Need help picking cider/juice variety

Hey all, I've only ever brewed a batch of Brandon O's Graff modified with peach cider instead of apple juice. My LHBS has a bunch of varieties and was wondering if anyone had any insight into cider blends they would recommend. Thanks is advance.

Here is what is available with order deadlines:

October 22: Pear Blend
October 22: Cortland & Macintosh Apple Blend
November 5: Granny Smith Single Varietal Apple
November 5: Rome & Gala Apple Blend
November 19: Thanksgiving Blend
November 19: Winesap Single Varietal Apple
December 3: Winesap & Granny Smith Apple Blend (Order Deadline: November 23)
December 3: Heirloom Apple Blend (Order Deadline: November 23)
December 17: Holiday Blend

Looks like you have some good choices there.

pear blend depends whether there are good perry pears in the blend. You want a lot of flavor, not just sweetness.

Cortland and Mac has always been a good combination for me. Usually, I would have a third, tarter apple in the mix, but those two are enough.

I like Granny Smith and Winesap in a mix (like with those Cortlands and Macs), but not so much by themselves. Too sharp. Depends on the orchard though

Rome and Gala should be a great tasting combination. My experience with Rome is they have great flavor but are hard to clear because they have a lot of pectin. They are an apple sauce apple. Galas are good for flavor and aroma.

blends all depends. it looks like they know what they are doing

Funny, I have exactly the same issue. TS, you must be a Keystone Homebrew customer too.

Anyone else have an opinion / suggestions? One of my all time favorite beverages is J.K. Scrumpy's Farmhouse Organic Cider (http://organicscrumpy.com/). I'd love to make all 7 but don't have the capacity. The pear blend sounds awesome.

Whoa, 2 philly suburbs people? Nice!
Wow, I'm actually making a starter for cider right now.

Two questions before I schlep it over to Montgomeryville:
1) is the cider there in-house, or are you placing an order to come get it later?
2) is it pasteurized?

Hi krisagon,

You have to place an order for the cider, the first batch is available October 22nd. Keystone coordinates with the orchard. Last year's batch wasn't pasteurized and I don't believe this year's is but it's not on their site.

Check it out here: http://www.keystonehomebrew.com/index.cfm?pgid=cider

Hello fellow Keystone shoppers!!!

Most of the cider coming in is from Del Val College the other is from New England, and it is not pasteurized so you can't let it sit around too long. Unless of course that was your plan all along.

Has anyone tried their ciders yet? I kegged 2 last weekend, one was the Thanksgiving Blend and the other was the Winesap. I had them cold crashing since November. I know, I know, I'm a lazy man.

After racking into the keg I racked the rest into sanitized growlers and let them settle for a while. They cleared up well enough to get a couple of clean glasses out of each growler. I have to admit, I'm really pleased with the results. I was aiming for a little sweeter but considering how long they sat for in the primaries I think they came out pretty good. Taste for both is great, very clean, no odd flavors like the butterscotch I got with my first batch.

raindog - I had mine sitting in one gallon jugs since the fall....on the lees. I added pectic enzyme orginally but still a bit cloudy, plus I kept it in the fridge which someone told me deafeats the purpose. I blended all of mine, except for the one gallon that got wild. I also took one of the thanksgiving blends that I added campden to and back sweetened with it. It ended up blending about equal parts mac/cortland, rome/gala, thanksgiving, and heirloom, plus the unfermented thanksgiving into a keg. Tastes really good to me, its currently in my keezer carbonating. I'll probably bring some to the keystone homebrew club mtg next month if you'd like to try.