I called in sick to work yesterday…and I still didn’t do the write up for the cyser or for the winter ale!!! Maybe tonight. I make no promises though as I’m still feeling a bit under the weather. In my defense I did take back all the recyclables and then washed out, scrubed, and de-label sixty more bottles. Now I have enough for these two batches plus two more.
I stuck my nose over the carboy of the cyser. I cannot wait to try this when I bottle, tentatively on Sunday. I did not think two nutmegs would do anything, but I definitely smell the spice. The winter ale smells absolutely fabulous as well. I can’t remember when I’ve ever been more excited about my beer and more excited to brew more. I need to free up some carboys or check with all those people I gave carboys to to get started brewing and see if they are still using them. My hobby is turning into an addiction, and with my tax refund coming soon, I can’t wait to upgrade some equipment!
Alex said,
February 5, 2010 @ 5:31 pm
Hey, I love the site, keep up the good work! I set mine up (www.hoppybrewing.com) for my own personal use too, but it seems that some have appreciated it! I encourage you to keep posting! Hey you said two nutmeg went into the cyser – did you stick those in during the boil? Also, were they whole or did you crush/grind them?
reverendtenhigh said,
February 9, 2010 @ 12:19 am
…I need to get that write up done…I keep putting it off!
As far as the nutmeg is concerned, I never actually boiled the wort for the cyser and I left the nutmegs whole. I did two separate pasteurizations. One with 4 lbs of honey dissolved (it had become crystalized) in 1 gal of water @ 160 degrees for 20 mins and the other 4 gals of cider and 1 lb buckwheat honey @ 160 degrees for 20 mins. I floated the nutmegs, whole, in the cider while it pasteurized and then just transferred them right over to the primary because there was no detectable aroma of nutmeg. They were removed when I racked to the secondary.
I just bottled the cyser yesterday and while I had planned on making it a sparkling cyser, the still product is fantastic and I almost held off on priming it. I think it will benefit from the slight tartness/acidity that carbonation brings to the table. It’s still a bit harsh @ only a little over 2 months old, but I’m really excited about it. I cannot really detect the nutmeg in the nose like I thought I could before, but I’ve had a cold the last week or so. I’ll shoot ya a line when the final writeup is posted. I’m really interested in hard ciders/cysers. We should trade a bottle or two.
My winter ale that is also pictured there with the dry hops has 2 crushed nutmegs i just plopped into the secondary along with some crushed cardamom pods and whole cinnamon sticks. That air lock has definitely got some nutmeg/holiday aroma coming out of it.
reverendtenhigh said,
June 22, 2010 @ 2:10 pm
Update on the nutmegs in the cyser. After about 6 months in the bottle, they have become apparent. At least i think that is what I’m tasting. The finish has a nutmeggy flavor that leaves a “rootbeer-ish” aftertaste in your mouth, as described by more than one person. All these folks had had my cyser earlier and detected the change. I thought cysers were supposed to get better with age, but an experienced local mead/cyser/cider guy told me you gotta drink em between 3 and 6 months for the best flavor and I think he was right. I’m wishing we would have slurped these up sooner. This year I’ll be leaving the nutmeg out to see if they develop a similar flavor without it around the 6 month mark. Even with that in mind, I’m probably going to save a few bottles for long term cellaring of the nutmeg cyser.