Hard Apple Cider

[tonloc152]

Well its fall again and the beers are getting darker and heavier. The apple cider is also just now being pressed locally.. So I will ask the all familiar question. Who has the most rockin apple cider recipie? I would love to try my hand at this fun autumn beverage and have been reading lots of opinions (i.e. no spice, lots of spice, this yeast that yeast). I pretty much plan on taking 5 gal. of locally pressed cider with about 2-3 pounds of local honey and some Cote De Blanc yeast no seasoning added. What do you think?

[zoom6zoom]

That's basically what I do, but just the juice and yeast. I add a little honey prior to kegging, but that's all. There are a few other current cider threads, do a search - most of these questions have been answered.

[jjpm74]

Here's my cider recipe:

Go to a cidery with 2 six gallon carboys. Fill up both with unpasteurized cider and put on an airlock. Primary for 1 month, then transfer to secondary (I did 1 with and 1 without french oak this year) until next August and forget about them. At the end of August bottle.

This year I am also pressing my own once again for a third batch.

I just let the wild yeast do its own thing.

[Bob E.]

This is what I plan to try shortly, exept I have a pack of dry danstar nottingham yeast in the fridge door I want to move out.
Originally posted by burritosandbeer
3. two cans of concentrated apple juice with 5 gallons of cider plus white labs cider yeast == heaven!!!

The whole thread (http://www.realbeer.com/discussions/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3079&highlight=cider)

[zoom6zoom]

Nottingham will give you a pretty dry cider as it attenuates rather fully. I use Cote de Blancs and have had nice results.

[Bob E.]

Should I kick up the og a bit more to use the nottingham?

[zoom6zoom]

Rather than kick up the OG, I would just back sweeten it a bit after fermentation ends. I've used frozen AJ concentrate for this, some folks like to use a bit of Splenda (as it's non-fermentable).

[Bob E.]

hmm... Back sweetening, not a bad idea. I was thinking of letting the yeast kill them selves with alcohol then sweet to my liking :D

[Mill Rat]

Originally posted by Bob E.
hmm... Back sweetening, not a bad idea. I was thinking of letting the yeast kill them selves with alcohol then sweet to my liking :D This is sometimes not a really good idea. Without a microscope it is hard to tell the difference between domant and dead, and normal homebrewer eagerness tends to make us want to rush things a bit. Bad things happen when the yeast rise up and say, "I'm not dead yet!"

[sbv32]

so some people use cider and some use juice off the shelf like ocean spray?

[zoom6zoom]

Yeah, some folks can't get the fresh stuff. It'll work, just won't taste quite the same. Just make sure there are no preservatives listed, like pottassium sorbate, or your fermentation won't get going.

[Fir Na Tine]

I sampled some cider made with WalMart brand apple juice, Orchard frozen concentrate, and champagne yeast. It was wonderful stuff.

[tonloc152]

Well here goes the sample gallon. I picked up a gallon of fresh pressed pastureized apple cider and pitched Cote De Blanc yeast, aerated with pure O2 and put a stopper and air lock right in the top of the one gallon jug. My O.G. is 1.050 we'll see how it goes.

[corkybstewart]

We pressed a bucket of crab apples today and about 2 gallons of assorted apples from my neighbor. We got 2.5 gallons of juice, and then used 3 gallons of Wal Mart juice with a pack of dry yeast. It's bubbling away in the spare bathroom. Those fresh apples should make this pretty distinctive, maybe even good.

[sbv32]

crab apples :confused:

I've never heard of this, but then again I'm still new.

what kind of yeast did you use? Cote De Blanc yeast?

[corkybstewart]

I actually used a pack of Safale T-33, which I later learned was for Belgian style ales. This was a last minute thing, my wife decided it was time to pick the crabapples before the birds got them aso I had to use what was on hand-the nearest LHBS is 200 miles away.
Anyway, it smells damn good.

[sbv32]

So with the research that I did I have come to the conclusion that Cote De Blanc yeast is the best yeast for a semi dry cider?

Also, is there any difference in using regular sugar vs. Honey?

Also, would it be a bad idea to use a 5 gallon carboy to make 2 gallons of cider?

[jjpm74]

Originally posted by sbv32
crab apples :confused:

I've never heard of this, but then again I'm still new.

what kind of yeast did you use? Cote De Blanc yeast?

Crab Apples are excellent in cider.

Cote de blanc is good for semi dry. Champagne yeast is good for a dry finish.

As for sugar vs. honey, I've noticed that sugar tends to give off some fusel notes and causes the cider's body which is thin to begin with to end up even thinner, but it's all a matter of preference.

[tonloc152]

I used Cote De Blanc yeast from RedStar and within 12 hours it was bubbling away a bubble every two seconds. The Cote yeast is a low foam yeast so the krausen is less than an 8th of an inch thick. This is getting me excited I'm done now I have to go look at my brews/:D

[tonloc152]

Also on the sugar vs. honey I'm a honey guy all the way. As the jjpm74 stated fusel taste from white sugar is common, honey imparts some nice gamey flavors, the smells at the top of the honey bottle usually find their way into the brew wether it be cider wine or beer. I used honey in my last A.G. barley wine and it leaves a killer sweetness to the aftertase though not over powering.:p

[sbv32]

Also, would it be a bad idea to use a 5 gallon carboy to make 2 gallons of cider?
Does anyone think I will have problems with this?

[zoom6zoom]

I think that might have a bit too much headspace; could result in oxidation. I'd do one of two things:

1. Split the batch between two 1-gal jugs. If you don't have two airlocks and stoppers, you can improvise with some tubing and a small pan.

2. Brew a bigger batch. You're gonna wish you had, anyway. I hate running out of cider.

[tonloc152]

I am using the milk jug style plastic jug that the cider came with. I just drank approx 8oz (yum:p ) pitched my yeast and aerasted with O2 for a min or so, threw on the airlock and shazaaaam. Im with zoom though you will wish you had made more. If cost is not an issue than go big early.

[Otis_The_Drunk]

here is what I'm making....
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=33986

[sbv32]

cost is not an issue this is just my first brew of any type so I didn't want to mess it up. Is it necessary to check the gravity on cider?

[unkle bik]

I'd give my left big toe if I could find cider WITHOUT potassium sorbate.
Any Ohio members have any ideas on where to locate some in the Akron area?

[sbv32]

Thats my next mission.....find cider without potassium sorbate!!

[MrNate]

Have you checked the organic section of your grocery store (if you have one, that is)?

My recipe is just cider from the local orchard w/ WL English Cider yeast. This year I'm going to try 1 gallon with champagne yeast to try to get it a little drier.

[sbv32]

What are everyone's thoughts with carbination vs. still on the cider?

Also, I called some stores and found some cider with no PS. AWESOME. I'm going to pick it up today.

[corkybstewart]

My last cider was actually kegged and served very fizzy. I think still mead is great, but I think cider needs carbonation. My wife bought a sixer of Hornsby Cider last night and was complaining about the low level of carbonation.

[zoom6zoom]

Is it necessary to check the gravity on cider?
Strictly speaking, it's not necessary on beer, either. But it will give you a better idea on what's happening, and better repeatability. Folks been brewing for thousands of years without any fancy tools.

You'll probably find the OG of plain cider somewhere in the 1.048 neighborhood.

[Otis_The_Drunk]

Originally posted by MrNate
Have you checked the organic section of your grocery store (if you have one, that is)?

My recipe is just cider from the local orchard w/ WL English Cider yeast. This year I'm going to try 1 gallon with champagne yeast to try to get it a little drier.

Red Star Montrachet yeast ferments out really dry, somewhere around 0.998

you may give that one a try.

[sbv32]

OK, just picked up 4 gallons of cider with out any potassium sorbate. Called my LBS and they have the Red Star Montrachet and the Cote De Blanc yeast.

From what I have been reading I will go with the Cote De Blanc Yeast for a more semi sweet cider.

HONEY? How much of this should I put in for my 4 gallon mix if I even need to put any in?

I'm super excited about this. Thanks for everyone's help.

[MrNate]

Originally posted by Otis_The_Drunk
Red Star Montrachet yeast ferments out really dry, somewhere around 0.998

you may give that one a try.

Shoot, I already ordered. Do you know how "Lalvin Champagne EC-1118" does in cider?

[Otis_The_Drunk]

Very dry about the same as the Montrachet

[sbv32]

I think I'm going with 5 cups of honey (any type I should get)?

How long shall I leave this in the primary?

How long in the secondary?

[jjpm74]

Originally posted by sbv32
I think I'm going with 5 cups of honey (any type I should get)?

How long shall I leave this in the primary?

How long in the secondary?

1. It doesn't really matter, although you might want to reconsider 5 cups unless you're planning to make a cyser as that is a lot of honey. A cyser is a mead with apples. Adding 2 pounds at transfer to secondary then a pound or two about a month later would be more than enough.

2. About 3 weeks.

3. it depends on who you ask and what you are looking to get out of it. I do 10 month secondaries for cider. Others do far less time. The best advice I can give you is to take gravity readings and monitor the appearance of the cider. If it is clear and the gravity is pretty stable, you can bottle. If not, patience is a virtue if making a really good traditional cider.

[Otis_The_Drunk]

Originally posted by sbv32
I think I'm going with 5 cups of honey (any type I should get)?

How long shall I leave this in the primary?

How long in the secondary?

At least 6 weeks at 74 degrees in primary, it will be clear and no need for secondary.
I'd let it set for a couple weeks in the bottle. I personally like my cider carbonated, so I would just prime it like beer and apply the same rules for carbonation.
If you keg, this would be especially good, as you could force carbonate it.

[unkle bik]

Originally posted by MrNate
Have you checked the organic section of your grocery store (if you have one, that is)?

My recipe is just cider from the local orchard w/ WL English Cider yeast. This year I'm going to try 1 gallon with champagne yeast to try to get it a little drier.

Good idea with the organic section. I did find a 1.5l jug for $5. Unfortunately, it looks more like filtered apple juice.

The local orchards around here ALL have potassium sorbate. I think it's a coup by the PC zealots.

[MrNate]

Maybe you could talk to the owner of the orchard about making a run without the added potassium sorbate. You'd probably have more luck if you had a group of people on your side. If you can't find enough homebrewers, maybe you could use some hippies to make numbers.

Just a thought, not sure if it would work or if it would be worth it. If not, try the organic apple juice you found and see how that turns out. Should be decent at least.

[sbv32]

got my cider started tonight.

Put 5 gallons of cider with 2lbs of corn sugar and pitched english ale yeast.

How long will it take for it to start bubbling?

This is my first ferment so I am super excited.

[tonloc152]

This is your first batch of anything? It depends on your yeast type. Did you pitch dry or liquid? Liquid should be 12-18 hours. Dry approx 24, and be prepared for day4 when it starts to smell like, well, fermenting fruit enmjoy. What was your original gravity?

[corkybstewart]

I used dry yeast and had activity within 3 hours. And mine stills smells like apples on day 5. The wife is very impressed, somehow after all these years of me brewing this is the first time she's ever paid any attention at all.

[MrNate]

Got mine going last night - 4 gallons with White Labs English Cider, 1 gallon with Champagne. Both are working, so I guess I'll have my verdict in 4 months or so.

[sbv32]

4 months? I thought it would be done much sooner than that.

Yes, this is my first batch of anything. Wanted to start with something easy and work my way up.

I got home today and she a bubbling real nice....YES

[rKeyTek]

Just bottled my cider last night, tasted pretty nice slightly sour still sweet, almost have some carbonation or a fizzy feel

... have a growler set aside for thanksgiving, and and couple bottles that i'll try every now and than, only made a gallon and half batch, now i wish i would have made a full batch!!!

I saved the yeast cake-- can i just rack new apple cider over that cake like with beer?? i used a british Ale yeast.

[MrNate]

Originally posted by sbv32
4 months? I thought it would be done much sooner than that.


I like to age my cider on the long side. It ages really well, and by the time spring rolls around a good crisp cider is well-received. You don't have to age it that long by any means. The last batch I did with store bought juice only sat in secondary for a month or so.

My granddad used to drink it regularly from the time it started working up until the time it turned to vinegar.

[corkybstewart]

Originally posted by MrNate
[B
My granddad used to drink it regularly from the time it started working up until the time it turned to vinegar. [/B]
The last batch of ciderI made really sucked, it had an awful astringency so I turned it into vinegar by adding some mer from a batch of redwine vinegar I was making. It is absolutely excellent, especially on things like crab or shrimp salads.

[M.K. Jeeves]

I make my cider by buying the apples and juicing them with a power juicer. This is the least cost effective method, however it gives you complete control of the entire process, and insures the freshest juice available.
Be forwarned, 10 Lbs of apples yields approximately 1 gallon of juice.
If you live in an apple producing state or have access to an orchard the price may not be too bad.

[unkle bik]

Found a great place to purchase cider without the preservatives:
Amish country.

Bought 2 gals. of pure cider at 4.50/gal
Going to add the aforementioned "organic cider" to pack of champagne yeast tonight.

[sbv32]

Awesome, keep me posted.

Anyone have any good spice recipe's for apple cider? I think Im going to spice up 1 gallon and keg the rest.

[plantman]

It's not what I did for my cider, but the best thing to do would probably be to purchase a "mulling spice mixture" or follow a recipe for the components (allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, orange peel, clove etc.) and then make a "potion" by soaking the mix in a small amount of vodka a la Randy Mosher's Radical Brewing. This way, you can measure exact amounts of your concentrate into a little of your finished cider or a commercial one to see what quantity it needs. Then do the math to figure the total amount needed for the whole batch, mix it in when mixing in your priming sugar, and bottle. Voila, spiced cider. I've read of folks tossing the spices into their secondaries and getting harsh flavors that take forever to smooth out so this method seems the best.

[sbv32]

plantman, from what I read, I think your really good at potions. Would you have a detailed recipe?

Also, I only did a 5 gallon batch and when I rack over to secondary I want to steal a gallon to spice up. Will I have a problem with too much head space in the carboy? Could I add a gallon of "new apple cider" to make up the deficit?

[plantman]

Well, I don't know about being 'really good' with them, but I have been using them to do some good brewing and think they are a great way to preserve aromatic components into beverages. Anyway, I'd use something like this:
Apple Mulling Spice Mix Recipe
Ingredients
3 boxes (1 ounce each) cinnamon sticks
6 whole nutmegs (1 ounce)
1/3 cup each chopped dried orange and lemon peel
1/4 cup each whole allspice and whole cloves
2 Tbsp finely chopped, crystallized ginger (1 ounce)


(http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blspice27.htm (website reference) )
Mind you, that's a serious concentrate designed to make 14 individual spice bags which should spice 1/2 gallon of cider a piece, according to the site. I would just drop it all in a pint of vodka or so to make my measurable concentrate. In fact, I'm now wishing I would have been patient and done exactly that instead of making a hot tea with my spice mixture prior to fermentation, but I guess we'll see what happens. Hope that helps.
plantman

EDIT: I don't know the answer to your question about head space and topping up, maybe someone more experienced can field that one.

[unkle bik]

Originally posted by sbv32
Awesome, keep me posted.

Anyone have any good spice recipe's for apple cider? I think Im going to spice up 1 gallon and keg the rest.

Started the cider Mon. night.
Added a 1/4 cup of honey to qt. hot water and a cinaminn stick.
Kept stirring for about 5 minutes. Let cool and added to the 2.5 gal of cider.
O.G. of 1.068

Bubbling happily away in corner of kitchen.:)

[sbv32]

Thanks again plantman.

So i'll soak 2 spice bags in a pint of vodka for 24-48 hours? and then add the vodka?

[plantman]

Well, yours isn't done in fermenting yet is it? I would let those herbs sit in the vodka for at least a week, more like two. Then when the cider's ready to bottle, do your potion dosage testing, add the appropriate amount (it may be less than recommended due to vodka's superior solvent ability,) add priming sugar and bottle. That way, all the volatile oils from the potion will be locked into each bottle. Be careful, it's better to use to little than too much.

[sbv32]

correct its not done yet, so I will let it sit and add it when I bottle.

[Stewart Orchard]

I own a small pick-your-own orchard in Tennessee. I started brewing a couple of years ago when I bought equipment to make hard cider from my own apples, but had to wait for the apples to be ripe. I had just enough time to make two batches of beer.

I found this web site when I became interested in brewing all-grain, and I did not expect to find any threads on hard cider. This is great! I will have to say that I would take my cider 2 to 1 over any beer I have ever had. I know this is a strong statement, especially on a forum like this, but hear me out.

First of all, I had never though of making hard cider from commercial juice. It does sound interesting, especially the recipes utilizing mulling spices. However, traditional English type hard ciders a made from apples grown specifically for hard cider. The apples are classified as sharps, sweets, bitters, and bittersweets (in most cases, you would not want to eat any of these apples). These apples are then blended either before pressing or after pressing, depending on the desired result.

Commercial apple juice (I cannot in good conscience call it cider) made from apples found to be too small, too ugly, too ripe, too un-ripe, or windfalls (apples dropped by the tree prematurely). No account is taken by what type of apple is used, and they are most certainly a sweet desert apple. The cider is then pasturized, which destroys any harmful bacteria encountered by poor handling, but also destroys the full flavor of the fresh cider. The result is a juice lacking in character, with one brand tasting very much like another. Much like apple flavored water.

Drinking a good fresh, non-pasturized cider is like taking a bite from the best apple you have ever had, multiplied by ten.

Blending of the apples for hard cider is analogous to the selection of grains and hops for brewing beer. Certain varieties are selected for their aroma, bitterness, astringency, and sweetness. Very few single varieties of apple can produce a good hard cider by its self. We are limited in the U.S. by the type of apples grown commercially, as almost all growers only produce table apples or processing apples. Pick-your-own orchards may have a few apple varieties that would make good single blend ciders, such as: Golden Russet, Baldwin, Arkansas Black, Grimes Golden, Mutsu, and Jonagold.

The only one I grow is Arkansas Black. This apple produces a hard cider that is well balanced with an alcohol content of between 6-7%, depending on the year. I enjoy my cider with a bit of carbonation.

Sorry to ramble so much on my first post, but cider is one of my passions.

Tatum

[corkybstewart]

Welcome to the site Tatum.
Do you sell your fresh cider, or do you just press for yourself? It's too bad you're so far away from here, I'd love to be able to use fresh juice.
My neighbor has 3 varieties growing, I have 3 but they're really to new to bear much fruitexcept for that damn crabapple that was alledgedly a grannysmith. So we use some of all those varieties plus some store-bought crap for our cider, which by the way is smelling damn nice and may go into bottles next week.

[Stewart Orchard]

I have only been pressing for myself and friends. I do not feel comfortable selling unpasturized cider to the public in today’s litigious society. Don’t get me wrong, I have total faith in the cider I make. Its just like with beer, keep your equipment clean and sanitized and your ingredients clean. I do not use windfalls in the cider, as those apples are exposed to bacteria (ecoli. from deer and rabbit poop). I do use small and malformed apples, but never any that over-ripe, under-ripe, or rotten.

The crab apples may surprise you. If you use about 10% in your blend, they will lend an astringency that will balance the sweetness of the table apples you use. They will also add tannins that, if given the chance to mellow for a year, will add mouthfeel and body.

No apples or cider this year. This entire region is fruitless due to the hard Easter freeze following four weeks of 80 degree weather. Then the worst drought in 50 years. The ag service is calling it Frezze-drying. Funny. Freakin hi-larus.

[corkybstewart]

I somehow got very lucky this year. Usually we get a late freeze that wipes out most of my fruit. This year we got the hard freeze Easter weekend, to the point that it killed my tomatoes and hops even. But for some reason my fruit trees werent bothered. We had bumper crops of peaches, apricots, nectarines, almonds, crabapples, and I'll start picking pecans soon. The big commercial cherry and apple orchards in the mountains near here got hit pretty bad so there were no cherries this year, and I haven't had time this fall to check out the apple harvest.

[sbv32]

Welcome Stewart Orchard,

I just started my first fermentation of any kind about a week ago and I chose apple cider. Im using cider from a local here in KC. I'm excited to see how it turns out.

How do you make your hard cider? Do you pitch yeast or allow the wild yeast to do its thing?

Let us know :)

[Stewart Orchard]

Traditional cider used the wild yeast growing on the apple skins. Certain regions developed different strains. Pasturized apple cider has had 99.7 of the of any living organism killed. There are no natural yeasts present in this juice. Letting nature take is course is a very iffy thing to do in this case, and risks contamination from bacteria. Even if your juice is not pasturized, the good wild yeasts growing on the apple have a hard time making it to the juice due to fungicide application during the growing season and washing after harvest.

I generally use a dry champagne yeast. I was planing on experimenting with other yeasts this year. But the champagne yeast will ferment your cider to dryness, which is what I like.

I find cider to be easier than all-grain beer, but I think you have to be more scrupulous about your hygiene. Acetic acid bacteria can give you 5 gallons of vinegar, very good vinegar, but not cider.

My normal procedure is quite simple:

1. Press the apples and collect the cider.
2. Add campden tablets, let rest, covered with a sanitized cheese cloth for a couple hours
3. Add dry yeast package and yeast nutrient.
4. Place airlock and watch it bubble for a week. I store it in my cellar, about 55-60 degrees. Higher temps work, but the yeast can make quite a mess when they get rolling early on.
5. Once the bubbling has slowed significantly, but not stopped, I rack into a secondary. The secondary bubbles for a while and I leave it there for as long as I can stand (usually 3 weeks), then prime and bottle.
6. The smoothness of my cider really improved after about a month in the bottle, but I admit to drinking it after two weeks or so. If you can set it in the closet and forget about it for a year, you well be rewarded with a special treat.

BTW: If you like vinegar, it really is worth it to make your own. If you cannot get any vinegar “mother”, just hold out some of the cider and allow it to sit covered with cheese cloth for a couple of days.

[corkybstewart]

Originally posted by Stewart Orchard
BTW: If you like vinegar, it really is worth it to make your own. If you cannot get any vinegar “mother”, just hold out some of the cider and allow it to sit covered with cheese cloth for a couple of days.
I turned a crappy batch of cider into really excellent vinegar. It's perfect on crab or shrimp salads, as well as everyday green salads. I may make another batch of cider just for vinegar when this one is finished.

[DubbelDach]

Got my cider from a local orchard... Left a carboy so they could fill it when they pressed new stuff so that I could get without the preservatives or pasteurization.

That night I brought it home and crushed and added 5 campden tabs to it. I let it sit overnight and the next night I added brown sugar (1 lb), orange blossom honey (8 oz), yeast nutrient (5 tsp) and acid blend (2 tsp). These were all boiled in water for 15 mins and cooled before adding. Meanwhile I rehydrated my Cote des Blanches yeast for about 30 mins in 100* water (previously boiled and cooled).

After 6 days of no visible fermentation (in a bucket) I was thinking of giving up. I opened the bucket and it smelled like turds. Straight sulphuric, sour, garbage. I took a gravity reading and it truly hadn't budged. I closed the lid, reaffized the airlock and told the wife that if I don't see anything by tomorrow, it's gone. She's a doctor and was starting to worry about e. coli, I think, and all the bad stuff that could be in unpasteurized cider.

Next morning - a Festivus miracle! Fermentation took off like a rocket and was vigorous (bubbles every few seconds) for 48 hours straight before finally slowing down.

Haven't taken a gravity yet, but does everyone think I'm 1) safe/undiseased, and 2) achieving my goal of having palatable cider soon?

[Stewart Orchard]

What was your initial gravity? With the additions of sugar and honey it my have been a shock to the yeast and slowed their growth. Sugar is a preservative in high enough quantities. I think you are safe from disease, as the yeast will overwhelm the other organisms, or the alcohol will kill them.

As far as having a drinkable cider, you can drink it after fermentation is complete. Flavor and smoothness will be greatly benefitted by ageing for about two months.

[DubbelDach]

OG was 1.056. Thanks Stewart!

[sbv32]

I racked my cider to the secondary last Friday and she still bubbling good. My question is this. Many people say that if you can let cider age longer the taste improves. If I leave it in the secondary for lets say....2 months and then add sugar and bottle, will there be enough yeast to carb the bottles?

[markaberrant]

I made a basic dry cider 6 months ago - store bought pasteurized cider, and a pack of Coopers ale yeast. It just keeps getting better and better, I'm enjoying a glass of it right now. The key is definitely patience.

[corkybstewart]

Patience will be easy for me since my wife decided she like her cider sweeter now that it's bottled. I'll add some splenda to this next batch. It won't have the crabapple juice but she'll get over it. Or she can always add sugar to her glass.

[sbv32]

markaberrant, after how long did you prime and bottle?

[markaberrant]

Originally posted by sbv32
markaberrant, after how long did you prime and bottle?

I did a 1 month primary and then bottled. I let all my brews go as long as 6 weeks without re-yeasting, beyond that I'll add a 7g pack of Coopers ale yeast.

[DubbelDach]

Wow......... Does this look right? I outlined my cider making procedure above. These pics were just taken after I racked to 2ndary.

It is so cloudy, and much lighter than I thought it would be. It still smells like turds (very sulfury). It tastes tart, not bad, but not as I expected.

So, does this look right, and should I do anything to it?

http://www.geocities.com/shiplax027/KIF_0884.JPG
http://www.geocities.com/shiplax027/KIF_0886.JPG

My gravity is 1.000 right now, down from the 1.056 I reported earlier.

[jjpm74]

Looks normal. Ciders when they are finished eventually clear completely and it is not unusual to end up with an FG under 1.000. You can't go by the smell emitted by the cider while it is still fermenting.

[rKeyTek]

I was thinking of adding brown sugar, cinnamon and some apple sauce to my cider in the primary...try to recreate that apple pie taste, Is this normal for a cider recipe, i don;t think any harm would come of adding some the apple sauce and brown sugar...even some fresh sliced apples?!?!?!?

any thoughts?

[danno]

what part of the apple pie taste are you aiming for? the spices would be fine, but I'd be hesitant to add applesauce due to the preservatives and other additives in it...

if you want it sweeter, you're most likely going to have to sorbate it and then backsweeten it...

[rKeyTek]

the only reason i added the apple sauce is becuz i have a bottle that is "all natural", no sugar/perservative..blah blah blah...thought the chunks of apples would add more to the flavor...kinda like adding puree for a fruit beer.

And i thought the Brown sugar might add to the taste more than just food for the yeast....dunno never used it before in brewing.

I have a gallon batch going right now with(if i remember correctly):

1 gallon apple cider (store bought)
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 stick of cinnamon
1/2 bottle (maybe 5-6 oz.) Apple cider
1 apple peeled and diced

Used british ale yeast cake from the previous Cider test batch

[sbv32]

I am making 5 gallons of cider and I am going to spice 1 gallon of it when I go to bottling. I'm going to use Plantmas's suggestion and make a "potion" by soaking the mix in a small amount of vodka a la Randy Mosher's Radical Brewing. I have been soaking my spices since the 24th, so when time comes it should be good to go.

I think I will bottle in a couple of weeks. I think 1 month should be good to go, I hope :D

[plantman]

Are you gonna do stepwise, measured tests of the potion in a cider first to make sure you've got the right level? You should, 'cuz vodka is a much better solvent than water and you don't want too much spice. Anyway, I'd love to hear about your results as I just racked my malted and unmalted spiced ciders that used a spice preboil instead of a potion. The result was very tasty, but I'm curious what the difference would be between the techniques....hmm....

[sbv32]

since I'm only doing a gallon my plan was to start with a small amount, taste add more if needed, taste, add more if needed, taste until it is just right. Once I get the desired amount I will bottle. The potion smells AWESOME can't wait till its complete.

[plantman]

Or you could buy some regular commercial hard cider and figure out the potion:cider ratio you like in that and then scale up for your gallon. That's what I did with my prefermentation 'tea' and it came our just right. It'll save you some of your end product too:) Tasting gets out of hand for me pretty quickly and I'd likely end up with half a gallon, but YMMV

[MrNate]

Originally posted by rKeyTek
...And i thought the Brown sugar might add to the taste more than just food for the yeast....dunno never used it before in brewing.


Be careful with brown sugar. The molasses makes for some interesting flavors.

[sbv32]

OK so I went to the secondary after 1 week and it has been there for about 4 weeks (I think, could be 3 weeks). I took some out for a quick sample and it tasted like water with a slight taste of alcohol. I didn't check the gravity when I started and tried to check it when I sampled but I can't seem to get a good reading on the damn hydrometer. What could be the problem? Should I add some dry yeast?

[tonloc152]

What do you mean you cant get a reading, what is your reading and temp. of cider when measured, and refresh me on which yeast you used. You may have had such an efficient fermentation that all of the readable sugars are gone, you will most likely have to back sweeten a little bit before you bottle.

[jjpm74]

If you're using a standard hydrometer, is it just sinking to the bottom of the test tube without floating? If so, your yeast fermented out just about everything that was once there.

[sbv32]

My temp is in the 70-73 F range and everytime I check with my hydrometer it touches the side of the tube and I can't get a reading. I used the english ale yeast.

[plantman]

spinning the hydrometer in the tube should give you a couple of seconds to read it before it leans on the tube wall again. Good enough for gov't work.

[corkybstewart]

I just had a bottle of my crabapple cider. It could use a little more carbonation(or not) but it really has a great taste. It's got a different, heavier apple flavor than I'm used to but my wife and her French niece really loved it. Maybe another month in the bottle and the carbonation will be a little better but if not I'm happy with it. After 2 weeks in the bottle it really tasted awful, I was trying to come up with a way to break the news to my wife, but now all is well.

[sbv32]

Digging up my old post. I originally started my cider on 10-16-2007 and let it sit in the primary for about 2 weeks and then transferred to the secondary. I have been very busy and it is still in the secondary and obviously not bubbling anymore.

What are my options at this point? Should I add any type of yeast to start it up again?

I was thinking about buying a keg and kegging it when I am ready but don't know if it is still good since it has been sitting so long.

[jjpm74]

If you want it to be carbonated, your best option at that point is force carbonating it. Reyeasting will not help unless you add some sugar to boost fermentables.