New to cyzers, need advice

[JadeDone]

Hello everyone. I would like to make a cider or a cyzer for an event that is only 3 weeks away. I know, I know. I have seen a few recipes for ciders that can be done in that amount of time with reasonable drinkability. Is it possible to use honey and still end up with something pleasant?

I'm kicking around the idea of bringing a gallon of water up to a boil, melting in some Belgian candy sugar, taking it off the heat and dissolving in 5 lbs of clover honey. Then, transferring that into a carboy and topping it off with apple juice. I'd like to pitch a belgian yeast, is there one that would work?

I have no idea what my OG would be, nor does the final SG really matter. I think I would test daily and crash it before it became too dry. The people that would be drinking this prefer sweet over dry.

I would not be bottling, I would transfer it to a corny and force carb it. I imagine I would need to add some sugars to sweeten it up before kegging and that I would pick a juice that complements the flavor, or perhaps more honey.

Can honey be used to back sweeten? Thank you for any advice you have. I am fairly new to brewing and I think I would just cry if I have to bring another last minute wit to an event.

 

[Bauerbrewery1989]

Here is a cider I make in the winter, its usually done and bottled within 3 weeks. I would think you could replace the brown sugar in the secondary with honey, maybe omit the cinnamon. You could try using orange blossom honey, I've made a mead with it and tasted amazing, slightly citrusy. This is a 3 gallon recipe.

Primary
1 tsp pectic enzyme
1 tsp yeast nutrient
2 pounds dextrose
2 cup water
320ml (2.5g) apple juice (no preservatives)
-Add 1 gallon apple juice to carboy and the rest after adding the sugar water

Yeast
Nottingham ale yeast
-Rehydrate yeast and add to carboy

Secondary
3 cans apple concentrate
3 tsp cinnamon (omit?)
2 1/2 cups brown sugar (replace with 12-18oz honey)
1 cup water

Fermentation should take 5-7 days. When fermentation is done, transfer to secondary, and add potassium sorbate and potassium metabisulfate. Wait another week or so to be sure the fermentation has stopped. Then add 3 cans apple concentrate and the brown sugar/cinnamon. (For you honey) Wait for one more week to be sure fermentation doesn't restart, and bottle.

 

[Bauerbrewery1989]

Forgot to mention, I'm new to cysers as well, and asked how long to let it age a little while ago, and from the posts, it seemed like 4 months was the minimum. Hope this cider recipe helps!

 

[JadeDone]

Thank you for the recipe! Unfotunately, I only have a few weeks. Perhaps I should just do a fast and dirty cider and save the cyser for later. I wonder if it is the honey that slows fermentation down so much? I am still curious about back sweetening with honey.

 

[Bauerbrewery1989]

To my understanding, its more so the aging and mellowing of flavors that is what take the time. I've had a mead take only a few weeks to really ferment out, but tasted awful at that time. 4-6 months later, it tasted great. Cyser, I would assume would be the same, since its primary fermentable is honey. I'm making a fig cider, and plan on back sweetening with honey as we speak, so if you had more time I would give you the results, but I would say give it a shot, without doing, there is no learning.

 

[JadeDone]

I opted to make a simple cider. I melted down a pound of dark Belgian candy sugar in a gallon of water, tossed in a couple cloves, a pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon. I added a bit of irish moss just to see what it would do and brought it to a gentle boil for a couple of minutes. Used 4 gallons of cheap-o apple juice, preservative free of course. Strained the sugar water into the carboy after cooling, added juice. Gave it a good shake and pitched Safale S-04.

I plan to test it daily after fermentation is going well, and hopefully crash it before it gets too dry. Given the limited time I have, it won't have time to mellow properly but the group that will be drinking it down all sorts of "shocking" concoctions. We'll see how it goes.