44 replies to this topic

[strangebrewer]

Checked it this morningGravity 1.008 Temp 61°FI'm now past the ABV tolerance of the yeast I used. Got to love that. Time to rack to a 6 gallon and chug the extra quarter gallon that won't fit. BTW how'd that go for you Guest?

[strangebrewer]

I ended up drinking a quart that day and then a quart two nights ago. Oh man it is good, but the hangover sucks.

So what I am hearing is go for it.

[strangebrewer]

Racked to a 6 gallon carboy with a quarter gallon of head space to spare. No cyser bender for me last night :crybaby:It's pretty murkey looking right now and bubbling occasionally. I'll probably forget about it for a month and see what settles out. Last batch I didn't add a clarifier to at all so i know over time it will clear up on it's own. We'll see if I can be as patient with this batch!

[VolFan]

Racked over to carboys a few minutes ago. Has cleared up since last hydro sample and tastes much better. FG 1.000Looks like one pack of re-hydrated yeast in Nutri-Ferm and SNA is enough to do the job with a SG of 1.108

[BeesNBrews]

Things got away from me around Thanksgiving [long story but the 37 pound turkey had nothing to do with it] but I finally got around to pulling the spice bag from the carboy on 12/11. I was sure it was too long but it actually is tasting quite fine. It has cleared nicely and I would like to get it to a clean carboy in the next week or two.

[realbeerguy]

Where is everyone else? I thought there were going to be 10-12 people in on this?

My apologies to the group. I was to get my cider from the local brewpub when they made their run, but they didn't go this year, so there's no cider or cyser in the rbg household this year I was going to pick up some Ziglers in the foodstore, but it has potassium sorbate in it. I'll just have to participate in the next mead group.

Edited by realbeerguy, 02 January 2010 - 08:14 PM.

[zymot]

Racked over to the secondary tonight. I used sage blossom honey, home pressed apple cider & 1/2 lb dates. Topped off the secondary with an additonal quart of fresh cider to minimize head space.It is pretty tasty, but still has some harshness and is muddy-murky. If it smooths out and clears up, this should be pretty awsome.I am thinking it will stay in the secondary until it is clears.I wish it didn't take >1 year for this stuff to age.zymot

[VolFan]

I just pulled some and filled a snifter about halfway. It's been aging in a cool closet. That "twang" that was there early on has subsided quite a bit. I'm actually a little more stoked now than before. I've never had to age a beer this long so this is new territory for me. It really is testing my patience.

[zymot]

Sneaked a jigger of Fall Bounty Cyser to see how it is coming along.It is smoothing out very nicely. Hotness is fading, apple goodness is coming to the fore.It is almost 3 months old and is still a milky opaque beige color. Can I expect that to fall out out and clear? Are cysers expected to be mead wine clear?zymot

Edited by zymot, 21 January 2010 - 12:06 PM.

[strangebrewer]

Sneaked a jigger of Fall Bounty Cyser to see how it is coming along.It is smoothing out very nicely. Hotness is fading, apple goodness is coming to the fore.It is almost 3 months old and is still a milky opaque beige color. Can I expect that to fall out out and clear? Are cysers expected to be mead wine clear?zymot

I've been keeping my hands out of mine thus far but everybody pulling samples is tempting me to sneak a sip! If you're willing to leave it sit yes it will clear up on it's own but expect it to take quite a while. Last time I put mine in a keg and stuck it in the fridge for 5 months. I'll admit that I forgot about it but when I pulled the second glass it was crystal clear.

[japh]

4 months late isn't that late to start in on a group brew, is it? :smilielol:9 lbs honeyJuice: 1 gallon was pure Gravenstien, 1 gallon was pure Gala, and the other 2 an unfiltered mix.No spices.29.8 brix (1.128 OG)71B.

Edited by japhmi, 27 February 2010 - 04:39 PM.

[japh]

Fermentation has definitely started up.

[VolFan]

I tried some the other day. Not too bad. Apple seems to be shining through more. How much longer until you people start consuming yours?

[zymot]

I took a few milliliters of a sample to see how it is coming along.Nice and clear, most to all of of the jet fuel harshness is gone. The apple comes through as a nice finish.At 6 months it is pretty nice, I can see this as a nice drinkable nice cyser around Thanksgiving.

[VolFan]

I had a couple small glasses tonight. I feel those two glasses.

[strangebrewer]

I had a couple small glasses tonight. I feel those two glasses.

Sounds like you made it right then

[VolFan]

Well I learned something. When I got my honey last year I made 10 gls of cyser and 5 gls of mead. I can't believe it's already been a year. Any who, in order to learn about the aging process I placed one keg in the keggerator and have been sampling it off & on since about 6 months. Has a sharp bite to it I can't quite put in words as I've been puling too many samples tonight. Wife isn't fond of it either.Needless to say I poured a glass off the keg in the lower floor closet and it's much better than the one that's been cold conditioned which I now believe slows down the aging process. The closet will hit about 70 during the summer but for the most part it stays around the mid 60's or even lower during the winter. I will not be cold conditioning any honey products again. I am pleasantly pleased with the closet cyser but need to send a couple bottles off to some members for some constructive criticism.As a side note the mead I sampled tonight has made great progress from the last sample. I didn't want to believe Scott when he said a year probably isn't long enough but evidently he is correct. I need to get busy and get another batch of both mead & cyser going for (Guest) the orchard that sold me the unpasteurized cider in Cleveland is still in business.Edit: Too many samples.

Edited by Specks, 12 October 2010 - 05:21 PM.

[strangebrewer]

So it's almost a year later, how is everybody's FBC doing? I just racked mine to a keg today and pulled a sample. mmmMMMmmm. I really do love this recipe. When it's young it's meh but if you are willing to wait the year it's ZOMG GOOD!11! I left mine to clear on it's own and it was crystal clear at racking. My FG is .998 . Meaning I've got a 16% ABV cyser on my hands here that does NOT taste like it's got that much alcohol in it .

[zymot]

I went to bottle my 2009 Fall's Bounty today. For the last few months, the samples have been chardonnay clear. When I got towards the bottom of the secondary, the transfer turns all cloudy and full of cider-silt.If I knew then what I know now, I would have done a transfer to a tertiary with a top off of straight cider.The taste was outstanding. I bottled anyway and I will take what I get get when it comes to asethic properties.

[strangebrewer]

Yeah, when I tried yours today, I was very surprised with it. Pretty damn smooth for what it is. I think another year could do magic though. But, when you do get it on tap, I will be loving it.

The only thing that gives away it's ABV is the warming effect you feel after drinking it. I think I'll dissolve some honey in some store bought cider and blend it back in. As much fun as it would be to give it another year to see what happens I want to drink it now