I am thinking of making a cherry melomel this year, but it has been a very
long time since I have done so and I don't remember the best type of cherries
to buy and when they are in season. Also, I really don't know the best honey
to buy for this purpose. Can anybody set me on the right track?

Thanks!

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1

Ken Schramm has a whole chapter on cherry melomels in the Compleat
Meadmaker.

IIRC he prefers sour cherry varieites...and there is a recipe for
Oblacinska cherry melomel in it.

I make mine with cherries off of my grandma's Morello cherry tree
spiked with some dried Bings and fresh raniers


Thomas T. Veldhouse wrote:
> I am thinking of making a cherry melomel this year, but it has been a very
> long time since I have done so and I don't remember the best type of cherries
> to buy and when they are in season. Also, I really don't know the best honey
> to buy for this purpose. Can anybody set me on the right track?
>
> Thanks!
>
> --
> Thomas T. Veldhouse
> Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1

As you are interested in a melomel you might post on the sister group:
rec.crafts.meadmaking

Supposedly, sour cherries are best if you can get them. Living in south
Texas cherries are not readily available but for about 2 weeks a year sweet
eating cherries drop down to about a $100 a pound. I have made several
batches of cherry wine (6-8 lbs per gallon) with these and they came out
great. They blend very nicely with a robust red grape wine. But when
making melomels I generally cut the fruit at least in half and sometimes
down to 20% of the fruit I would use in regular wine so the fruit does not
completely overpower the honey.

I would not use a real mild honey. Probably something with a little bite so
it can compete with the cherries, but nothing too dark. You do not want a
caramel taste.

Droopy's recommendation is a good one. Pick up a copy of Ken Schramm's
book. I like it because he give an excellent discussion of the character
and advantages of many different kinds of honey and he really covers
methodology rather than recipes.

Ray

"Droopy" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Ken Schramm has a whole chapter on cherry melomels in the Compleat
> Meadmaker.
>
> IIRC he prefers sour cherry varieites...and there is a recipe for
> Oblacinska cherry melomel in it.
>
> I make mine with cherries off of my grandma's Morello cherry tree
> spiked with some dried Bings and fresh raniers
>
>
> Thomas T. Veldhouse wrote:
>> I am thinking of making a cherry melomel this year, but it has been a
>> very
>> long time since I have done so and I don't remember the best type of
>> cherries
>> to buy and when they are in season. Also, I really don't know the best
>> honey
>> to buy for this purpose. Can anybody set me on the right track?
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> --
>> Thomas T. Veldhouse
>> Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1
>