The Cyser is continuing to bubble along. Fermentation initially started with a 3 hours of pitching the yeast, and has steadily built up it’s pace all week. Today I noticed that it is bubbling through the airlock at a rate of one per second. Bubbles of CO2 were observed rising from the bottom of the fermenter. Yeast is starting to cling to the sides of the fermenter as well as settle to the bottom.
Fermentation Update
Beer/Wine Blending calculator
I found the following calculator and used it to figure out what the ABV of my FSS is(or should be) after bottling
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/blending.asp
The adjusted ABV should be 4.2 % based on the SG of the beer before I added the priming solution. The SG measurement of the primed beer seems to have been off by quite a lot.
FSS Bottled
I bottled the FSS this evening. I siphoned off 4.65 gallons @ 1.008 @ 77F (1.010 corrected) 4.6% ABV. I used 2 quarts of water (pre-boil measurement) combined with 4.3 ounces of corn sugar for my priming solution. After dilution SG was 1.009@75F. This should give 2.2 vol CO2 once conditioned. Total bottled was 53 bottles, 636 oz (4 short of 5 gallons exactly). The only thing that I have not been able to figure out is how much the .45 quarts of water diluted the beer. I have been trying to figure out the ABV after dilution, but I have not been able to work it out. Maybe Miftik with her GoogleFoo skills can dig up an answer(or formula).
On a different note this beer is darned tasty. The aroma and flavor from the EK goldings is right there. Bitterness is good as well as the nutty malt flavor. I can’t wait for it to age (but I must)
Cyser brewed
I brewed up a batch of Cyser earlier today. Recipe is as follows.
2.00 Gal Apple Juice – White House
1.00 Gal Apple Juice – Indian Summer
7.00 lb Clover Honey – Generic Walmart Brand
1.00 lb Corn Sugar
1.00 lb Turbinado Raw Sugar
1.00 tsp Irish Moss 15.0 min
3.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient 15.0 min
0.50 oz Ginger Root 10.0 min
1 Cinnamon Stick 5.0 min
0.125 tsp Allspice 5.0 min
0.125 tsp Nutmeg 5.0 min
6 whole Cloves 5.0 min
1/8 tsp Vanilla Extract 5.0 Min
0.25 tsp Pectic Enzyme – Added to Primary after must was cooled
2 Pkgs 5g each Lalvin EC-1118 Champagne Yeast
Apple juice was placed in the fridge to cool it down.
I started dissolved all the fermentables in 1.5 gallons of tap water and brought it to a boil. For the first 5 minutes of the boil I skimmed off the proteins that clump on the top.
Boiling honey like this does destroy the delicate floral aroma and flavors that are present in honey, but I did not want to have any contamination issues with this considering the length of time that it needs to ferment and age. as a compromise I boiled for 20 minutes. It is long enough to kill any wild bacteria and yeast in the honey.
I added the rest of the items and spices per the schedule above. I cooled off the must in an ice bath. I then poured the chilled apple juice into my carboy and added the warm (not hot) must to the carboy, ensuring to filter out the spices and irish moss (I use a funnel that has a fine mesh strainer built in). The temp settled at 73 F. I topped up to the 5 gallon mark with apple juice and began aerating the must with the air stone and aquarium pump. After 45 minutes I pitched the rehydrated yeast (rehydrated per packet instructions). There is already signs of fermentation and airlock activity after only 4 hours.
SG of the must was 1.098@73F (1.10 corrected). Fermentation will take a few months. Should be drinkable by Christmas.
Installed Airlock
The krausen has fallen completely. I removed the blow off tube and installed an airlock. Airlock is bubbling at a rate of one bubble every 6 seconds.
Krausen falling
The krausen has peaked and is slowly receding back down. Bubbles are still coming from the blow off tube at a rate of 3 per second.
Still Good
I had a few of these at a Super Bowl party. They have aged they seem less creamy and sweet. Also there was a slight astringent flavor. I had another tonight and I still say that this is the best one I have brewed to date.
Random Beer Name Generator
Looking for a few things today I ran across the Random Beer Name Generator on www.strangebrew.ca I decided to name my latest brew Flying Squirrel Special Bitter. I hope the name is not already being used somewhere.
Active fermentation
The beer is actively fermenting now. Observed clumps of yeast being carried up by CO2. Krausen is high, about 4 to 5 inches, but is not in danger of blowoff.
Krausen is up.. Temp is down
The yeast on the top has fallen into the wort. The krausen is starting to come up, but I don’t think I will need the blow off tube. Temp on the freezer was set down to 64 F.