Celebrating 2 years here at The Mead House, episode 79 includes a report from co-host Jeff Shouse on his trip to 2018 Mazer Cup International. Jeff talks a bit about his experience as a judge, and gives some insight on the entry and scoring process. JD runs through a bourbon barrel cyser recipe with a twist, adding oak chips during fermentation, and using honey malt to add some mouthfeel and more honey character. See his recipe below!
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JD’s Bourbon Cyser Project
5.5 gallons Tree Top (or any preservative-free apple juice)
2+ lbs honey to bring SG to 1.070 (lightly caramelized clover honey)
1 lb honey malt steeped in 2 gallons of apple juice for 24 hours at room temp.
5 cans frozen juice concentrate (1 in fermenter at start, 2 when yeast bottoms out, 2 in secondary)
3 oz oak chips (your choice) for fermentation
2 oz American Oak cubes soaked in bourbon (4 weeks)
1-2 vanilla beans*
Starter (24 hour)
1/2 gallon apple juice
1/4 cup sugar (or enough to reach SG of 1.070)
1/4 tsp yeast nutrient
1 pack Cider House yeast
The Plan
Bring the steeped honey malt up to 170º for 10 min to sanitize, cool, then add to fermenter.
Prepare fermenter and dump the apple juice in, aerating well. Add the honey malt first, then the honey to SG 1.070.
Make sure the temperature of your starter and must are the same, around 70ºF and pitch your starter. At first signs of fermentation, reduce the temperature slowly over 24 hours to 58º-65ºF for the next 4 weeks.
Rack to secondary, adding 2-3 oz of soaked oak cubes and liquid and 1 or 2 split vanilla beans* and 2 cans of apple juice concentrate after stabilizing. I may add more bourbon for a more bourbon barrel-like flavor. The intent is not to have a bourbon cider, but more of a barrel aged flavor.
*Vanilla Beans – I may add the split vanilla beans to the soaking oak cubes & bourbon in order to extract more flavor.