Update 03/23/2012. Took gravity and temp readings today. SG is 1.0645. So it looks like we are still fermenting but it looks very slow. Temp was 73the deg F. It smells good and tastes good although sweet. Clearing was progressing well bit I swirled the mead and it's now cloudy but I thought I had to degas as the mead was very CO2 laden.
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Did I ruin my cyser?
- Thread starter Robusto
- Start date
This is taking a while, you may want to nuke some bakers yeast and toss them in to give the yeast some nutrients.
Sounds like a save and i have gotten to the point where i have highlighted all the juice in my fridge that I CANT ferment... need to say thats its more than I hoped...
Update 04/01
Ok guys. Update time. I just took a gravity reading- 1.0625.... So we are making progress, but thanks to my friend sortbate, the going is slow. The nose has faded from strong apple to subtle apple and honey. The taste has moved from a strong "cider" taste (I use the term cider in this case as unfiltered, fresh pressed apple juice- not hard cider) to a gentle honey flavor up front, with some seriouly strong, tart cherry in the middle, and subtle apple and vanilla notes on the finish. It's still way too sweet for my taste, but the flavors are great with no off notes what so ever. This is taking forever, but as long as the flavors keep progressing well I'm happy.
Ok guys. Update time. I just took a gravity reading- 1.0625.... So we are making progress, but thanks to my friend sortbate, the going is slow. The nose has faded from strong apple to subtle apple and honey. The taste has moved from a strong "cider" taste (I use the term cider in this case as unfiltered, fresh pressed apple juice- not hard cider) to a gentle honey flavor up front, with some seriouly strong, tart cherry in the middle, and subtle apple and vanilla notes on the finish. It's still way too sweet for my taste, but the flavors are great with no off notes what so ever. This is taking forever, but as long as the flavors keep progressing well I'm happy.
It might be time for a repitch if it's slowed down that much, remember, the yeast you put in there are not replacing themselves as they poop out...
6 weeks in and you're only at the 1/2 break and only a .002 drop in the last week. I agree with Chevette Girl and say either pitch another packet and see if that helps or make a similar size batch (non-sorbated) and take it dry and blend the two. The longer this takes the longer it is sitting on the dead yeast which may start to add some off flavors.
Another packet or two, complete with non-sorbated apple juice starter as before, should get you halfway done with any luck 
Thanks guys. I'm going to have to get some more 1116. I thought that I had 2 picks left but when I went to get everything together to make a starter, I realized that the yeast eas actually 1118. I don't want to start mixing yeasts. I know that the 1118 would probably fair better but I like the 1116 better for Cyser. So I will have to get some more 1116 and re pitch and let you guys know how it goes.
So time for an update. On 04/29 I racked off of the lees, pulp, and cherries into a new carboy. I didn’t take a gravity reading because I was brewing beer that day and, to be honest, I just didn’t have the motivation. I finally got time to run to the brew store and got some more GoFerm and EC-1118. Hopefully tonight I’ll make a nice, big healthy starter and then repitch.
I would love to tell you, but my middle hydrometer (I uses a set of 3- 0.98-1.02, 1.00-1.07, and 1.06-1.30) rolled off the counter and broke.
So all I can tell right now is that the SG is higher than 1.02, but lower than 1.06… so, until I get a new hydrometer, I can’t tell.
Well, I got my new hydrometer today and pulled a sample.... 1.023. It actually tastes really good! At this SG it should taste really, really sweet, but due to the nice cherry flavor and tartness, it actually doesn't taste too sweet. It actually tastes like a semi-sweet mead.
I think that I'm going to give up on trying to straight ferment this one all the way down au natural. I think I will ferment some apple juice down to bone dry and blend it in to taste. I am then going to add some bourbon soaked American oak cubes to the mix. When I am satisfied with the oakiness I'll bottle and age a bit and I think that it will be pretty good.
I think that I'm going to give up on trying to straight ferment this one all the way down au natural. I think I will ferment some apple juice down to bone dry and blend it in to taste. I am then going to add some bourbon soaked American oak cubes to the mix. When I am satisfied with the oakiness I'll bottle and age a bit and I think that it will be pretty good.
