Cyser/Braggot?

I have been kicking this idea around for a while. Before I dive in I need some input...
the basic idea is:

3-gallons local un-filtered apple juice (cider)
2-pounds Marris Otter
1-pound crystal malt 40
2-pounds local honey
notty yeast

mash the grain high to get as much un-fermentable sugars as possible.
dissolve the honey in the cooling wort, and add to the apple juice. should come out close to a 5-gallon batch.

comments? concerns? suggestions? advice?

This sounds very interesting. You may want just a touch of hops at the beginning of the boil to balance the malt sweetness but it won't take much.

I'm having a hard time picturing the flavor of this experiment. It should be a very lite flavor. You are not using much honey and apple juice ferments pretty dry and lite. However a pound of crystal will add significant sweetness and flavor.

Let us know how the experiment turns out.

Craig

Sorry, can't resist... "you're supposed to use dead rats in cider, not otters!"

I would do a mash at 30 minutes at 145F, then up to 152F for 30 minutes. Strain the wort. This will give a highly fermenterble wort with great fresh taste. Otherwise, it looks great.

JoeSponge said:

Sorry, can't resist... "you're supposed to use dead rats in cider, not otters!"

Click to expand...

Only if they fall into the open fermentation and drown. Then it becomes the house "special".

..... but I like my rats sautéed... with a little garlic and onion....

I had thought for a while doing more malt and mashing lower, but I think as dry as the apple and honey ferment out, that rather than back sweeten, I just put in a LOT of un-fermentable sugars from the malt. I was thinking mashing just shy of 160 for an hour, and doing a single infusion sparge. But I may rethink a bit and maybe do two mashes. Maybe throw some Cara-Munich in there???

The Cara-Munich or even some Cara-Pils should ad a little body.