Batch #1
Code M001-3
2.5 gal. Pomegranate juice
0.75 gal. Star Thistle honey, about 9 lbs.
2.25 gal. water
2.5 campden tablets
2.5 tsp. pectic enzyme
2-5 gram packets of Danstar Nottingham Ale yeast
The yeast was rehydrated and pitched at 9:30 pm on the 8th, and the gravity was measured at that time.
O.G. 1.096 at 70F.
Batch #2
Code M001-4
2.0 gal. Pomegranate juice
0.82 gal. Star Thistle honey, about 9.8 lbs.
2.68 gal. water
2 campden tablets
2 tsp. pectic enzyme
2-5 gram packets of Danstar London Ale yeast
The yeast was rehydrated and pitched at 9:30 pm on the 8th, and the gravity was measured at that time.
O.G. 1.096 at 70F.
Batch #3
Code M001-5
1.1 gal. Pomegranate juice
0.96 gal. Sage honey, about 11.5 lbs.
3.45 gal. water
1 campden tablets
1.5 tsp. pectic enzyme
1-14 gram packet of Yeast Lab Australian Ale yeast
The yeast was rehydrated and pitched at 9:30 pm on the 8th, and the gravity was measured at that time.
O.G. 1.092 at 71F.
The Process
To process a large volume of Pomegranates, it is not practical to seperate out all of the individual 'berries' to extract the juice.
After my second year of making a Pomegranate Mel. and spending over 40 hours processing the fruit, I knew I needed a better
process. In discussions with jelly makers, I found that some used a small citrus press to extract the juice. This sounded like
a better idea, but I wanted a bigger unit to deal with my expected volume. I finally found a counter top model about the size of
bench capper. With it, I calculated that I reduced my yield/time effort by 90%.
The first step in processing is to remove the stem and cut off the blossom end of the fruit.
Next, cut the fruit in half.
In this case, this years fruit was so large that I decided it would be better to cut the fruit in quarters.
As the fruit is cut, it is placed in a stockpot until the pot is full.
Then the pot full of pomegranates is juiced in the citrus press.... pic 2
Prior to juicing the fruit, I crush 1 campden tablet for each gallon of juice to be collected. Crushed campden tablets tend to float on water,
so I get them into suspension by adding each crushed tablet to 20 ml of vodka in a beaker. This is then poured into my measuring/collection container.
As juice is collected, a measured container is filled to the one gallon mark. The strainer is used to catch the larger solids.
Each time a gallon is collected, it is transferred to my seven gallon plastic bucket.
These steps are repeated until all of the fruit has been juiced. Here are two views of the juice that I extracted over seven to eight hours of
pressing. Pic 1...Pic 2...The process would have been faster with smaller fruit that didn't need to be cut into quarters.
With the juice extracted, it is now time to prepare the batches. I usually use seven gallon plastic buckets for my primary fermenters. Using my
measured two gallon container, the juice for each batch is measured and poured into a primary fermenter. The water not being used to dissolve
and pasteurize the honey is measured and added to the juice.
To dissolve and pasteurize the honey, I once again use my measured two gallon container. To make the honey flow and dissolve easier, I heat it
by bringing some water to a boil in a stock pot, turning off the heat and placing the honey container in the hot water. The water to be combined with
and used to pasteurize the honey is brought to a boil. When a boil is reached, the heat is turned off and the water is poured into the two gallon container.
The warmed honey is then poured into the measured container up to the two gallon mark. This mixture is then stirred until the honey is dissolved
into the water. At this point, the mixture is usually in the 140-150F range. At this temperature, pasteurization will take 15-25 minutes. Once the
pasteurization time has been reached, the mixture is combined with the juice and water previously placed into the primary fermenter.
As a further explanation of the use of the two gallon measured container, I will use batch #1 as an example. 0.75 gallons of honey is needed for this
batch, so 1.25 gallons of water is needed to fill the container with honey and water. The water that was brought to a boil is poured into the container
up to the 1.25 gallon mark. The warmed honey is then poured into the container until the two gallon mark is hit. This is then stirred until the honey
is dissolved, and the lid put in place for the duration of the pasteurization period.
With the must prepared, it is set aside for about 24 hours because of the sulphites from the campden tablets. After this period, the yeast is added
to the must. The must is then aerated, and the fermenter is closed up and the airlock put in place.
I usually use dried yeast in packets for my meads. In this case, I used ale yeasts for the first time in a melomel. To prepare the yeast, follow the
instructions on the packet. Instructions for most dried yeasts are similar, which is to pour the yeast into 50ml or about 2 oz. of water that is
104-109F. Let this sit for 15 minutes then stir and pitch into the must.
My method of aeration is to pour the must between two buckets about 10 times. It seems to me that this will introduce more air and oxygen to the
must than many other methods other than using oxygen delivered through an airstone.
Here is the mess that was created in the juicing process.
Time to wait for the fermentation process. More info to follow as it happens.
