When to add honey?

[Deltabrew]

I was thinking of adding some honey to my cider, not all of it, just to some to see what it tastes like, do you think it will alter the taste much?
It's all in DJs now, when do you think is the best time to add a bit, now or a spoon full when I bottle it? I want it fizzy, so was thinking of a spoonful in each bottle and it would do the job of the sugar.

Whatchoo think?

 

[Tim_Crowhurst]

It will definitely work. Make sure you use a good honey, and give it a little extra time to mature.

Honey-cider is called cyser, and is a type of melomel (fruit mead). Pyment is a grape-based melomel, meddyglyn/metheglin is any spice, herb or flower-flavoured mead, and braggot is beer made with a mixture of honey with malt &/or hops.

 

[OnlyFerment]

I'm drinking some TC ATM with honey added at the outset and I have to say it is rather good. Fairly dry and with a slight hint of flavour from the honey. I added 2lbs of honey to 23l of carton juice (5l cloudy the rest clear). I don't think the honey ferments out all the way as I ended up at around 1.000 which is rather nice.

Dave

 

[Deltabrew]

Thanks for the replies, as it's now in the DJ and will then be bottled, when would you say the best time to add it or does it not matter?

 

[OnlyFerment]

Thanks for the replies, as it's now in the DJ and will then be bottled, when would you say the best time to add it or does it not matter?

I would say that if you just add it for bottle conditioning you won't be adding enough to alter the flavour significantly. Also, if you are using it for priming I would batch prime as trying to get a teaspoon full into each bottle will be a real pain.

I would say that putting the honey in the DJ and fermenting it out then batch priming with some more honey gives the best opportunity to get some flavours into the cider. The downside is that if you have already racked from primary into DJs then that effort will be rather wasted with adding significant fermentables and creating more sediment and will probably need re-racking.

Having not made cider before I can't really say how much flavour the honey has added over making it straight but based on this batch I would say 1/2 lb/gallon is OK as a starting point (I had 2 lbs in 5 gallons and it certainly is not too much). Personally if I was in your position I would go with adding to the DJ and re-fermenting.

Dave

 

[Deltabrew]

Thanks for the reply, i'll give it a go and will put it in with the yeast next time. :thumb:

 

[hypnoticmonkey]

Honey-cider is called cyser

You sure that's not just what you call it after you've had a few? ;-) :drink: