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Author Topic: Carbonation for Hard Apple Cider?  (Read 6327 times)

Offline pyrite

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Carbonation for Hard Apple Cider?
« on: August 24, 2011, 11:58:56 pm »
Should I carbonate my hard Apple Cider at the same level of a beer? This is my first time serving cider and I've never bought one at the store before.
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Offline euge

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Re: Carbonation for Hard Apple Cider?
« Reply #1 on: August 25, 2011, 12:50:35 am »
Should I carbonate my hard Apple Cider at the same level of a beer? This is my first time serving cider and I've never bought one at the store before.

I like it effervescent similar to a Belgian-type beer. The stuff I had in the UK was carbonated- and not lightly. I haven't had any still cider that struck me as excellent. Sure that is just limited to my experience. ;) Mine has been best carbonated.
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Offline dmtaylor

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Re: Carbonation for Hard Apple Cider?
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2011, 06:51:56 am »
Personally I like mine carbonated at the same level as beer.  Don't expect to get a head on it -- if your cider gets a head, they're something strange in it because cider doesn't have a lot of protein.  It should be more like champagne (no head except upon the initial pour), but usually less carbonated than champagne.
Dave

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Offline rjharper

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Re: Carbonation for Hard Apple Cider?
« Reply #3 on: August 25, 2011, 01:48:17 pm »
Ideally I'd like mine with a slightly higher volume, closer to that of soda, but since I run the keg off the split from the same regulator that goes to the beer kegs, its kept at the house carb level of all my brews (what ever 13psi at 38F is).  It's just fine like that, and as someone else hinted, without the proteins, you wont have excessive foam or head issues if you go higher.

Offline pyrite

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Re: Carbonation for Hard Apple Cider?
« Reply #4 on: August 25, 2011, 08:27:55 pm »
Thank you all for the advice. 
If you don't get in over your head, how are you ever going to know how tall you are.