Recent content by Bluechicken

I've only tried this once with a few bottles, but it worked: The guy at my local beer-wine supply store mentioned that in this type of situation, you can sweeten it and add a few drops of champagne yeast (rehydrated per directions). This will get the carbonation going, but you'll have to be...

Nothing wrong with a youtube video... if a guy shows how he can do something, you can watch it and decide if you agree... or not... there have been plenty of opposing viewpoints here, such as the topic of carbing semi-sweet cider in bottles, which a lot of people said couldn't be done, but...

I haven't tried this, but I have seen a youtube video that shows a guy doing exactly what you mention.

I'm thinking about going (ciderday.org), but have never been and was curious how it is. There's an Intro to Cidermaking workshop on Saturday that looks good, but I'm wondering if there are other opportunities to learn cider making techniques and if it's an overall good event to go to.

I sweetened my cider before bottling, and checked the plastic bottle tester, then pasteurized on the stovetop when they were carbed enough. I'm still drinking from that batch, 6 months later, and not one of the bottles, stored at room temp, has exploded. They're still nicely carbed and taste...

You can do it. I primed my cider before bottling and got it to a semi sweet level, and then bottled it. I also filled a plastic water bottle and gave that a squeeze every day to check the level of pressure building. When it was carbed enough (and I tested a few bottles to make sure), I...

I started a hard lemonade two months ago, and I used the same technique with the yeast going in slowly, and giving the jug a swirl every day. I had low activity for two weeks, about a bubble a minute. Two weeks in, it started chugging away, similar to what I've seen when a cider fermentation...

Funny this topic came up... I just started a 1 gallon test batch. After researching a lot of recipes, I decided to try one with fresh lemons rather than the lemonade concentrate method. 10 lemons - first removed the outer skin (without the pith) and made a lemonade with the squeezed juice and...

the guy at my brew store mentioned adding some champagne yeast from the packet to a cup with warm water and some sugar, let it get going for 15 minutes, and then put a few drops in each bottle before capping, using an eye dropper. I haven't tried this yet, but plan to. It might be a good way for...

I just did something similar, and it worked nicely. I fermented out to a dry cider, about 5 weeks, and then I backsweetened with sugar (dissolved in warm cider), and bottled. I took others' advice and bottled one in plastic (an empty spring water bottle) to use as a guide to see if the pressure...

Just pitched the cranberry cider, using a pound of frozen (thawed and then refrozen) cranberries and my recipe at the beginning of the post, with just a wee bit of acid blend. So far, 6 hours later, foaming nicely. I initially tried cooking the cranberries in hot water with the idea of adding...

Pasteurized 15 22oz bottles tonight, no explosions during the process. Time will tell if I did it right... I had opened a bottle over the weekend - it was nicely carbed, and semi-sweet, just how I like it. I pasteurized in 160 degree water on the stove for 15 minutes - it was fairly simple...

I've been reading a lot about how cider will taste significantly better when aged for 4+ months, mainly due to the malolactic fermentation that smooths out the taste. So... I just pasteurized my bottled cider (my first batch) to kill of the yeast, as my cider is semi-sweet and carbed, right at...

I'm about to do the same, except with blueberries and cranberries (frozen). From what I've been told, you should use a camden tablet on the fruit 24 hours before, which should wipe out the bacteria, and then you'll be good to go. I've also read that a good amount is a pound of fruit per gallon...

Hey vespta2t, I appreciate your advice, so no worries about cautioning me - you clearly have more experience than I do. Here's the thread I read the info at: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/cider-v1-0-a-145045 Which also links to this...