Cyser — Apple & Honey Mead Recipe

What is Cyser?

Cyser sits in the melomel family of meads — fermented honey drinks with added fruit. Unlike standard meads made with water, cyser uses fresh apple juice as the base liquid, creating a wonderfully complex drink that marries the best qualities of both mead and cider. The result is typically medium-bodied with honeyed sweetness balanced by apple tartness.

Ingredients

For a 4.5 litre (1 gallon) batch:

• 1.2 kg honey (wildflower or blossom works beautifully)
• 3 litres fresh apple juice (no preservatives)
• 1 sachet wine yeast (Lalvin 71B or similar)
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• ½ tsp pectic enzyme
• 1 Campden tablet (optional, if using unpasteurised juice)

Equipment Needed

• 4.5 litre demijohn
• Airlock and bung
• Siphon tube
• Hydrometer
• Sanitiser

Method

Day One

Sanitise all equipment thoroughly. If using unpasteurised apple juice, crush one Campden tablet into the juice and leave covered for 24 hours before proceeding.

Warm approximately 500ml of apple juice gently and dissolve the honey completely. Do not boil — this preserves delicate honey aromatics. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Combine the honey mixture with the remaining apple juice in your demijohn. Add pectic enzyme and yeast nutrient. Stir vigorously to incorporate oxygen, which helps initial yeast health.

Rehydrate your wine yeast according to packet instructions, then pitch into the must. Fit your airlock and store at 18-20°C.

Primary Fermentation

Fermentation should begin within 24-48 hours. You'll see bubbling through the airlock and the liquid will become cloudy with suspended yeast. Leave undisturbed for 3-4 weeks.

Racking

Once bubbling slows significantly (around one bubble per minute or less), siphon carefully into a clean, sanitised demijohn, leaving sediment behind. Refit the airlock.

Secondary Fermentation

Allow to clear and mature for 2-3 months. The cyser will gradually drop bright and develop more refined flavours. Rack again if significant sediment accumulates.

Bottling

When completely clear and stable (no bubbling for at least two weeks), siphon into clean bottles. Cork or cap securely. For a still cyser, ensure fermentation has fully completed before bottling.

Expected ABV

This recipe produces a cyser of approximately 11-13% ABV, depending on your honey and juice sugar content. Take hydrometer readings before and after fermentation to calculate precisely.

Brewing Tips

• Juice selection matters: Use quality pressed apple juice without preservatives like potassium sorbate, which inhibit fermentation. Cloudy juice adds body and complexity.
• Honey variety: Different honeys create different character. Wildflower gives complexity, while orange blossom adds citrus notes that complement apple beautifully.
• Patience rewards: Cyser improves dramatically with age. Six months minimum is recommended; twelve months is even better.
• Backsweetening: If your cyser finishes too dry, stabilise with potassium sorbate and Campden tablets, then add honey to taste before bottling.

Recommended Products

Find everything you need for this recipe at BrewCo:

• Mead Making Supplies — honey, nutrients and specialist mead-making equipment
• Wine Yeast — including Lalvin 71B, perfect for fruit meads and cysers
• Demijohns — glass fermenters ideal for small batch meads

Serving Suggestions

Serve cyser chilled as an aperitif or alongside cheese boards. It pairs exceptionally well with mature cheddar, blue cheeses, and pork dishes. The apple-honey combination also makes it a superb accompaniment to autumn puddings and fruit tarts.