Saaz-Hopped Cyser. Recipe in the comments.
Posted Feb 1, 2016, 2:56 PM UTC
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how long did this take to clear? did you use anything to help it clarify? ive got a cyser sitting a few months now that hasnt cleared up at all.
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Now, this is what I find most interesting about this mead: it's clarity. Whenever I make mead, I adhere to Ron Popeil's catchphrase. I pulled this out of my brewing closet after 60 days and it was perfectly clear. Usually for my meads, I either have to wait 6 months or use sparkalloid to clarify it. I don't know why this one decided to clear up so quickly. All I could think is maybe the hops helped clear it but I couldn't find anything online to back that claim up.
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you're gonna wanna keep those clear bottles away from light, otherwise you're risking getting skunky flavors from the iso alpha acids contributed by the hops.
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last time i tried to do a Cyser it was really awful I hope your recipe makes my next batch better, looks like delicious :)
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Last Fall, my Dad and I made a classic Grodziskie with some malt we smoked in his smoker. I had some leftover Saaz hops and I had this recipe sitting on my To-Brew-List for some time so I thought I'd make something based off of it.
I started off by taking 1/2 gallon of apple juice and bringing it to a boil. I added .25 oz of Saaz hops for 15 minutes. I let it cool to room temperature and combined it with the honey, remaining apple juice, pectic enzyme, and raisins. I got an SG of 1.096 and pitched my rehydrated yeast. After following a staggered nutrient addition schedule, I ended with a FG of 1.002. I dryhopped with the remaining .25 oz of Saaz hops for 7 days. After the 7 days, I bottled this very clear mead. It is way to young to enjoy but the aromas are fantastic. The apple came through well and there is an earthy aroma from the Saaz hops.
Sounds nice. Love saaz. Not a big fan of hopped ciders or meads, but it might be because most of the time they use something like cascade
What's wrong with cascade? I love the flavor with cider or mead.
There's nothing wrong with cascade. I love it in an IPA or pale ale. I guess I just don't like how hops taste in mead or cider. Just a personal preference thing. I was more trying to say that it would be interesting to see if I would like this since its a noble hop vs a C hop and would be much different
Saaz tastes amazing dry-hopped (non-fermented)
Hrmm... you like IPAs but not hopped meads? So it's not the bitterness, I guess. You might enjoy it more with a different type of hop, indeed. Have you ever tried Potter's hopped cider? I like that a lot; might be worth trying if you can get it in your area.