[Iliff Ave]

Interested in doing my first cider soon. I am planning to keep it super simple but am curious about doing a small mash to get some additional fermentables and character. Maybe just some base malt and cara/crystal to add some unfermentables. Is this a bad idea? Anyone have any experience with this?

I was reading that cider can take quite a long time to finish. I was thinking that adding some lactose and/or crystal malt will help it from drying out too much. I don't plan to do a full 5 gallon batch however I don't want to make something that is unpleasing to others from a dryness perspective...

[Jimmy K]

I've had cider made with powdered maltodextrin. It added body and a little sweetness, but the sweetness faded fairly quickly. I imagine malt would do the same. Crystal malt might add more, but I think the crystal flavor is also going to change the character of the beverage. Not that it would be bad, just different than cider.

[Iliff Ave]

Thanks. It's funny because I want to do a cider but not sure if I will like it. I think I want to add some malt just because I am afraid it will have too boring of a flavor. Maybe I will do a half batch just to experiment...

[morticaixavier]

get some commercial ciders and see if it's something you will like. plenty of options out there. try some english ciders for sure and wandering aengus as are some of the other newer craft cideries in america.

[Iliff Ave]

Yeah that seems to be the most logical advice. I am use to acting first and asking questions later..haha. Beer apple drink here we come!

[morticaixavier]

Yeah that seems to be the most logical advice. I am use to acting first and asking questions later..haha. Beer apple drink here we come!

yo ucold grab some 'reds apple ale' I guess too 

[duncan]

I've brewed "graff" (cider with malt and hops and fermented with ale yeast) before and it came out great in a reasonable amount of time (started tasting delicious after being bottled for 2-3 months). Might be worth a look...

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f81/graff-malty-slightly-hopped-cider-117117/

[Iliff Ave]

I've brewed "graff" (cider with malt and hops and fermented with ale yeast) before and it came out great in a reasonable amount of time (started tasting delicious after being bottled for 2-3 months). Might be worth a look...

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f81/graff-malty-slightly-hopped-cider-117117/

Thanks! That is pretty much what I had in mind. I will  probably just do a mini-mash with 3# two row and the crystal malt. I was planning on using S05 anyway and will probably just go with .25 oz of magnum for hops

[dmtaylor]

You might also be interested in my apple ale recipe.  I really love this recipe and many others have tried it and love it as well.

http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=71478&p=662452&hilit=smoked+harvest#p662452