Cyser question

[Newsman]

So I have made a cyser before. Its been over a year and still in the primary. LOL. I'm scared to pull it out and taste it as temp was not managed.
I decided to try again. I have 4 gallons of apple juice (Costco brand) and about 15# of honey. From my reading here (it's been awhile since I brewed anything) I gather that is a bit much honey unless I want to make rocket fuel (I dont.)
I also got some ideas to pour it over blueberries in the secondary.
I guess my question is, how much actual honey should I add? I would like some residual sweetness, but I don't want pure liquid honey. Maybe 10% ABV or less and I might cut that with some apple juice once it's done.
Suggestions?

 

[Maylar]

1.5 lb/gallon will give you 50/50 sugars from apple juice / honey and about 13% abv.

 

[Newsman]

1.5 lb/gallon will give you 50/50 sugars from apple juice / honey and about 13% abv.

Sounds good. I'll probably dilute/ back sweeten with apple juice afterwards to try and make it more sessionable

 

[Maylar]

When you dilute / back sweeten taste it first to see which flavor is dominant. You want to be able to taste both the honey and apples.

 

[Newsman]

Well, I finally got a look at the cyser that's been sitting for some time. It appears to have some mold growing on the surface. I suppose that means it's a dumper?

 

[videojunkie1208]

Got a picture? (and not a blurry, out of focus blobby picture)

 

[Newsman]

Let me go see. I was looking through the bunkhouse in my bmb

 

[Newsman]

Here you go

 

[videojunkie1208]

Here you go

That doesn't look good, but I have seen pictures here that look worse, and still (allegedly) made decent drink.

1. Smell it. Does it have any off smells?
2. Think back through your process, when would it have been exposed.
3. Take a small sample of the mead, and taste it. Off flavors or smells?

I would rack it very carefully to a clean fermenter. Maybe try to skim it?

 

[Newsman]

It has been sitting for over a year (probably going on 2.) When I opened the fermentation chamber (chest freezer) there was mold/mildew growing all over the lid. Also the fermentation lid was covered on mildew.
Have to see what it smells/ tastes like, I guess

 

[videojunkie1208]

Oh. Yah, in that case I might just dump it and bleach the whole thing.