OK... started a Crabapple mead today... I used Thirsty Viking's Apple cyser and added whole crabapples to the batch. I also made a plain cyser using the same recipe but without the crabapples as a comparison. So these are my twins. Batches 3 & 4.
Here's the method of my madness.....
Ingredients....
3/4 gallon apple cider
5 C Honey (abt 2.5 - 3 lbs)
2 C Artesian Well Water
1/2 pack of Champagne yeast.
2 C crabapples
I warmed the honey in a pan of water, (120 deg). In a one gallon, large mouth pickle jar, I added 3/4 gallon apple cider. To this I added 5 C of honey. put the lid on it and aerated it with the shaking, jiggling method. (I shook it and I jiggled
) Good thing my hub was outside or I'd not have finished the batch.
To to this I added the half pack of yeast. (Why half a pack... cuz it says it's enough for a 5 gallon batch. Too much for a one gallon?)
I made both batches at the same time up to this point... then I added to one, 2 C washed crabapples. These were picked about 2 weeks ago... I cut out the stem part and the flourette parts and peeled halfway to expose the meat of the apple but not the seeds.
Then I topped off both jars with my well water to the bottom of the short neck. Capped them with powderfree latex gloves and they then joined the nursery of other batches.
I will keep you all informed as to the end results... according to TV's recipe... about 35 days.
My yeast... I used Red Star Pastaeur Champagne yeast... the pack says it's enough for a 5 gallon batch... so I split it between my two one gallons.
Question
Should I have used the full packet per one gal? by splitting have I still used too much yeast? or Will the yeast just finish when the nutrients are gone?
Suzy Q, Brewmistress
Wanted: Crabapple Mead recipe
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