Cyser/Mead/Melomel #1 - Honey Brown Cyser


This was a  first-attempt  at making a simple  Cyser using  frozen
apple  juice from  concentrate.  The basic  idea is sound, but the
process has improved with subsequent batches.  I experimented with
many juice  combinations  and yeasts and have proven  that one can
make a VERY tasty Cyser without an awful lot of trouble.

"Real"  fruit juices can be used  entirely of course, or added in,
but  frozen  concentrates  work very well.  I  recommend  avoiding
citrus   combinations,   however.  Any  other   "clear"juice  will
probably   work   fine,  but  also  look  for  and   avoid   added
preservatives if possible.

Champagne  yeast is very  aggressive,  and will  attenuate  fully,
resulting in a very "dry" beverage.  Belgian yeasts work very well
in a high-gravity environment, and add a nice, fruity character of
their own, but the ferment  needs to be monitored  closely so that
the desired  residual  sweetness is left behind.  Less attenuative
Ale yeasts  are more  forgiving,  and  probably  easier to use for
beginners.  The  idea  should  be to  create  a  moderate  to high
gravity drink, with enough  residual  sweetness to complement  the
fruit character.

   Category         : Cyser (Apple Melomel)
   Method           : Reconstitute, Melt & Mix
   Starting Gravity : 1.042
   Ending Gravity   : 1.006
   Alcohol content  : 5.2%
   Recipe Makes     : 5.0 gallons

Ingredients:
    10 cans (16 oz. each)  Seneca Apple Juice Concentrate
    3.00 lb                Honey
    3.00 lb                Light Brown Sugar
    1.00 tbsp.             Yeast Nutrient
    2 packages             Red Star Dry "Pasteur Champagne" Yeast
    0.50 cup               Corn Sugar (for priming)
    ~3 gal.                Water

Process:

- HEAT (no need to boil) 1 to 2 gallons oof water.

- Completely dissolve all of the honey annd sugar in the hot water.

- Open & pour the contents of all canns of frozen juice concentrate
  into a clean,  sanitized,  5-gallon carboy (or bucket pre-marked
  to 5-gallon capacity).

- Pour  the  dissolved  honey/sugar/waterr   combination  into  the
  carboy/bucket.

- Top up the  carboy/bucket  with  cold   water,  to the level of 5
  gallons.

- Shake the  carboy, or stir the  contentts  of the  bucket  with a
  sanitized spoon to mix and aerate the mixture well.

- Re-hydrate dry yeast according to packaage instructions; or pitch
  liquid yeast directly from a pre-prepared "smack pack" (Wyeast),
  or vial (WhiteLabs).

- With a sanitized turkey baster or otherr such tool, take a sample
  for a hydrometer  reading and determine the  mixture's  Original
  Gravity.

- Add 1 tbsp.  of yeast nutrient to the mmixture.

- Pitch the pre-prepared  yeast into the   carboy/bucket;  seal the
  lid; and attach an airlock or blow-off tube.

WARNING: Fermentation  is likely to be very  lively.  There's  not
         much extra "head space" in a 5 gallon carboy  filled with
         5 gallons of  liquid.  A  blow-off  tube may be your best
         bet  here.  Alternatively,   use  a  6-gallon  or  larger
         carboy; or a 7+ gallon  fermentation  bucket to allow for
         the foam.

Ferment:

Cool - about 65F if possible (55 - 70F).  Total  fermentation time
will be about 2 to 3 weeks.  Condition for 2 weeks more  minimally
after bottling.

Post-Brew Notes:

Placed  the  carboy  in the  house,  near  an  A/C  vent.  Ambient
temperature is ~70 F.

6/15/97 - Still  bubbling!  After 3 weeks, the  airlock  was still
          showing  bubbles at the rate of about 3 to 5 per minute.
          General  consensus  of those I talked to  suggested  NOT
          bottling just yet.  Better to avoid "bottle bombs".

6/28/97 - Finally  done   fermenting  ...  after  4  weeks!  Final
          Gravity  was  1.006.  Bottled  today.  Transferred   the
          mixture from carboy to a bottling bucket, along with 1/2
          cup corn sugar dissolved in 1 cup of boiled water.

Yielded  49 full  12-oz.  bottles.  It is the  color  of a  light,
cloudy, pale ale ...  but this should clear over time.

I sampled the "still" cider (before bottling), and it tasted good,
but thought that it would be much better with some  effervescence.
It  tasted  dry and  somewhat  apple-like  (not  surprising).  One
comment  from my wife - "Tastes a bit like  Asti-Spumante".  Let's
see what it's like in 2 weeks.

Follow-up:

This cyser  NEVER DID  CARBONATE.  I must have let it ferment  out
too long ...  not  enough  live yeast left to work on the  priming
sugar.

Next batch - Don't let it sit so long.  Bottle it a bit early.

Final Analysis:

As a "still"  cyser,  it's  very  tasty!  However  it's also  very
potent!  It's not what I expected, but it's good none-the-less.

History & Style Specifications  
     (according  to the  BJCP  Style Guidelines):

                   Cyser (Apple Melomel)

A  mead  made  with  the  addition  of  apples  or  apple   juice.
Traditionally,  cysers are made by the  addition of honey to apple
juice without additional water.

Aroma:  Should have  distinct  apple  character  with a pronounced
honey  aroma,  which may be sweet  and may  express  the  aroma of
flower  nectar.  Aromas  produced  during  fermentation,  such  as
fruity  esters,  low  levels of sulfur  and  alcohol,  may also be
present.

Appearance:  Clarity   may  be  good   to   brilliant.  Carbonated
examples will show active evidence of dissolved gas but no head is
expected.  Color may range from pale straw to deep amber.

Flavor:  Should have distinct apple character but should also have
a balanced honey  character.  The Apple  character may supply tart
acidity to cut the honey sweetness, so one may notice tart acidity
first and residual  sweetness  thereafter.  Any additives  such as
acidity  or  tannin,  should  enhance  the honey  flavor  and lend
balance  to the  overall  character  of the  cyser.  In well  made
examples  of  the  style,  the  fruit  is  both   distinctive  and
well-incorporated  into the sugar-acid  balance of the mead.  Some
of the best  examples  have the taste of an aged  Calvados  (apple
brandy from northern France).

Mouthfeel:  Smooth  texture.  Most  will be  wine-like,  with  the
warming  presence of alcohol and sense of medium body.  Sensations
of a cloying or astringent character shoud be avoided.

Comments:  There  should be an  appealing  blend of the fruit  and
honey  character but not necessarily an even balance.  Generally a
good tannin-sweetness balance is desired, though very dry and very
sweet examples do exist.

Vital  Statistics:  Effective  OG:    1.070-1.120+  
                               FG:    0.995-1.025
                               ABV:   7.5-15+% 
                               IBUs:  N/A 
                               SRM:   1-16