A delicate, floral cyser built on wildflower honey with apple juice and dried elderflowers. Elderflowers add a distinctive muscat-like floral character. Targets 8.5% ABV with a semi-sweet finish. 5-gallon batch.
Hero image — add via media slot
Batch size
5 gallons
Target ABV
8.5%
Fermentation
3–5 weeks
Conditioning
2–4 months
Responsible use: These recipes produce alcoholic beverages. Ferment and consume responsibly. Verify all quantities, equipment, and safety procedures before beginning. Consult local regulations regarding home fermentation.
Add in secondary in a muslin bag. Taste daily — elderflowers extract quickly.
Yeast
Lalvin Lalvin 71B — 1 packets
Preserves delicate floral character.
| Timing | Nutrient | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 0 (pitch) | Fermaid-O | 2 g | |
| 24 hours | Fermaid-O | 2 g | |
| 48 hours | Fermaid-O | 2 g | |
| 1/3 sugar break | Fermaid-O | 2 g |
Prepare no-rinse sanitizer. Sanitize all vessels and tools.
Dissolve honey in 1 gallon of warm water. Cool. Add to fermenter with apple juice and remaining water to 5.5 gallons.
Record original gravity. Target approximately 1.064.
Pitch Lalvin 71B. Add Day 0 nutrients. Ferment at 60–65°F.
Follow TOSNA schedule. Degas before each addition.
Check gravity every few days. Fermentation typically completes in 3–5 weeks.
Rack. Add dried elderflowers in a sanitized muslin bag. Taste daily — elderflowers extract quickly.
Remove elderflowers after 1–2 days or when desired intensity is reached. Condition for 2–4 months.
Carbonate to approximately 1.5–2.0 volumes CO2. Package into pressure-rated bottles.
Ensure fermentation is fully complete before carbonating. Use vessels rated for carbonation pressure.
Honey, apple juice, and water scale linearly. Elderflower addition does NOT scale linearly. Nutrient additions do NOT scale linearly.
Enter your desired finished batch size to scale ingredient quantities. Press Enter or tap away to apply.
Target ABV
8.5%
Original gravity
1.064
Final gravity
1.004
Sweetness
semi sweet
Finished volume
5 gallons
Gross starting volume
5.5 gallons
Expected loss
0.5 gallons(9%)
| Ingredient | Quantity | Unit | Scaling notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildflower honey | 6 | lbs | |
| Fresh-pressed apple juice (no preservatives) | 3 | gallons | |
| Filtered water | 1.5 | gallons | |
| Dried elderflowers | 1 | oz | ⚠ review |
| Fermaid-O | 8 | g | ⚠ review |
⚠ Ingredients requiring review
Initial record. Phase 4C Batch 8.
A traditional cyser — a hybrid of apple cider and mead — that bridges the crisp acidity of fresh apple juice with the floral complexity of wildflower honey. Targets 8.5% ABV with a semi-dry finish and natural carbonation. This is an editorial development recipe in a 5-gallon batch format.
A warming autumnal cyser built on wildflower honey and apple juice with cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Bridges the worlds of cider, mead, and mulled wine. Targets 9% ABV with a semi-sweet finish. 5-gallon batch.
An advanced cyser built on wildflower honey and apple juice, aged on bourbon-soaked oak cubes for a complex, barrel-aged character. Targets 10% ABV with a semi-sweet finish. 5-gallon batch.