The Best Cherry Mead We’ve Ever Made? Viking Blood 2026

Ingredients

• 3 lb Wildflower Honey (Kirkland brand, raw, inexpensive)
• 96 oz Water (Warm to about 35°C to dissolve honey)
• 0.5 packet Red Star Premier Classic Yeast (Dry yeast, half a standard 5 g packet)
• 1 tsp Pectic Enzyme (Helps clarify the mead after fruit addition)
• 6 lb Frozen Dark Sweet Cherries (pitted) (Keeps juice inside the fruit, no pits)
• 750 ml Dr. McGillicu's Cherry Liqueur (15% ABV cherry liqueur, adds sweetness and flavor)
• 4 sticks Cinnamon Sticks (Broken into pieces for infusion)

Instructions

1. Sanitize All Equipment

   Fill the sanitizing bucket with water and Star San according to label, submerge all equipment (fermentor, paddle, hydrometer, cylinder, auto siphon, rumble jar, airlock) and let sit for at least 2 minutes.

   Time: PT10M

2. Add Honey

   Place the 3 lb of wildflower honey into the sanitized fermentor.

   Time: PT5M

3. Dissolve Honey with Warm Water

   Pour 96 oz of warm water (about 35°C) over the honey and stir with the paddle until fully dissolved.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 35°C

4. Take Initial Gravity Reading

   Draw a sample with the graduated cylinder, place it in the hydrometer, and record the specific gravity (expected ~1.106).

   Time: PT5M

5. Pitch Yeast

   Open a packet of Red Star Premier Classic yeast, crumble half (≈2.5 g) into the must, and stir gently to distribute.

   Time: PT2M

6. Seal and Primary Ferment

   Fit the airlock, place the fermentor in a dark area at 20‑22°C and let ferment for about 4 weeks.

   Time: PT672H

   Temperature: 20-22°C

7. Prepare Secondary Vessel

   Sanitize a clean 2‑gallon bucket and set it on the counter.

   Time: PT15M

8. Rack Primary Mead to Secondary Bucket

   Using the auto siphon, transfer the clear mead to the bucket, leaving sediment behind.

   Time: PT20M

9. Add Frozen Cherries

   Drop the 6 lb of frozen pitted dark sweet cherries directly into the secondary bucket.

   Time: PT5M

10. Add Pectic Enzyme

    Stir in 1 tsp of pectic enzyme to aid clarification.

    Time: PT2M

11. Add Cherry Liqueur

    Pour the entire 750 ml bottle of Dr. McGillicu's cherry liqueur into the bucket and stir.

    Time: PT2M

12. Add Cinnamon Sticks

    Break 4 cinnamon sticks into pieces, drop them in, and give a brief stir.

    Time: PT2M

13. Secondary Fermentation

    Seal the bucket with the airlock and let sit for 3 weeks at 20‑22°C to extract fruit flavor and clear.

    Time: PT504H

    Temperature: 20-22°C

14. Final Rack and Clarify

    After 3 weeks, rack the mead again into a clean carboy using the auto siphon and rumble jar to remove fruit and sediment.

    Time: PT15M

15. Bottle or Keg

    Sanitize bottles or kegs, fill, cap, and store at 12‑15°C. Optionally prime with a small amount of sugar if carbonation is desired.

    Time: PT30M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

0 g

Carbohydrates

80 g

Fat

0 g

Fiber

0 g