Results from tests. A few observatins

Tantalar · 03-16-2010, 12:41 AM

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Test 1
1 gallon motts
3 cups brown sugar
20 raisins
1/5 packet nottingham yeast
dash of yeast nutrient

OG ???? FG 1.021

Tastes sweet. Has very strong alcohol taste. Enjoyable but probably needs to age a while

FG seems pretty high. I think the cider is maxed out for this yeast

Very dark... probably from the brown sugar and raisins. Also, lots of head when I poured some into a sample glass
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Test 2

1 gallon motts
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/5 packet nottingham yeast

OF ????? FG 1.036

Tastes sweetest of all. Actually tastes very good. Honey, white sugar, and brown sugar all blend to make a great taste. Tastes like very powerful alcohol in it.

1.035 FG seems outrageously high but I think the yeast was killed off by alcohol. There were more fermentables than Test 1 which might explain why the FG is so high. Also, lots of head when I poured some into a sample glass

Very dark... probably from the brown sugar
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test #c 2/17/10
1 gallon motts juice
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup raisins
Nottingham yeast 1/5 packet

OG - 1.065 - FG - 1.010 = 7.2 % ABV

Might just be the best taste+ABV combination. Tastes very perfected already. I think this is my favorite. Astonishing hahaha
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test #d 2/17/10
1 gallon langers apple juice
nottingham yeast 1/5 packet
Yeast nutrient

OG - 1.05... FG - 1.01 = 5.25% ABV - tastes like Magner's surprisingly. I was really shocked hahaha. It tastes very good. Its a very simple recipe with great results as far as I could tell. Might be the best tasting at this moment.
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test #e
1 gallon motts apple juice
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup white sugar
Yeast nutrient
Safale US - 05

1.08 OG - 1.001 FG = 10.35% ABV

This one seemed to ferment out nearly completely no problem (and fairly quick) Id like to see what its like with a few months of aging.

The safale US -05 can handle a higher ABV than nottingham I think.

Fairly clear
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test #f
1 gallon motts
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup honey
1 cup white sugar
safale US - 05

1.07 OG - 1.0075 FG = 8.2% ABV = Very tasty. Not much else to say. I think Raisins are very helpful
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Test A
1 gallon of Shaw's Unsweetened Apple Juice
with 1 cup of white sugar
safale us-05 1/5 package each

1.065 OG - 1.002 FG = 8.25% ABV

Tastes great. Pleased with safale us-05 again

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Test B with TWO 1/2 gallon containers of Shaw's Unsweetened Apple Juice
with 1 cup of honey EACH
(TWO 1/2 gallon containers each containing 1 cup of honey)
safaleus-05 1/5 package each

1.085 OG - 1.005 FG = 10.8% ABV

Hard to believe that this is 10.8% but it is. The honey seems to really come through with its taste. Fairly dry taste but not totally dry. Still some sweetness left over. This one is pretty exciting.
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What I learned :

1) Nottingham so far seems to be very good on lower ABV cider

2) Safaleus-05 can definitely be used for cider. I'd like to make some cider that is lower ABV using safaleus-05 and see how that compares to Nottingham.

3) Raisins are fantastic

4) Be patient and don't worry about your cider so much when it is fermenting.

5) 1 gallon jugs are great for experimenting. I will probably pick up a bunch of them and keep experimenting.

6) Each test I made was very unique tasting. Every little variable seems to make a difference.

Now while my Test 1 and Test 2 ciders are very high FG I can still bottle them right? Doesn't this just mean that they are dense with sugar that can not be fermented? I should mention. Test 1 and Test 2 have both been hanging around for 2 months. The other tests have all been fermenting for about 1 month.

**Yooper** · 03-16-2010, 12:44 AM

Interesting- I'll need to read it all closer. But did I read it right? You only pitched 1/5 package of yeast in each batch?

Tantalar · 03-16-2010, 01:11 AM

I used only 1/5 packet of yeast per 1 gallon, correct.

I forgot to mention but I am brewing out of a college apartment and it is fluctuating between 68-72 degrees which is at the very peak limit of where it should be from what I have read. I'd keep it cooler but right now it's just not realistic.

I learned that generally adding sugar is bad if you want to retain the flavor of the apples. However, I am using Motts juice here sadly. I think if I were able to get some quality REAL apple juice fresh from a farm, I would probably use some raisins only, and then use sugar for priming maybe.

Test C though... very surprisingly retains a lot of apple flavor for 7.2% ABV I think.