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My first Cyser.... quick question

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Boogaloo

Worker Bee
Registered Member
Sep 13, 2011
147
0
16
Silver Spring (right outside of DC)
I started my first Cyser a week ago and it's still bubbling strong. Quick question though... does a Cyser clear up at all or will it stay cloudy from the apple juice? I've never made or seen one before. Thanks!
 

akueck

Certified Mead Mentor
Certified Mead Mentor
Jun 26, 2006
4,958
11
0
Ithaca, NY
All mead has the potential to clear...eventually. It will depend a bit on the ingredients & process and your willingness to wait. For cysers in particular, you can sometimes have a problem with pectin haze if the juice was heated (and if you didn't press it yourself, it probably was). Adding pectic enzyme should clear that up. Other compounds can cause haze as well, but I wouldn't worry about those until you need to. The solids in the juice that make it cloudy should fall out soon after fermentation is complete, in my experience.
 

Chevette Girl

All around BAD EXAMPLE
Moderator
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Apr 27, 2010
8,443
53
48
Ottawa, ON
My cider and my cyser are both still pretty cloudy (both started in September) even though I did use the pectinase before we got started. Sometimes it just takes a while for stuff to settle out.
 

youtzssd

NewBee
Registered Member
Nov 14, 2010
2
0
0
Harrisburg, PA
I started a cyser the beginning of October. I used sparkaloid and it did nothing. I added 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme per gallon as a final effort and it has nearly completely cleared in the last week or so.

Clear mead is a beautiful thing! I have many melomels that have not cleared after a year or so and I think the pectic enzyme may be the solution.
 

Boogaloo

Worker Bee
Registered Member
Sep 13, 2011
147
0
16
Silver Spring (right outside of DC)
I started a cyser the beginning of October. I used sparkaloid and it did nothing. I added 1/2 tsp pectic enzyme per gallon as a final effort and it has nearly completely cleared in the last week or so.

Clear mead is a beautiful thing! I have many melomels that have not cleared after a year or so and I think the pectic enzyme may be the solution.

I took tomorrow off. Maybe a trip to the LHBS is in order. Thanks for the tip.
 

theedudenator

NewBee
Registered Member
Oct 3, 2010
15
0
0
I make cider every fall.
I ferment with an english ale yeast.

It is cloudy every year.

I use sparkoloid per instructions, THEN crash cool it for a few months.

Rack and drink!
 

Chevette Girl

All around BAD EXAMPLE
Moderator
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Apr 27, 2010
8,443
53
48
Ottawa, ON
Chilling it can really help, sometimes I refrigerate the lees after I rack if there was a lot of clear wine/mead on top and it takes a couple of days but what I get is often much clearer than the carboy I racked into. I just wish I had enough fridge space to fit a carboy!

I almost always use pectinase before fermentation, haven't had much luck so far with getting it to clear things up afterwards. And I've got one particularly stubborn batch that has resisted bentonite and sparkolloid so far. Stupid bananas.
 

huesmann

Worker Bee
Registered Member
Aug 22, 2011
190
4
18
I almost always use pectinase before fermentation, haven't had much luck so far with getting it to clear things up afterwards. And I've got one particularly stubborn batch that has resisted bentonite and sparkolloid so far. Stupid bananas.
Have you tried SuperKleer? That stuff is like magic.
 

Chevette Girl

All around BAD EXAMPLE
Moderator
Lifetime GotMead Patron
Apr 27, 2010
8,443
53
48
Ottawa, ON
I've never seen it in any of the local shops, next I was going to try a packet of chitosan or isinglas (whatever it is) that came with a wine kit.
 

Robusto

Worker Bee
Registered Member
Jun 12, 2011
233
1
18
NJ
cyser....

Ok, first off- I am pretty much a noob, but in my experience cyser clears better than other meads that i have made. That said- I never heat mine. also I only use unfiltered, un-pasturized, raw cider. Also, I let mine sit longer than others think is acceptable... I don't know- I'm more trial & error than scientific- which some times works out better than when I actually try...
 

huesmann

Worker Bee
Registered Member
Aug 22, 2011
190
4
18
I've never seen it in any of the local shops, next I was going to try a packet of chitosan or isinglas (whatever it is) that came with a wine kit.
I believe SuperKleer actually includes both chitosan and kielselsol, so it grabs both positively- and negatively-charged particles...probably why it's so effective.
 
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