basic cyser question.

[BernardSmith]

I am planning on making a batch of cyser (apple mead). Schramm's recipe suggests about 2 lbs of honey for every one gallon of apple juice and while that flavor profile seems right to me the potential ABV seems a mite high (about 15 or 16 % ABV). I am going to be using good quality apple juice blended and pressed specifically for our LHBS for home cider makers who had to sign up for the quantities they wanted some weeks ago (I should be able to pick up this juice on the 8th of November) and the honey I plan on using will be generic wild flower (although I do have a few pounds each of orange blossom, sourwood and acacia honey that I could use to make three or four separate gallon batches: still not decided). My question: does it make any sense to aim for a lower starting gravity, closer to 1.090 vs the 1.120 I am anticipating, or will using less than 2 lbs of honey in each gallon simply mean that this will result in more of a cider than a cyser profile? Thoughts? Thanks.

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

One thing is that if you are using cidermakers cider that is great, your OG with just the cider itself should be 1.050 or 1.060 or if you are lucky higher, hopefully they are tossing in some tannic apples also. It also depends on how much aromatics are in the apples, if they are something like Goldrushes with lots and lots of flavor you would have to add more honey to balance the flavor of the apples or backsweeten in the end. It of course also depends on the kind of honey, is it light or darker, we have been using the lighter spring honey we get in cysers as it seemed the best way to use it besides for flower meads, but couldnt resist making one this year with darker tulip poplar honey. Good Luck, cysers are great. WVMJ

 

[BernardSmith]

I am thinking - still not fully decided - in using sourwood, fall wildflower, acacia, and orange blossom in separate batches. Not certain if any of these might be considered as dark honeys.. None seem to have very strong flavors

 

[WVMountaineerJack]

Any idea what kind of apples are going to be pressed? Looks like you are going to have to backsweeten vs adding more honey up front if you want some varietal taste to come thru over the apples, sometimes a cup in 5 gal is all you need. WVMJ

 

[BernardSmith]

Short answer is that I don't know what varieties of apples are going to be in the apple juice we get. All I know is that our LHBS had a sign in sheet for us to order the juice and that there are some good brewers, cider makers, vitners, and mazers in the community so I am hoping that the community being served will up the level of the juice produced - There are dozens of orchards around here, so someone selling through the LHBS must (I would hope) have enough understanding of what kind of juice cider makers are looking for...
I had not thought about back sweetening as I usually find even dry meads, sweet enough for my taste, but your point about bringing out the flavor of each honey varietal is a good one... I should have enough honey to back sweeten given the quantity you suggest, Jack. Thanks for that idea.