honey in cider

[simchop84]

Hey all.
I have heard bits and pieces about people using honey in cider. Is this just away of adding more sugar for a higher alc content or does it change the taste of the cider? Thinking of adding some to my next brew, how much should I be adding?
Cheers Adam

 

[pk.sax]

I've done a suck and see, brewed a few litres only.

Just dilute some honey in whatever minimum amount of hot water and add the apple juice. Check temp and pitch yeast.

Compared to straight cider or the sugar made rocket fuel, the product will age beautifully as a silky smooth cyser. It's really very very nice.
I've blended it on with a saison and that is an explosion of flavour.

 

[Airgead]

It does add a honey flavour if you use enough.

I have used it in small dosed for back sweetning and in higher doses to make cyser. Well worth a go.

cheers
Dave

 

[MartinOC]

+2 for honey in cider = Cyser. A glorious beverage & a definite hit with the fairer-sex.

 

[Grainer]

I did find it also significantly increases alcohol content. and subtracts from the honey flavours. Next time I will try stopping the ferment and kegging earlier to get more of the honey and sweetness through it.

 

[simchop84]

Thanks for your input all. Probably get a brew on tonight.
Cheers

 

[manus]

So what amounts would you put in per litre say. I see some people adding it at the beggining of brewing and some people using it to back sweeten it. What would you recommend as there is honey in the fridge waiting to be drank

 

[Airgead]

Depends how strong you want it to end up. The more honey, the stronger it gets.

From memory, I used a kilo of honey/5l of juice last time and ended up with something around 13-14%. Depends on the juice though and how much sugar is in it.

Cheers
Dave

Edit - For a cyser you add during fermentation. Back sweetening at the end is a whole other thang.

 

[simchop84]

I used 500g of honey in 24L. Bottled about 3 or so weeks ago. The honey taste is rather stong, I'm thinking of 250g next time round.

 

[Airgead]

To back sweeten? Or during fermentation?

If you added it at bottling, you want to watch that things don't over carbonate. 500g of essentially simple sugar at bottling time will make things go boom unless you stabilise it somehow.

If you did just add it at bottling, I'd keep the bottles (please say they aren't glass) very cold and open very carefully....

Cheers
Dave

 

[simchop84]

Did it in fermentation. Cheers for the concern dave. Cant remember that exact recipe of the top of my head but was very simple. Store bought juice, honey and red star yeast.

 

[Airgead]

That's OK. We have seen a few people add a bunch of honey at bottling time and wonder why shards of glass started flying around their house a few days later.

The honey flavour will mellow somewhat with time and things will blend together. I tend to age Cysers for 12-18 months before drinking but i use way more honey in mine.

Give it a while. It will be fine.

Cheers
Dave

 

[simchop84]

Ok no worries. She is still a bit green, could do with another month or so.
Cheers dave

 

[MartinOC]

Geez! This thread reminds me to see if I can dig-out my old notes folder. Cyser was the last thing I had on-tap before I took a hiaitus 10 years ago.

I made it in about 2003 & was still drinking it off-tap in 2005. About 8% ABV & still gloriously drinkable, it still had both honey & apple character, like it doesn't "age".