Calming Down Ciser Taste

I made a ciser on 30 November, this was my first one.

Recipe:
Four gallons cider, all natural, UV pasteurized, only ingredient: Apples, not from concentrate.
12# honey from the local HBS.
5 oz raisins, Organic.
8 oz pitted dates, Sunsweet pitted dates.
1 tsp yeast energizer.
2 tsp yeast nutrients.
Safecider yeast used, pitched dry on top.

I did not get OG/FG readings because the book said it would be off anyway due to the fruit...

About the 27th of December it was all done fermenting and I transferred it to a secondary and had a little taste of it. it was DRY, like really dry and has a significant after taste, like jet fuel.....

Since I prefer things on the sweeter side, I added some apple juice concentrate and a little more honey (maybe 1.5#).

It's been sitting since, hoping it'll mellow out a bit, no additional fermentation has taken place (not that I can see, no bubbles at all from the airlock since).

I'd like to bottle it soon, but the jet fuel flavor kind of threw me off, maybe it's just at 15% ABV or so and I'm not used to it?

So, seeking suggestions/help from the great collective.

What do I need to do moving forward? Let it sit more and chill, back-sweeten more, add some more cider/honey and dilute it?
TIA, Joe

darigoni said:

Has the yeast settled out (is it clear)? Perhaps you just don't like the taste of Cyser, with yeast still floating in it? You should take it now and see where you are at.

Click to expand...

The cyser is not clear, but the cider I used was raw cider and wasn't clear either. I assumed (I know...) that the cyser would end up about the same opacity as the cider and in this case, it is.

I suppose it's possible I don't like Cyser with yeast in it, but that would be sooooo unlike me... In that respect I can't image it would be any worse then a number of yeasty German beers I've consumed over the years living there.

I did just take a reading and it's sitting at 1.015.

I also had another taste and just the couple of weeks it sat unmolested has mellowed it out a good bit.

Thanks for the response.
Joe

Also, I realized that maybe I need to better define the issue I'm having.

When first smelling the cyser you can definitely smell the alcohol, like as soon as your nose gets to the glass. Then a sip gives good flavors of apple, with a hint of some other flavors, then after you swallow the jet fuel thing hits you. And today was not as bad as a couple weeks ago.

So..., moving forward, my thoughts are to move it to a 6.5 gallon carboy, dilute it with another gallon of cider and check it in another month or two.

Thoughts?
TIA, Joe