Cyser VS. Cider

Amiaji · 10-21-2008, 12:50 AM

I'm sure this question has been asked a million times but the search didn't turn up what I wanted to know.

At what point does a cider become a cyser? Is any honey in apple juice a cyser or is there a required amount?

I have 5 gallons of apple juice just waiting for me to something with but I cant decide what I want to do with it. Do I just pour it all in the carboy and add some yeast or do I add some honey or corn sugar to it? Should I add some spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg? If I add a couple pounds of honey is it then a cyser? All these wonderful looking recipies for ciders and cysers and I just cant decide.

I have been on a mead rampage for the past week and have 9-1 gallon batches fermenting at the moment. But I still need to do something with this apple juice. My wife really likes the Smirnoff Ice green apple bite but I have no idea how to make it for her. To me it tastes like a jolly rancher. Any ideas on making something like that would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry for rambling, I'll shut up now....

BigStone777 · 10-21-2008, 03:53 AM

Pardon my interjection, but i like this:

In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is strength,
in water there is bacteria.

Drink more wine!

I am interested to see the answer to your question... i was wondering that myself... at what point does cider become 'cider sweetened with honey', and at which point does it become 'cyser'? Is there a general ratio that makes it so?

**Nurmey** · 10-21-2008, 03:57 AM

I'll take a wild guess and say that a ratio of honey at 2 plus pounds per gallon of liquid would be considered mead. Cyser if the liquid is apple juice. Pulled that out of my *** but it makes sense to me.

Bourdon · 10-21-2008, 04:10 AM

Isn't a cyser just a cider with enough honey to make it have the ABV of a wine, like ~11%+

**BigKahuna** · 10-21-2008, 04:39 AM

This is a big question.

I'm going with a gut feeling and saying that any apple / honey mixture that exceeds 50.1% fermentables coming from honey is a cyser. Anything less is cider with honey.
Nurmey...you're on the right track...but 1# of honey plus water plus yeast is a hydromel...and technically a mead....I don't' know for sure where the breakover is.

Call it what you want....send me what you will. It's fermented honey and it is good.

**david_42** · 10-21-2008, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bourdon

Isn't a cyser just a cider with enough honey to make it have the ABV of a wine, like ~11%+

If you run the numbers, this works out to BK's 50% (more or less). I've seen cysers ranging from 7-12%.

MikeRLynch · 10-21-2008, 02:26 PM

I would say if you took the Apfelwein recipe, and substituted the brown sugar addition with honey you could consider that a cyser, albeit a weak one. I think the line between cider with honey and cyser is how much you taste the honey in the finished product. If its a subtle background note, cider with honey. If it's like a mead with apple flavors, a cyser.

BigStone777 · 10-22-2008, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nurmey

I'll take a wild guess and say that a ratio of honey at 2 plus pounds per gallon of liquid would be considered mead. Cyser if the liquid is apple juice. Pulled that out of my *** but it makes sense to me.

I think i like this answer... makes sense to me if you say cyser is just the same amount of honey as mead, but with the liquid being apple juice... otherwise its cider with honey, or mead with apple...