Another pyment, but using grapes that are grown and harvested in the South Eastern parts of America. It’s difficult to describe muscadine grapes to folks who’ve never had them, but they have a very specific sort of … musky(?) flavor to them.

I found these in an Aldi for under $2 a pint and just had to try them out! I had no idea what the flavor profile was, or anything about muscadines really, so this whole recipe was built without really having any idea what the end result would be.

This was a very labor intensive mead (not sure which was more work, pyments or any of my mulberry meads), having to hand crush everything is umm… A LOT. If you have a wine press then you’re all set, but if making a pyment is a once in a while adventure, you might just want to save the cash and space by hand crushing.

I’ve got an old-school applesauce maker that works really well, but I imagine you could crush grapes through a sieve, though it may take longer.

The flavors that emerged were honestly surprising! I remember being worried about this mead for a while because of the general sort of funk of the grapes. I’m unsure at this point if the elderflower flavors came through? Honestly, it doesn’t need that sort of bitter floral addition on top of the funky muscadine.

The strawberry, vanilla and oak really helped round out the muscadine, so I do recommend trying that combination!

Even after a year that funky muscadine flavor persists – these grapes would be fun to create different combos with, though the strawberry does work pretty well.

Primary:
5 Containers of Red & White Muscadine Grapes
1/2 pack Lalvin 71B Yeast
About 2/5-3lb Dutch Gold Clover Honey
TOSNA nutrient schedule with FermaidO & Goferm

Secondary:
Rack
Stabilize
Added 1/2oz Elderflowers (not necessary)
Backsweetened
Strawberry amount not noted in written recipe, but use at a minimum 2 lb
Added 1/8 oz French Oak Chips
1 Vanilla Bean
Recommend Acid & Tannin balancing

Clear & Bottle