I'm thinking about making a small batch of melomel with mixed berries grown right here by us and have a few questions for some of the more experienced mead makers around here. Here is what I have on hand, or, will soon have on hand...
3# homegrown Evans cherries (tart and wonderful, stemmed but not pitted)
8# wild raspberries
1# or more of mixed wild and homegrown blueberries
-a seemingly inexhaustible supply of wild blackberries that are not yet ripe. As much as 10# would not be beyond my ability to pick.
-however much local apiary wildflower honey (mostly clover and alfalfa) as I will need.
For the sake of it I would like to stick with fruit grown here on our property for this batch. As such I think this will require the batch to be small ~3ish gallons to take full advantage of the fruit and give the mel. an intense fruit character. I am familiar with the fruit in primary vs. secondary arguments and would probably do most of the fruit in primary in a large fruit strainer bag and perhaps save several pounds of raspberries and/or blackberries for the secondary. I am looking for any advice or guidance on the following things.
1. A proper OG/FG to shoot for to balance the acidity these fruits will bring to the party.
2. Any advice regarding the use of raspberries and especially blackberries in a fermentation. I have read, more than once, that the seeds can bring some unwanted astringency to the mead. Is anyone here familiar with that? Any advice here?
3. Related to #2, how many pounds of blackberries and pounds of total fruit would you recommend for what size batch? Schramm's pound/5gal. recommendations appear to be all for fruit in the secondary.
4. Should I resist the temptation to put a small portion of Knudsen's Just Black Current in this? It tastes so good and certainly would add to the medley. But I didn't grow it.
5. Anything else you want to add is always welcome. Thanks.