Apple Cyser

[vcasey]

Since my fermenters will be busy this fall with my grapes, I decided to start this Apple Cyser yesterday and boy did it take off! I have had airlock activity since I closed the lid. And does it smell wonderful, Cinnamon, clove, allspice, dates, raisins and muscovado light brown sugar were added to the apple juice & orange blossom honey. Smells like hot apple cider in the kitchen. I used D47 yeast with this because I used it on the last batch, which turned out fantastic!
VC

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

Wow, that looks good enough to get a spoon and start in on it!

 

[fivebk]

That sounds too yummy!!!! Would you be willing to share the recipe. I am bound and determined to prove to my wife that meads can be good.

BOB

 

[vcasey]

It smells that good as well JW! Its been a rain filled lazy afternoon and with the smell from the spices it makes you think Fall has arrived, which is not one of our 2 seasons in Florida

!
Bob I would love to share the recipe, but its been published in The Compleat Meadmaker by Ken Schramm and I don't have his permission to post the recipe. However the kind folks at this site http://www.brewboard.com/index.php?showtopic=80468 did get his permission so you can find the complete recipe and read how everyones progressed. One of the folks entered it in a local fair and got 20 out of 20 points from the 2 judges and a blue ribbon. I would however recommend you pick up that book, it is well writen and considered one of the best on mead and mead making.
BTW when you make it don't tell her its a mead because its actually called a cyser because its make with apple juice. Oh one thing I will say is I just used regular apple juice I picked up on sale at the store.
VC

 

[moto-girl]

That looks great. I've been thinking about making another mead and or a cyser. I've never had one, but that's never stopped me before. I actually recently picked up that book at a used book store. It looks like something to add to the 'to-make' list. Keep us posted on the progress.

 

[vcasey]

I first made this a couple of years ago and will be opening the first bottle in September. When we bottled it was fantastic and I had to promise everyone I would make it every couple of years. I want to try the Riesling pyments as well they sound very good.
So many wines and meads, so little space!
VC

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

I may put a gallon batch of this together today, I believe I have all ingredients needed to do so.

 

[hartm]

How sweet does this cyser come out in the end? I was thinking about making a mead, but I tried a few from a local shop. It was my first mead experience and I wasn't very impressed with the two commercial ones I tried. I have a feeling it may be due to the honey they used and that they weren't very sweet.

 

[Dean]

I did a batch like this in 2005 after 1.5 years it was amazing! I only used a cinnamon stick and dates with alfalfa honey and Santa Cruz organic cider.

After the harsh new taste went away (about 1 year) it started to turn into a taste that was not unlike fine Calvados. For those who have not had Calvados, you should try it. It is a french brandy made from apples.

Hartm: My batch came out dry and was not sweet at all.

 

[vcasey]

My first batch started with an SG of 1112 and stopped at 1000. I added a bit of honey after stabilizing for a final SG of 1003. This new one started at 1114 and with any luck I will not need to back sweeten. Honestly the first batch really was not sweet at bottling. But keep in mind I started with enough extra that as I used that to top off the main carboy I added equal parts honey & water to top off my top off jug. So its pretty close to 16% and at the time any sweetness was well hidden. The D47 really did keep right on cooking!

BTW, I made one using pear juice at the same time using the same method of topping off. The "extra jugs" got blended together and they finished at 1030. I thought it would be sweet but its not. The honey helped to smooth out the alcohol.

And yes I used Med. toast American Oak, because that's what I had on hand.

I have not been impressed with many commercial meads either. The only
one I like is one that one of our local wineries produce. They say its
sweet but I don't think so http://www.floridawine.com/product_honey_wine.htm.
VC

 

[hartm]

That's good, and bad, to hear vcasey


I'd really like to try to make my own, but it is a shame that there aren't better examples out here. It seems to me that this would be a great area for some microbrews to break into. It would be hard to build a customer base without good examples to try, though.

 

[vcasey]

The cyser is at 1065 and the air lock is still making music! No head of foam unless I give it a good stir, but I can see its still going nuts. Still smells good, the fruit is looking a bit battered and the sweetness is starting to fade. Looks like I'll have about a quart or so left over for topping off and I'll follow the same procedures I did last time.
hartm - make your own! There are many meaderies out there and the numbers are growing. But make your own! You can adjust it to your taste and surprise friends and family with a truely unique beverage.
VC

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

VC, I cant believe how good this smells at this point and time...

A year or so from now I may regret only making one gallon!

 

[vcasey]

The best part about this is the smell, especially early in the process. And you can always make more! The SG is now at 1030 and the airlock is still sounding like drums. All in all it is right on target compared to the last time I made this cyser.
VC

 

[vcasey]

The SG really dropped the last couple of days. It's now 1008, my target
is 1003 so I am very close and would love for this to stop, but the
yeast will stop when they are finished. I racked to glass and boy does
this smell good!

Here is a pic - enjoy!

 

[dragonmaster42]

Bet that will be good for Christmas by the fireplace.

 

[vcasey]

Maybe by Christmas 2011 or 2012. Perhaps we'll have that fireplace by then. Keep in mind its not very high on my list since I live in Florida

.
VC

 

[hartm]

How long will you bulk age this one? How many racking do you think you'll go through?

 

[vcasey]

I'll rack this again next week, but only because there are some fruit pieces that I need to separate from the juice. Then I'll let it sit until its done or I decide to help it along. So maybe 3 more rackings total (maybe, I really don't know) and once its clear I'll let it bulk age until I need the carboy. My guess is 6 months to a year depending on how lazy I am or again if I need the carboy. I really try to give my meads a chance to age for a couple of years and the best way for me to do that is to cover the carboy and walk away. Once its bottled it will sit for at least a year or 2 before I open a bottle.
VC

 

[hartm]

Have you tasted a cyser like this throughout the aging process?






I made a cyser very similar to this one recently. It hasn't been sitting long, but since I'm new to wine/mead making I wanted to get an idea of what they taste like throughout the process. Mine was very tart/sour tasting at this point. Not a very strong apple flavor.


Just wondering if this is normal.