how to calculate Cyser?

[MX1]

How do I plane this out? Is there a calculator that takes cider/juice as in input? so I know an approx amount of honey to add to get around 14-15 % ABV.

 

[SimPilot]

I just bought 3 gallons of pasteurized apple juice to make cider. I measured it at 1.050 (6.5 abv). But that depends on yield / sugar level of your juice.

I also suggest making 12ish abv and not 15 since it will take less time ageing.

 

[MX1]

Thanks for the input
This is what works in my head
Desired ABV 12-13% = 1090-1100 Gravity points
Cider + 1040-1050 Gravity Points
= 50 - 60 gravity points to make up with honey
Honey = approx 35 gravity points per pound per gallon so about 1.5 pounds of honey = 52 gravity points

So final determination is 3L of Cider and about 1.5 pounds of honey for the Cyser

 

[MightyMosin]

For 1 gallon batch with ~OG 1.091, I use:
1.25 Lb Honey and 1 Gallon of apple juice.
1.5g pectic enzyme at least 1 hour before yeast pitch.
D47 yeast works well in Cysers; I try and keep it below 75F temperature.

This yields more than 1 gallon but works out well for racking loss.

 

[MX1]

orderd the Pectic enzyme, along with some acid blend and tannin

 

[MightyMosin]

orderd the Pectic enzyme, along with some acid blend and tannin

You may consider individual acids in place of a blend so that when you start to test and adjust you have the control over exactly how much of any acid type goes into it.

I sometimes use acids but more often I don't. My simple viewpoint is that it is a mead and I'm not trying to make a wine BUT I always need to try and shoot for a balance in the profile and acids and tannins can make a difference along with oaking the mead when it is appropriate.

Have fun experimenting and triple check those calculations when scaling up a bench sample to the full batch size.
I once keyed the decimal point into the wrong spot and added way too much acid; luckily most of it stayed clumped at the bottom and I was able to rack off of it. It is still sitting there waiting for me to blend it with a newer mead to balance out the acidity.

BTW, Tannin packages with FT are meant to be used in the primary fermentation, such as Tannin FT Rouge.

 

[MX1]

You may consider individual acids in place of a blend so that when you start to test and adjust you have the control over exactly how much of any acid type goes into it.

I sometimes use acids but more often I don't. My simple viewpoint is that it is a mead and I'm not trying to make a wine BUT I always need to try and shoot for a balance in the profile and acids and tannins can make a difference along with oaking the mead when it is appropriate.

Have fun experimenting and triple check those calculations when scaling up a bench sample to the full batch size.
I once keyed the decimal point into the wrong spot and added way too much acid; luckily most of it stayed clumped at the bottom and I was able to rack off of it. It is still sitting there waiting for me to blend it with a newer mead to balance out the acidity.

BTW, Tannin packages with FT are meant to be used in the primary fermentation, such as Tannin FT Rouge.

It was a package deal, figured couldn't hurt to have a bit on hand

 

[Dan O]

BTW, Tannin packages with FT are meant to be used in the primary fermentation, such as Tannin FT Rouge.

I did not know this. Every day's a school day
Thank you for sharing this.

 

[MightyMosin]

I love learning new items. My last year has been ravenous learning and testing.

 

[Dan O]

I love learning new items. My last year has been ravenous learning and testing.

Agreed. Now that I've started doing bench testing with acids, (which scares the hell out of me, just because it's new to me), things are starting to get better

 

[MX1]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UKJG5LY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1this what I picked up, should be here tomorrow, which is perfect, I need to run and pick up some more 1 gallon jars, and switch my CO2 tank, at the LHBS so I can get these started this weekend

 

[Dan O]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UKJG5LY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1this what I picked up, should be here tomorrow, which is perfect, I need to run and pick up some more 1 gallon jars, and switch my CO2 tank, at the LHBS so I can get these started this weekend

These 1 gallon carboys?

North Mountain Supply 1 Gallon Glass Fermenting Jug with Handle, 6.5 Rubber Stopper, 2-Piece Airlock, Black Plastic Lid - Set of 1 Amazon.com: North Mountain Supply 1 Gallon Glass Fermenting Jug with Handle, 6.5 Rubber Stopper, 2-Piece Airlock, Black Plastic Lid - Set of 1 : Home & Kitchen

I usually get the 4 packs but they're out of stock right now from North Mountain.

North Mountain Supply 1 Gallon Glass Fermenting Jug with Handle, 6.5 Rubber Stopper, 2-Piece Airlock, Black Plastic Lid - Set of 4 North Mountain Supply 1 Gallon Glass Fermenting Jug with Handle, 6.5 Rubber Stopper, 2-Piece Airlock, Black Plastic Lid - Set of 4: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Homebrew Ohio has these 4 packs in stock

Pack of Four 1 Gallon Glass Jugs with Lids, Airlocks, Thermometers & Blow Off Amazon.com | Pack of Four 1 Gallon Glass Jugs with Lids, Airlocks, Thermometers & Blow Off: Beer Glasses

 

[MightyMosin]

I really like the Fermonster stuff. They are wide mouth and have a bit more headspace than a standard size. The 1 gallon is about 1.3 gallons so you have room for adding stuff and the wide mouth makes it easy to get those items in and out.

I've had glass break on me twice and I'm really happy with not dealing with that potential for hurting myself especially on the larger 6 and 7 gallon fermonsters which are heavy enough with just the liquid.

I've been kicking around the idea of using a 6 gallon Torpedo keg as a fermentation vessel.

https://www.morebeer.com/products/fermonster-1-gallon-carboy.html

 

[bernardsmith]

Thanks for the input
This is what works in my head
Desired ABV 12-13% = 1090-1100 Gravity points
Cider + 1040-1050 Gravity Points
= 50 - 60 gravity points to make up with honey
Honey = approx 35 gravity points per pound per gallon so about 1.5 pounds of honey = 52 gravity points

So final determination is 3L of Cider and about 1.5 pounds of honey for the Cyser

except that 3 lbs of honey is 1 L so you you are short changing your volume. The thing is that if you use 1.5 lbs of honey, you want to fill the vessel to the 1 gallon mark - the juice will add about 1.050 and the honey will add 1.055 (+/-) , so yor cyser will be close enough to 13% if you were playing horseshoes and not darts.

 

[MX1]

I currently use 2 of these
https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/siphonless-little-big-mouth-bubbler-glass-fermenter
then rack into these
https://www.amazon.com/Home-Brew-Oh...uMTMifQ==&sprefix=1+gallon+fer,aps,117&sr=8-2
but I only have 2 of the 1 gallon jars right now.

Looking at getting one of these
https://brewdemon.com/collections/fermnters/products/brewdemon-conical-fermenter-frost

 

[Dan O]

I really like the Fermonster stuff. They are wide mouth and have a bit more headspace than a standard size. The 1 gallon is about 1.3 gallons so you have room for adding stuff and the wide mouth makes it easy to get those items in and out.

I've had glass break on me twice and I'm really happy with not dealing with that potential for hurting myself especially on the larger 6 and 7 gallon fermonsters which are heavy enough with just the liquid.

I've been kicking around the idea of using a 6 gallon Torpedo keg as a fermentation vessel.

https://www.morebeer.com/products/fermonster-1-gallon-carboy.html

I have two of the 3 gallon FERMONSTERS & love those!

 

[MightyMosin]

I currently use 2 of these
https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/siphonless-little-big-mouth-bubbler-glass-fermenter
then rack into these
https://www.amazon.com/Home-Brew-Oh...uMTMifQ==&sprefix=1+gallon+fer,aps,117&sr=8-2
but I only have 2 of the 1 gallon jars right now.

Looking at getting one of these
https://brewdemon.com/collections/fermnters/products/brewdemon-conical-fermenter-frost

You can get the fermonsters with spigots or add them later if you like. I added the spigot to a few of mine and have bottled directly from the spigot via hose to the bottom of the bottle... a little CO2 on top and then I seal them up.

 

[MX1]

when i got them they were on sale for $18, so I could not pass them up