Blueberry Lemon Hydromel

(5 gallons/19 L)
OG = 1.037  FG = 0.997  ABV = 5.3% 

Ingredients

5 lbs. (2.3 kg) neutral honey (clover or wildflower)
4.6 gallons (17.4 L) clean, filtered water
1 oz. (28 g) Lemondrop hops or any citrusy hop (hop tea)
1 oz. (28 g) Lemondrop hops or any citrusy hop (dry hop)
1 Tbsp. Fermaid O yeast nutrient
2.5 g potassium sorbate
10–15 lbs. (4.5–6.8 kg) frozen, thawed blueberries (secondary)
Pectic enzyme
1 lemon, zested (secondary)
2–3 cups honey (for backsweetening)
Omega Yeast OYL-061 (Voss), LalBrew Voss, or similar yeast 

Step by step

Steep 1 oz. (28 g) of hops in a gallon (3.8 L) of water heated to 185 °F (85 °C) for 30 minutes. Then mix the honey, hop tea, and water. Add a bit of cool water first so the hop tea doesn’t scorch the honey. Pitch the yeast and nutrients, give it another quick mix.

Ferment above 95 °F (35 °C) — Voss gives a nice citrus ester when fermented at these high temperatures. After a day or two, dry hop mead with 1 oz. (28 g) of hops for three days.

After fermentation finishes, rack to secondary and stabilize with sorbate. Thaw blueberries with pectic enzyme in a fermenter for 24–48 hours. Transfer mead onto blueberries, add zest. Age 1 week. Transfer the mead into a keg with honey. Purge with CO₂ and force carbonate at 30 PSI for 3 days.