I *think* what Guest was suggesting is that you enter the amount of fruit you would use if you were using fruit. Then it will tell you how much juice that works out to.

#6 neddles

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Posted 05 March 2012 - 04:17 PM

Got it. That spreadsheet is much better. Thanks man. My other source of confusion here was that I was considering adding the juice to the primary which is what the hightest spreadsheet was going to allow me to calculate so easily. I'm guessing your recommendation for the juice addition is going to be in the secondary just as it would be for the actual fruit?

#7 MtnBrewer

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Posted 05 March 2012 - 04:28 PM

Got it. That spreadsheet is much better. Thanks man. My other source of confusion here was that I was considering adding the juice to the primary which is what the hightest spreadsheet was going to allow me to calculate so easily. I'm guessing your recommendation for the juice addition is going to be in the secondary just as it would be for the actual fruit?

You can add it either place. From the spreadsheet's point of view it doesn't matter.

#8 Genesee Ted

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Posted 05 March 2012 - 09:00 PM

I have used the tart cherry, black cherry, and blueberry ones. They work really well, but like you said, generally expensive.

#9 armagh

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Posted 06 March 2012 - 06:14 AM

Have a cherry cyser in secondary that used the Tart Cherry - 2 qts for three gallons. After two months added 1/2 pound black currants and 1/2 pound dried Montmerancy cherries and it is promising. As mentioned, not dealing with fruit pulp, seeds, etc., suits me fine.


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