Apple Mead-pagne

Source: John (The Coyote) Wyllie (SLK6P@cc.usu.edu)

Ingredients:

4 gal Fresh pressed cider (from an orchard)
5 lbs Honey (used local clover/alfalfa)
1 tsp acid blend
Handful chopped raisins, or 1/4 tsp grape tannin
1 Tbsp yeast nutrient
Irish moss (or other clarifier)
2 tsp Pectic Enzyme
4 campden tables (sodium metabisulfite)
Epernay Yeast (or champagne)

Procedure:

Pour the cider to a sterilized 5 gal carboy.  Allow it to splash to 
aerate.  Treat overnight with campden tablets.  Crush and predissolve.  
Add the raisins to the carboy.  Next day heat the honey in <1 gallon of water (160 deg 1 hr, or boil if you choose). add all other ingredients to the syrup. add to the fermenter. use some of the treated juice to hydrate the yeast, and pitch the starter after it bubbles. after a few weeks, rack to a secondary. add more finings if needed (isinglass is good). top up with juice, or honey syrup. i've generally liked to let cysers, and ciders age for a pretty long time. most have been in fermenters for at least 4 months. you can bottle still, or sparkling. use 1/2 to 3/4 cup corn sugar and champagne bottles for a nice sparkle. these have taken a long time to gain a good bubble level. they have been stored cold (55). but well worth the wait! comments: a potent and pleasing fruity wine. once mature, a clear, bubbly champagne-like mead. my dad really enjoyed this one, and he usually drinks nicer wines. i was flattered. he kept grabbing the bottle at dinner! :) if you rack several times you can eliminate most of the sediment, and only have a fine layer in the bottle. i prefer to keep the priming down, because they seem to continue fermenting slowly for a long time. i've had a batch carbonate w/o priming! so much for a still wine! you could stabilize and sweeten to taste if you choose. bottling with teas is a nice addition. i've used cinnamon, but i'd bet ginger, or a tad of clove would be nice. specifics: og: ~1.070 will vary depending on source of cider. fg: 1.000. chapter 5: cyser mead with apples dangerous cyser source: chuck cox (chuck@synchro.com) mead lover's digest #5, 1 october 1992 ingredients (7 gallons): 10 lb clover honey 10 lb wildflower honey 5+ gallons cider 6 tablets campden/metabisulphate ale yeast procedure: mix everything except the yeast. let sit in loosely covered fermenter for 24 hours. add yeast. rack to secondary when fermentation slows. rack to keg when still. force carbonate if desired. condition for as long as you can stand it. drink liberally. fall over. comments: these days i am not adding the campden tablets. that step is optional.