Fresh Squeezed hornets

[broncobob71]

We are having a bumper crop of hornets this year.

After the first pressing yesterday there were hundreds swarming the press, pulp buckets, grinder, juice bucket, everywhere.
The paint strainer bags kept them out of the fermenters, but it was impossible to keep them out of everything else.
It was so bad that it got to the point that I would only freak out when there was more than 5 crawling on my arms at a time. No stings, but really nerve racking.

I'm not sure how many made it into the press bags to get squeezed along with the mashed apples, but it was quite a few.
We tried to pick them all out at first, but gave up.

So what kind of flavor character do you think pressed hornet adds to a cider?

 

[PlexVector]

We are having a bumper crop of hornets this year.

After the first pressing yesterday there were hundreds swarming the press, pulp buckets, grinder, juice bucket, everywhere.
The paint strainer bags kept them out of the fermenters, but it was impossible to keep them out of everything else.
It was so bad that it got to the point that I would only freak out when there was more than 5 crawling on my arms at a time. No stings, but really nerve racking.

I'm not sure how many made it into the press bags to get squeezed along with the mashed apples, but it was quite a few.
We tried to pick them all out at first, but gave up.

So what kind of flavor character do you think pressed hornet adds to a cider?

What ever the flavor you can bet it will have guite the sting to it!

 

[plan_ahea]

 

[stella_tigre]

I'm guessing that we are going to be really glad that we can do these things inside, in the summer kitchen. We usually have a zillion hornets and yellow jackets this time of year. Just make sure you name the brew appropriately!!!!

 

[broncobob71]

Just make sure you name the brew appropriately!!!!

That's the hardest part of brewing!

 

[Homercidal]

Luckily Yellow Jackets are not too territorial when they are foraging.

I wonder if anyone would have an allergic reaction if they drank cider tainted with Yellow Jacket venom...

 

[stella_tigre]

Yellow Jacket Venom...

There's a possible name right there!!

 

[Homercidal]

There's a possible name right there!!

Sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen...

Then again, it's homebrew, so a parody of their logo might be in order!

 

[slym2none]

Up the tannin a bit, to give it extra "bite"?

 

[Crash21]

Depending on the ABV it could produce quite the buzz.

 

[siletzspey]

To get a higher ABV, does one just add honey bees?

--SiletzSpey

 

[BigFloppy]

Just make sure you name the brew appropriately!!!!

Epipen Special

 

[Paps]

Hornet intestine n hearts homebrew

 

[phoenixmead]

To answer your question hornets are a bit bitter. So see bees for that matter. Probably not enough in there to change the flavour.

 

[GHBWNY]

We are having a bumper crop of hornets this year.

After the first pressing yesterday there were hundreds swarming the press, pulp buckets, grinder, juice bucket, everywhere.
The paint strainer bags kept them out of the fermenters, but it was impossible to keep them out of everything else.
It was so bad that it got to the point that I would only freak out when there was more than 5 crawling on my arms at a time. No stings, but really nerve racking.

I'm not sure how many made it into the press bags to get squeezed along with the mashed apples, but it was quite a few.
We tried to pick them all out at first, but gave up.

So what kind of flavor character do you think pressed hornet adds to a cider?

If it continues to be a problem, maybe it's time to think about one of those 8' X 8' screen tents in which to do your 'hornet-season' pressing? I don't know if the bees mixed with the worms in the apples will give it a different flavor, but it should certainly increase the protein value.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

To get a higher ABV, does one just add honey bees?

--SiletzSpey

Average Bees per Volume

 

[Homercidal]

Sadly at lunch hour I decimated a new crop of Late Hornet Additions that were growing inside the water heater compartment of my camper.

I hated to do it, but I didn't have a batch brewing before we plan to go camping this weekend. Just when they were getting ripe too!

 

[MNFirefly]

epipen special

lmao!!

 

[MNFirefly]

Average Bees per Volume

Nice!

 

[MNFirefly]

Average Bees per Volume

Nice! [emoji23][emoji23]