Three weeks ago I started a batch of Cherry Melomel (wine made with honey).

According to the recipe, it is time to rack the wine into a secondary container and add the cherries.

I found it impossible to find fresh tart cherries off the vine here in St. Louis in late August. I probably should have started making this earlier in the summer, but it is kind of late now.

I was able to find canned tart cherries in water with no preservatives. The cherry melomel is saved!



I cleaned some gallon jugs and went downstairs to the workshop and setup the equipment to siphon from the primary fermenter into the secondary glass jugs which had the cherries waiting.



I've gotten pretty good at starting the siphon and keeping any from spilling.



Once all the wine was siphoned into the two secondary fermentation jugs, I put an air lock onto each and put them back onto the shelf (and covered them with a towel to keep the light out) where they'll sit for another month before being racked again.