Strawberry-Kiwi Mead

by Dave Zalewski

Ingredients:
15 lb. wildflower honey
2 campden tablets, crushed
1 package (0.5 oz/15 gram) Lalvin 71B-1122 dry yeast
1 tsp. yeast nutrient
Strawberry-Kiwi flavoring
Agave nectar
Directions:
Mix honey in 1 gallon of water to dissolve. After honey is dissolved pour into fermenter and top to 6 gallons.
Measure O.G.
Crush 2 campden tablets and stir into fermenter. Cover fermenter and let sit overnight.
Using a sanitized spoon vigorously stir/aerate fermenter contents. Add yeast nutrient and re-stir. Add yeast. Cover and allow the must to ferment for 1 week.
After one week transfer to a glass secondary. After mead clears (1-3 months) transfer to keg and force carbonate.
After one year transfer to a new keg, sweeten with agave nectar, add strawberry-kiwi flavoring. Then force carbonate and bottle.
Awards:
Best of Show, Meads & Ciders, Mountain Brewer Open 2008, Huntington, WV