Good to know about the trouble with dissolving the honey in the cherry juice. I started a batch on Saturday and that's exactly how I planned to add the honey and cherry juice. I take it shaking it up got it all distributed?
Good to know about the trouble with dissolving the honey in the cherry juice. I started a batch on Saturday and that's exactly how I planned to add the honey and cherry juice. I take it shaking it up got it all distributed?
Since I'm pretty much constantly making this stuff, and I can make it good consistently, I was thinking of trying something different: oaking it.
Anybody have a thought as to what kind of chips might be good? I'm thinking some oaky tannins might give it some more complexity.
I too took a shot at this with some minor alterations. This is for a 5 gallon batch. I raised the honey content up to 4lb and used Wyeast Kolsch instead of Notty.
Additives
.25 tsp Potassium metabisulphate
2.5 tsp. Pectic encyme w/ 1.25 tsp. Wine Tannin
2.5 tsp Potassium sorbate
.25 tsp Potassium metabisulphate
OG 1.07 on 12/6/14
Gravity when racked on 12/22/14 - .001
The cyser was fairly cloudy at the point when I tasted and racked it, but WOW what a flavor. Very fruity with a sweet honey profile. I will be backsweetening with 32 oz Traverse City Michigan Tart Cherry Juice and honey to taste. It looks like I may have to rack it one final time. If so, i'll clear it with gelatin and cold crash. Progress to follow.
I just got done reading a ton of reviews on rate beer dot com. I think it would be good to age this on some light toasted French oak and the tart cherry juice to be added after fermentation & stabilizing. Just my 2c
Edit:
OK this thread has my head buzzin with ideas so thought I would share.
From B. Nektar site this is a 5.5% abv drink
So starting gravity of 1.04 & cold crash/stabalize as close to a gravity of 1.008 as possible then back sweeten with tart cherry juice to 1.02 & age for 1month on lightly toasted french oak cubes. ingrediants for 5 gallon would be as follows.
3 64oz bottles of Apple Cider
3lb of Star Thistle Honey, might need a little more to hit 1.04 gravity
Water to 5 gallon
2.5tsp yeast nutrient (SNA)
2.5tsp yeast energizer (SNA)
Stabalize with 5 camden tablets and 2.5tsp of potassium sorbate
Back sweeten to 1.02 gravity with Montmorencey Tart Cherry "Juice" not concentrate. Should take about 2 64oz bottles worth.
Age on 1oz light toasted frech oak 1 month.
Rack untill clear and force carb. DONE!
Looking to take a crack at this with a slightly raises og and less sweet fg
apple juice with apple-cherry concentrate to og of 1.075 ferment to 1.003~ with an ale yeast
Back sweetened to 1.015 with honey and cherry concentrate.
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