sonofgrok

Recipes 

Seriously... its bad.

It isn't infected and it doesn't really have any "off" flavors. It just tastes like super alcoholic watered down apple juice.

After the first pint I didn't mind the taste so much because I was already buzzing. After the second pint I was done for...

Hopefully the flavor will improve in the bottles if I leave it another couple weeks?
Out of beer, wine, mead, and sake this is the first brew I have made that hasn't been outstanding...

I know there will be some recipe questions so:
5 gallons pressed cider
1 packet EC1118
some steeped green tea leaves
A couple pounds of honey.

3 week primary. 1 week so far in the bottles.

My theory is that the EC1118 just annihilated everything and it has a very high ABV so needs to age a bit longer. That is what I am hoping anyway.

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"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut." ~Ernest Hemingway

Gear101

Recipes 

How long has it been since you made it?

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Island Time Brewery

Keg 1=Black Caesar Imperial Stout by Island Time Brewery
Keg 2=(IPA) Islamorada Pale Ale by Island Time Brewery
Keg 3= Zombie Dust
Keg 4= Goose Island Matilda
Keg 5= Cigar City Jai Alai
Keg 6= Bell's Hopslam


Stainless is Painless

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sonofgrok

Recipes 

Added that to the original post. Sorry. Only a month. Its young but I was under the impression that cider was drinkable young.

__________________
"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut." ~Ernest Hemingway

krackin

Recipes 

Any idea what the press mix was? That is critical IMHO.

emjay

Recipes 

The honey used with champagne yeast definitely contributed to this, especially if it was cheap/grocery store honey. The champagne yeast would have converted it entirely into alcohol, giving a harsher alcohol taste while simultaneously watering down the cider.

sonofgrok

Recipes 

I don't. In fact... I am so awesome I don't even know what that means It was Sprouts fresh pressed unflitered cider. No preservatives or anything.
This is my first cider. I got burned out on brewing beers while waiting for meads and wines to age.

My thoughts exactly. I think I may try another batch with straight juice (no added sugar) and Montrachet yeast. I am willing to bet its more drinkable earlier. I will probably just sit on these bottles for a while.

__________________
"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut." ~Ernest Hemingway

krackin

Recipes 

Cider is best with later season apples in my experience, they have better depth of flavor. There are exceptions, Paula Red, Arrend and Dandee are excellent early apples. Macintosh is way over rated and often make a lot of the cider out there because they store very poorly thus are pressed. They make for a watery cider right out the door. A good cider base is Cortland and Macoun with Jonagold, Empire, Spencer, etc. added for character. Red delicious has a lot of pectin which will settle out. These are what I prefer in my locale of NH about 5 miles from ME. Your availability most likely will differ.

Here apple storage is getting to the end late winter and you can get very good pressings with a bit of everything tossed in. See if you can locate a press mill in your area and try to opt for ultraviolet (uv)treated cider over cooked or poisoned.

LeBreton

Recipes 

I'm with Krackin, chances are the juice was a blend of dessert apples which are often lower quality apples for fermentation purposes. They tend to be lacking in both structure and body, as well as acidity, which can make the cider taste watery, dull and swampy.

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Bellwether Hard Cider
In all the states no door stands wider,
To ask you in to drink hard cider

kingboomer

Recipes 

I'll add that if you want a fairly quick turn around, Brandon O's graff is a good one to try. I bottle and I was drinking my first batch in about a month, pretty tasty I must say! Just my 2c.


-Kingboomer

Brewskii

Recipes 

Im new to cider as well but my first batch was awesome. I didn't hear that you stopped the ferm or that you back sweetened. If you didn't do one of these two things,the yeast ( an aggressive attenuator) will have consumed everything you gave it meaning you've got rocket fuel. Have you seen this;

http://brewingtv.com/episodes/2012/9/7/brewing-tv-episode-67-how-to-make-hard-cider.html

You should try back sweetening it.