cyser clearing time???

bigordead · Oct 30, 2009

Hi guys I mostly lurk but I love this place!
I made a cyser in may with 3 lbs honey n apple juice to top up to a gal added nutrient n safale yeast. It fermented to 15% which is high for this yeast I think( O.G. 1.40 last s.g. 3 weeks ago was .3 has been that s.g. for a month.) thing is its not produced any apreciable amount of lees since last racking in june but also still looks murky can barly shine a light through it. I want to let it clear jyust with time not using bentonite or even cold crashing but am just wondering if anyone has experience woth this and how long its likly to take to cllear on its own???
My straight mead that I started in june 3lb honey with yeast nutrient and montrachet yeast and water to a gallon has finished dry n been clear for a month. I know each mead clears in its own time just a wondering type question.
Thanks in advance folks!
Kev

wayneb · Oct 30, 2009

Two questions first of all:

1) Was the apple juice pasteurized?

2) Did you add any pectic enzyme (pectinase)?

afdoty · Oct 31, 2009

I'm a little confused on what exactly you did with this batch. Would you post up the complete recipe that you made... If you can do it in a bullet form format, it will be easier for everyone to review. If you haven't yet, read through the New-Bee guide...it’s an excellent source of info.

bigordead · Nov 1, 2009

Yes the juice was pasteurized I think, it was the cheep store brand with no preservatives. great vallue brand if that helps.
No pectic enzyme My exact recipe n method were as follows:
-3lbs clover honey
-1 gal no preservative apple juice
- yeast nutrient 1/2 tsp in starter
- safale 5 us ale yeast 1 packet started as directed.

As far as the process I simply put my unopend jar of honey into a sink full of hot water to make it easier to pour. I then mixed honey n apple juice by pouring honey into the half full gallon demi of apple juice and shaking vigorously til it desolved. At that point I poured in the starter and topped up with apple juice to make a nearly full gallon took a gravity reading(1.40) put some water into my air lock and put it on the jug left it alone for a month under my kitchen counter where it pretty well stayed 70 degrees. at the end of a month I racked it off the lees n took a gravity reading (0.4) left it alone for another month racked an gravity read again (0.3) left alone for 2 months no real lees so no racking but took gravity reading (0.3) put it back up n its been almost 2 months since then and thats all I've done. I was hoping it would clear on its own but now I'm thinking about trying bentonite or mabe pectic enzime as I would like to bottle at the end of the month n share a bottle with some freinds for new years. mabe try to save the rest for next year to see how well it ages.

afdoty · Nov 1, 2009

Do you mean a SG of 1.140? And it's about 6 months since you started this with a SG of 1.130? Before you do anything with clearing or enzymes, do you have a way of checking the PH (strips or a meter)? ???

wayneb · Nov 1, 2009

Kev, I'm going to let Al continue the questions about your SG measurements with you - frankly, I don't understand them either.

But as far as hazy cysers are concerned, apples are a very high pectin fruit - so without an addition of pectic enzyme (especially if the juice has been pasteurized which "sets" the pectins), you likely have a pectic haze in there. Pectic enzyme works most quickly before any alcohol has been produced in the must (so next time add it before you pitch yeast), but it can still work now. Try adding some and then letting it age another few weeks.

BTW - Bentonite can pull pectic enzyme out of solution, so if you use the enzyme, don't use bentonite - at least not for a few months while you're waiting for the enzyme to do its thing.

akueck · Nov 1, 2009

It sounds like the gravity readings are 1.140 and 1.030, which is about 15% ABV.

The pectic enzyme/pasteurized questions are related. Typically, fruit or juice that has been heated will form a pectin haze (pectin is what makes jelly set). Pectins can be broken down by pectic enzyme, which will remove the haze if that is the source of the problem. Pectic enzymes work best in water, not alcohol, so it might take a little longer now that the mead is finished. But a dose of pectinase now might help clear up your mead, and won't hurt if you have haze for another reason.

If you do have cloudy mead and pectin is not the cause, you can wait longer (time works wonders) or choose to use a fining agent. It's really hard to say how long you'd need to wait; each mead works things out in its own way. If you do want to bottle soon, your best bet for clear mead is to add something like bentonite, polyclar, sparkolloid, etc. Cold crashing and racking the mead while cold can also help if the haze becomes denser when cold.

bigordead · Nov 2, 2009

yes! sorry about that I did mean Gravity 1.140 and F.G. 1.030 just typing without paying attention to myself. I'll give the pectic enzyme a try. thanks guys. OHH I do not have PH strips but will be getting some for my next batch I think.
Thanks again

capoeirista13 · Nov 2, 2009

If you are going to use the pectic enzyme, try using 2-3 times the dose since the brew has already fermented, and mix it around. That will get you the quickest results. I had essentially this exact same situation with my spiced winter cyser. Once I added more than 2x the recommended dose and mixed it around it started clearing very quickly. This was after it had sat for 6+ months I believe. I hope this works out for you.

Search

cyser clearing time???

bigordead

NewBee

wayneb

Lifetime Patron

afdoty

NewBee

bigordead

NewBee

afdoty

NewBee

wayneb

Lifetime Patron

akueck

Certified Mead Mentor

bigordead

NewBee

capoeirista13

Honey Master