I'm completely new to wine-making, etc, but I was given a bunch of apples - good eating apples. Was thinking of making hard cider with them. All the recipes I can find call for apple cider/juice. Is there a hard cider recipe that starts out with fresh apples?
Since apple wine starts out with fresh apples, I looked into that but I see you shouldn't use sweet eating apples but more sour ones.
If you have a juicer or press, you can certainly made cider. I froze and then hand mashed and squeezed apples and crabapples for my wines and ciders.
The problem is that eating apples make poor cider. Tart apples, like those for pies, or those for juice, make good cider.
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You would probably end up with more sugars thus having more fermentables thus having a higher alcohol content. That being said lots of us on here use apple juice from the store to make Ed's Apfelwein so what do I know? I'd say try it with what you got, just don't use those flavorless apples they sell at the store because they store longer.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zymurgrafi
wow, tha more I drink, tha more cohernet you all are!
and stufffff.
Do you know why? I would think it would make a sweet cider or wine.
Well, no, it doesn't work that way. Eating apples are fine for fresh eating, but don't have much "oomph" to them for pies, and even less for cider. The best tasting cider and juice comes from sour apples/crabapples/crisp apples. Even pies made with eating apples taste "blah", that's why most people use tart apples.
Any cider or wine will ferment to dryness- even using a cider yeast, very little residual sugar remains since the fructose is fermentable. In my apple wine (made with juice) and crabapple wine, I add some acid blend and tannin for some additional flavor. I have to say that the crabapple wine is better- it has a spiciness and apple-y-ness to it missing from many other hard ciders.
You can definitely try this. I don't mean to disuade you. I think starting with eating apples will make a less than great cider, though.
__________________ Broken Leg Brewery
Giving beer a leg to stand on since 2006
You call me a dog well that's fair enough 'Cause it ain't no use to pretend You're wrong
But when it's my time to throw The next stone I'll call you beautiful if I call at all
'True' Cider is a combination of Bitter-sharp apples for tannic bitterness and tartness, Bitter-sweet apples for tannic bitterness and sweetness and occasionally some varieties that cross over as both 'eatin' apples and cider apples are used like Spitzenburg and some others. That is the true art of making a stellar Cider, it is in the apple selection/blending.
I make hard cider (and also fresh) from regular 'eatin' apples, it comes out good but in the future I have plans on adding Cider apples to my orchard . I saved the natural strain from one of this past years Ciders.
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I am going to have access to plenty of fresh apple juice this year, what needs to be done to kill off nasties? I have heard simmer at 160 for 20 min and I have heard to just add campden tablets and let sit for 24 hrs before adding yeast. Any thoughts or advice.
I am going to have access to plenty of fresh apple juice this year, what needs to be done to kill off nasties? I have heard simmer at 160 for 20 min and I have heard to just add campden tablets and let sit for 24 hrs before adding yeast. Any thoughts or advice.
Shawn
Don't simmer! Don't heat! It'll give you a cooked flavor. Instead the Campden is proper. I would let it sit for almost 2 days though. They say it dissipates in 24 hours, but to be on the safe side I'd give it a little longer.
__________________
Event Horizon ~ A tribute to the miracle of fermentation.
Brew what you like. Do this, and you will find your inner brewer.
If you have a juicer or press, you can certainly made cider. I froze and then hand mashed and squeezed apples and crabapples for my wines and ciders.
The problem is that eating apples make poor cider. Tart apples, like those for pies, or those for juice, make good cider.
Hi Yooperbrew: I'm curious as to how you "hand mashed" your apples & your juice yield. And, if you're willing to share, at what rate did you add your tannin? Also, did you add acid blend, or just malic & at what rate? I don't know if you're familiar with Farnum Hill cider, (www.farnumhillciders.com) but I'd like very much to make something equal to their summer cider; it's the best I've ever tasted. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Regards, GF.
Hi Yooperbrew: I'm curious as to how you "hand mashed" your apples & your juice yield. And, if you're willing to share, at what rate did you add your tannin? Also, did you add acid blend, or just malic & at what rate? I don't know if you're familiar with Farnum Hill cider, (www.farnumhillciders.com) but I'd like very much to make something equal to their summer cider; it's the best I've ever tasted. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Regards, GF.
"Hand crushed" just involved freezing them a bit, and then smashing them up inside the big plastic bag. Then, to "press" them, we put them in a huge mesh nylon bag and squeeze until nothing else came out. It was ok, but we sure didn't get much juice from them.
The tannin was about 1/8 tsp for the batch, if I remember correctly. I used acid blend, and liked that alot.
I've never even had a commercial hard cider, so I can't comment on that one!
__________________ Broken Leg Brewery
Giving beer a leg to stand on since 2006
You call me a dog well that's fair enough 'Cause it ain't no use to pretend You're wrong
But when it's my time to throw The next stone I'll call you beautiful if I call at all
Can Hard Cider Be Made With Fresh Apples?
. I saved the natural strain from one of this past years Ciders.
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