It has been 8 days since my cyser was racked and the ABV was a shade over 16% using 71b-1122. It had really clarified and is now the color of a bourbon I would say. I racked it and got a good four gallons that have good clarity. I set the rest I siphoned outside to chill and hopefully clarify too. The SG has not changed a hair in those 8 days but it is still putting up a bubble occaisionally. It is still sweeter than I desired, but tastes pretty good. No bite to speak of. It has good apple acid bit left. With that alcohol content it has to be about done working doesn't it? It has a pretty robust taste. If I just added water, might it not start working again and use up some of what I think is extra sweetness? I thought of topping off with more of the apple cider but I checked its SG and it is 1.120 and that would just make the mead/must sweeter. What should I do? any thoughts appreciated.
cyser
- Thread starter Vance G
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If you used just cider and not must (usually around 1.050 in my experience) it'd thin it out and maybe go a little further in fermentation and thereby bring it down 
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If SG isn't moving then fermentation is complete. For now anyway
.Those periodic bubbles are from degassing. The mead still has alot of C02 in its solution from fermenting. It will slowly release over time. The faster it is released the faster the mead will clear.
However, if you do thin it down the yeasties might be able to take things a little farther. Maybe. If they feel like it.
The four gallons off the top still tastes good, if sweet, and is topped off with half cider/half water. The gallon I took off the lees settled probably 90% in it's just above freezing night outside. I siponed it off into a gallon jug and in turn, topped it off with cider/water. It tastes a little harsh and has an almost sour taste that I suppose derives from the apples acid bite. Someone told me that 71b-1122 lees would start to break down and make off flavors, I suppose that could be what is happening too. But at any rate, i am having a blast and am well pleased with the progress of my project. Somehow my carboy collection doubled yesterday too. Don't quite know how that happened! Strange, but I guess I will have to live with it.
Those carboys... leave them alone for a week and they multiply...
According to Wayneb, 71B is fine for about 6 weeks and then you want to make sure you rack it, my conjecture is that anything that comes along should still be active and good for another 6 weeks after that.
You just have to pay attention and rack it a little more often, so keeping a bit of leftover must around for topping off isn't a bad idea although I've been known to just use plain apple juice...
According to Wayneb, 71B is fine for about 6 weeks and then you want to make sure you rack it, my conjecture is that anything that comes along should still be active and good for another 6 weeks after that.
You just have to pay attention and rack it a little more often, so keeping a bit of leftover must around for topping off isn't a bad idea although I've been known to just use plain apple juice...
