Hot summer days mean one thing to me: blackberries are ripening! It’s usually sometime in August that we start foraging for blackberries, and I always make sure to reserve some for making a gallon (or two or three) of blackberry mead. Of course blackberry cobbler and crisp will also be made, and they are delicious, but blackberry mead is really what it’s all about!
Simple Mead Making Ebook
Want to learn more about making mead? I have a Simple Mead Making for Beginners eBook just for you!
It has ingredient and equipment checklists and detailed instructions for brewing and bottling your mead, so be sure to check that out if you’re new to the mead making process!
Harvesting Blackberries for Mead
We recently went out and collected the first ripe blackberries of the season.
Sometimes blackberry brambles get a bad rap, and I can understand that concern, but you’ll never hear me complaining as I’m gathering bucket loads of tasty and sweet berries!
You only need about one cup of fresh blackberries to make one gallon of mead. I suggest harvesting a bit more, because you know you’ll want to eat some along the way!
Blackberry Mead Recipe
This blackberry mead recipe is a variation of my simple one gallon mead recipe.
For more detailed directions and photos of the basic process, head on over to that post.
If you don’t have access to fresh blackberries, frozen berries will work just as well.
You will need some special equipment and ingredients before you start making this recipe. To make things easier, I’ve created a page that has links to all of my favorite mead ingredients and equipment here:
I’ve made this recipe for several years now, and it’s always a favorite.
It comes together quickly, which is part of why I love making simple meads and wines, as they are so easy to make!
This blackberry mead is also so pretty while it’s fermenting, it makes it hard to wait!
This blackberry mead will be the perfect treat once fall is here.
I will definitely be making a few more batches of this one gallon recipe before summer is over!
More Mead Recipes
Ready to start brewing your next batch of mead? Here are 15 mead recipes for you to try including:
Blackberry Mead
Equipment
Ingredients
- water non chlorinated or filtered
- 2-3 pounds honey depending on how sweet you want to end product to be.
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries
- 1/2 package champagne yeast
Instructions
- Sanitize everything that will be used in the brewing process.
- Heat about 1/2 gallon of non chlorinated water in the pot on medium heat. Once it's warm, but not boiling, add the honey and stir it so it all dissolves. Turn off the heat.
- Put the blackberries into the one gallon jug.
- Carefully pour the honey water mixture into the jug using a funnel.
- Top off the jug with cold (preferably filtered) water, leaving at least 2 inches of head space on top. Put the lid on the jug and gently mix everything around a bit.
- Make sure that the temperature of the must is below 90°F, then add 1/2 packet of champagne yeast. Put the lid back on tightly and this time shake the jug for a minute or two to distribute the yeast.
- Put a little water in the airlock to the line, then put the rubber stopper end into the jug. Put the jug in a dark place. It should start bubbling within 12-24 hours.
- After about 6 weeks of fermenting, or once the bubbling has completely stopped, the mead can be bottled and aged.
Notes
- 1 gallon jug with airlock
- Big metal spoon
- Funnel
- A large pot
- Brewing sanitizer (I like One Step brand)
This sounds so good! I noticed for some of your other mead recipes you include raisins but not in this one. Is that because there are enough nutrients in the berries themselves?
Yes.
Hi, I’m really excited to try this recipe! I saw in your regular mead that you included an orange but not in this one. Is it helpful to add an orange to the blackberries?
I didn’t for this recipe, but you can if you want.