Apple Pie Cyser Mead

It's been a long time since I've posted anything, but I also haven't had a lot to post about. I've tried a few new beers here and there, but not to the extent I used to. In fact, I don't even recall the last time I did a pick-6 at all, let alone with something new...

But that's not what this post is about. Early last year, I started to collect the ingredients to make an Apple Pie Cyser from the recipe I found on Russ Whalley's website. Finally, on October 28, 2015, I brewed up a 3 gallon batch.

And they're off (October 28, 2015)

Making this mead taught me a few things:

1. Yeast expires - The yeast I have "expired" in 2014 and I didn't realize that until after it was pitched into the mead. After a few days with little to no activity, I looked at the remaining packets closer and saw the date. Needless to say, each gallon jug received at least another yeast packet each to use up all the remaining yeast. After that, it took off.
2. Spices = foam - This was the first real Metheglin (a mead with spices) I've made, so I didn't know just how much the extra spices would cause it to foam. You can see in the photo above that my airlocks are filled with the foam. I had to clean them out several times in the first few weeks as they kept foaming over. My counter and cabinets were also covered in a nice sticky film (my wife loved that part...).

I let it sit in primary for about a month. By then, I had acquired a 5 gallon bottle (garage sale for 25 cents = WIN!) and I siphoned the cyser into it (along with adding the juice concentrate and extra honey) and it's been sitting there ever since.

I took a quick taste around Christmas last year after it had been sitting in secondary for about a month and was worried about it. Something just didn't taste right, but I know from experience that meads get better with time so I waited. Fast forward another month and I decided to take a pull to a friends house for the first "real" tasting. It turned out amazing.

It's not too sweet and not too tart. The spices are fairly mellow, but you can get the good flavor from it. It's a bit dryer than I expected it to be, but it's still very nice. And the clarity is beautiful. For future batches I really need to get a hydrometer so I can measure the ABV. I don't know where it landed, but a full wine glass worth leaves you feeling good. :) And I definitely prefer it chilled.

Even after the rough start and some lessons learned, I believe I will be trying this mead again in the future. I'm not one to pat myself on the back, but I'll make an exception for this. :)