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Author Topic: Hard apple cider  (Read 9618 times)

Offline micsager

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Hard apple cider
« on: May 02, 2012, 04:00:59 pm »
Ok, so for kicks and giggles, I brewed (if you can call it that) a hard apple cider.  Basically took five gallons of raw apple cider got it to about 180, added 4 pounds of honey, and stirred like crazy to get all the honey disolved. 

Cooled, and transferred to a bucket.  (OG was 1.082)  Added two packs of rehyrdated champagne yeast. 

Three weeks later and the FG is 1.000.  Obviously very dry.  But, I like it.  It's carbonating now. 

Now, doing the math on the gravities.  (on iPhone app called "brewmath") that takes me to 11%abv.  I used a couple online calculators and got from 10.6% to 11.3%.

Does a brewing hydrometer work for apple cider?

Offline rjharper

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Re: Hard apple cider
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2012, 04:04:57 pm »
Looks like my recipe if you cut the honey in half, but added 5 cans of frozen apple juice concentrate. I get down to .995 usually with EC1118. Everyone likes the champagne dry finish.

Offline heavyeng

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Re: Hard apple cider
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2012, 05:09:23 pm »
I'm a fan of champagne yeasts as well for cider.

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Offline euge

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Re: Hard apple cider
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2012, 05:34:57 pm »
I need to do another one of these. I have used champagne yeast in the past but find that regular English ale yeast works quite well and it is plenty dryyyy. 

I've got some dregs from a bottle of cider that needs culturing up. Maybe I'll use that.
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Offline corkybstewart

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Re: Hard apple cider
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2012, 06:08:57 pm »
I used Nottingham in my crabapple cider and it was so dry I had to backsweeten it with table sugar so that my wife would drink it.  All of our European friends really love it, but the judges at the competition said it was still too dry for French cider.  I don't think many of them have ever had a true French cider, they are normally bone dry in my wife's village.
I never pasteurize my apple juice and I've never had an issue with it.  I normally use 3 gallons of fresh pressed apple juice with 2 gallons of store bought pasteurized juice.
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: Hard apple cider
« Reply #5 on: May 03, 2012, 01:28:41 am »
Does a brewing hydrometer work for apple cider?
Yes
Tom Schmidlin

Offline kylekohlmorgen

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Re: Hard apple cider
« Reply #6 on: May 03, 2012, 07:36:31 am »
I just made my first one this fall as well

How long do you condition a hard cider?? Is it similiar to beer of the same strength?

I boosted my gravity with honey and sugars ~ 9% ABV
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Offline micsager

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Re: Hard apple cider
« Reply #7 on: May 03, 2012, 10:30:03 am »
Ok, so for kicks and giggles, I brewed (if you can call it that) a hard apple cider.  Basically took five gallons of raw apple cider got it to about 180, added 4 pounds of honey, and stirred like crazy to get all the honey disolved. 

Cooled, and transferred to a bucket.  (OG was 1.082)  Added two packs of rehyrdated champagne yeast. 

Three weeks later and the FG is 1.000.  Obviously very dry.  But, I like it.  It's carbonating now. 

Now, doing the math on the gravities.  (on iPhone app called "brewmath") that takes me to 11%abv.  I used a couple online calculators and got from 10.6% to 11.3%.

Does a brewing hydrometer work for apple cider?

Well, I tried this last night.  It still needs more C02, but I didn't like the flavor as much.  It should be done carbing tonight, and I'll make a final judgement.  Might have to add some sugar of some sort.  Any suggestions?

 

Offline euge

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Re: Hard apple cider
« Reply #8 on: May 03, 2012, 11:27:23 am »
Due to the nature of the sugars and the yeast ciders tend to ferment nearly all the way out so "stunning" the yeast with [ur=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_metabisulfitel]potassium metabisulfite [/url] and I believe you can also use campden tabs- 1 per 5 gallons. Then you can add more sugars to "backsweeten" the cider.

Or you could use sugars that the yeast can;t ferment- maybe lactose? I've used splenda to lightly sweeten up a cider before and didn;t get any "synthetic" flavors.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

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Offline micsager

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Re: Hard apple cider
« Reply #9 on: May 04, 2012, 08:43:50 am »
Well, after full carbonation, this cider is good.  Not great.  I'll bring to the company picnic this summer.  Should go over pretty well.

Don't know if I'll ever do this again, but it was fun to do once.   

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Hard apple cider
« Reply #10 on: May 04, 2012, 09:17:25 am »
Well, after full carbonation, this cider is good.  Not great.  I'll bring to the company picnic this summer.  Should go over pretty well.

Don't know if I'll ever do this again, but it was fun to do once.   

and 11% cider at the company picnic? that sounds like a recipe for some hangovers!

Mic's co-worker: Mmm this cider is so good!
Mic: thanks!
mic's co-worker: and it's so light and refreshing, i think I'll have another cup!
mic: go for it!

some hours later

Mic's co-worker: MmmIahhh jesswannasay... man... mic, Tis... this shyder...cider ishsho good. I thunk I am drink... I mean, I think...yeah, I think... I'll jess haf one... [thumping crashing sound]
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Offline micsager

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Re: Hard apple cider
« Reply #11 on: May 04, 2012, 09:20:57 am »
 ;D ;D ;D ;) ;)

Offline Hokerer

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Re: Hard apple cider
« Reply #12 on: May 04, 2012, 09:54:36 am »
and 11% cider at the company picnic? that sounds like a recipe for some hangovers!

Mic's co-worker: Mmm this cider is so good!
Mic: thanks!
mic's co-worker: and it's so light and refreshing, i think I'll have another cup!
mic: go for it!

some hours later

Mic's co-worker: MmmIahhh jesswannasay... man... mic, Tis... this shyder...cider ishsho good. I thunk I am drink... I mean, I think...yeah, I think... I'll jess haf one... [thumping crashing sound]

and after the picnic...

Joe

Offline euge

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Re: Hard apple cider
« Reply #13 on: May 04, 2012, 11:52:35 am »
and 11% cider at the company picnic? that sounds like a recipe for some hangovers!

Mic's co-worker: Mmm this cider is so good!
Mic: thanks!
mic's co-worker: and it's so light and refreshing, i think I'll have another cup!
mic: go for it!

some hours later

Mic's co-worker: MmmIahhh jesswannasay... man... mic, Tis... this shyder...cider ishsho good. I thunk I am drink... I mean, I think...yeah, I think... I'll jess haf one... [thumping crashing sound]

and after the picnic...



That's my kind of picnic!

But seriously guys. Cider doesn't have to be rocket fuel. I have mine max out at 6%. The cider I grew up drinking was 3.5%. And believe me you can get bombed on 3.5% cider. ;)
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline erockrph

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Re: Hard apple cider
« Reply #14 on: May 04, 2012, 12:03:10 pm »
But seriously guys. Cider doesn't have to be rocket fuel. I have mine max out at 6%. The cider I grew up drinking was 3.5%. And believe me you can get bombed on 3.5% cider. ;)

I spent many a weekend in college getting ripped on Woodchuck. Fond memories (at least what I remember lol).

When you make cider that low on ABV, do you let it ferment out then blend back after you stun the yeast, or do you follow the gravity as it's going and kill off the yeast when it gets where you want?
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