This is my first batch, made with honey from my bees I made a simple mead and a simple cyser 1 gal batches. I racked both to another 1 gal carboy 4 days ago. The mead I measured at 8% abv and the airlock is still bubbling,I'm gonna let it be. The cyser measured almost 14% abv and and the airlock doesn't have any pressure on it, no bubbles. My question is should I bottle the cyser now? There is a lot of headspace in the carboy. If I leave it will it turn into vinegar? Best bottle storage?
Racked Cyser... Bottle now?
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Seamonkey84
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Most cyser recipes I read say you should bulk age it under airlock for a few months before bottling, then age for a while longer. Give it a swirl or gentle shake, if it fizzes at all then you should be fine as there’s plenty of dissolved co2 to protect it. Might even want to swirl it a bit to let the co2 degas and purge the headspace for you. If it’s not degassed all the way, it’ll continue to drop lees, you’ll prob need to rack it at least one more time before you bottle.
You can also add more apple juice to it to take up the headspace, it’ll either restart the ferment a bit, or end up sweeting it if it’s at abv tolerance. Or you really want to, you can degassing it really good, cold crash to help clear it more, then bottle.
You can also add more apple juice to it to take up the headspace, it’ll either restart the ferment a bit, or end up sweeting it if it’s at abv tolerance. Or you really want to, you can degassing it really good, cold crash to help clear it more, then bottle.
You've racked them just once? If you bottle now, you'll likely have a ton of sediment in the bottom of your bottles. What I've read (I believe it was Yooper), and follow, is rack every time the lees get 1/4 inch or more until you get no more lees. Use 1 camden tab per gallon at every other racking in order to cut down on oxygenation. Only bottle when no more lees and it stays clear. For me, that generally means 2-3 months and 3-4 rackings.
And I agree with Seamonkey above, you need to cut down that airspace. Otherwise you run the risk of oxydizing it and maybe even creating vinegar. Adding apple juice to the level of the neck is a good idea.
And I agree with Seamonkey above, you need to cut down that airspace. Otherwise you run the risk of oxydizing it and maybe even creating vinegar. Adding apple juice to the level of the neck is a good idea.
I just store mine in the dark and room temp. Depending on my recipe i usually rack about four times. How much head space is a lot ? can you post a picture ? my last batch had a decent amount of head space, but i did add some apple juice to it so it wasn't too much. I never had an issue. I aged my last one 6 months, came out amazing. Had a bottle a full year after starting it, blew my mind.
Seamonkey84
Well-Known Member
I had that much space after my first racking. I did have plenty of fizzing when I swirled it around in the carboy, so I wasn’t too worried. I did top it off with a can of frozen juice concentrate after the second racking, and it filled it close enough to the top to age a bit before bottling. I only racked twice in the six months I had it sitting before bottling. But on that note, I thought I should of added the juice earlier, while it was still fizzing with co2.
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Great advice above.
If you prefer a very clear cyser or mead consider this. Some of these techniques will be as mentioned above by others and following all, some or none of the suggestions are certainly your preference. Oh, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with a cloudy Mead or Cyser but as noted you may have some sediment in the bottles after ageing a bit AND IMO there is a flavor difference. NOTE - My sons prefer a slightly cloudy mead I personally prefer a crystal clear one.
- Wait for your ferment to be done. (Check SG and if 1.000 OR stable under 1.010 for two readings 5 - 7 days apart.) OR use the chemicals to inhibit your yeast. (I don't use the chemicals so cant really speak to them.)
- Rack from the gross lees.
- Keep the headspace as small as practical but don't over worry about it as long as there is some CO2 in suspension. You can add some sanitized flat glass marbles or top off with another mead or cyser or juice.
- Time is your friend. I often find that most mead or cyser takes about a month to "finish" after primary. Just wait it out. Rack each time your lees are 1/4 " or more. Or until you just cant stand messing with it anymore. You shouldn't have to rack more than once or twice.
Beyond that there are additional options...
- Cold crash - Place the jugs in a fridge for 4 - 5 days and rack from the lees.
- Use a fining agent. (There are many out there and they all work pretty well.) I personally have settled on using KC Super Kleer. Have used bentonite, gelatin and moss.
- Filter using a 10, 5 and 1 micron filter set up. - I use a gravity fed system that works wonderfully.
If you prefer a very clear cyser or mead consider this. Some of these techniques will be as mentioned above by others and following all, some or none of the suggestions are certainly your preference. Oh, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with a cloudy Mead or Cyser but as noted you may have some sediment in the bottles after ageing a bit AND IMO there is a flavor difference. NOTE - My sons prefer a slightly cloudy mead I personally prefer a crystal clear one.
- Wait for your ferment to be done. (Check SG and if 1.000 OR stable under 1.010 for two readings 5 - 7 days apart.) OR use the chemicals to inhibit your yeast. (I don't use the chemicals so cant really speak to them.)
- Rack from the gross lees.
- Keep the headspace as small as practical but don't over worry about it as long as there is some CO2 in suspension. You can add some sanitized flat glass marbles or top off with another mead or cyser or juice.
- Time is your friend. I often find that most mead or cyser takes about a month to "finish" after primary. Just wait it out. Rack each time your lees are 1/4 " or more. Or until you just cant stand messing with it anymore. You shouldn't have to rack more than once or twice.
Beyond that there are additional options...
- Cold crash - Place the jugs in a fridge for 4 - 5 days and rack from the lees.
- Use a fining agent. (There are many out there and they all work pretty well.) I personally have settled on using KC Super Kleer. Have used bentonite, gelatin and moss.
- Filter using a 10, 5 and 1 micron filter set up. - I use a gravity fed system that works wonderfully.
As CKuhns mentioned the marble idea is a good one if you dont want to add anything. Iv added apple juice and apple concentrate to mine to deal with the space issue. That is a decent amount of space, if you are going to age it for a while you may wanna address that.
I personally dont mind if cider, cyser or mead is cloudy. Some of my favorite ciders are cloudy.
Looks delicious!!!
Flat "marbles" are filler stones sold at craft stores for flower vases. Just be sure they're lead free. I just plop them in.
