Caramel Apple Hard Cider

CornyKegs 728
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So, UpstateMike, it looks like by reading your recipe it only took you 15 days to make this hard cider? I've never made cider before but would love to try it. I'm so use to waiting 6 weeks for beer to be ready that 2 weeks for a hard cider just seems strange to me lol.
 
BigRob90 said:
So, UpstateMike, it looks like by reading your recipe it only took you 15 days to make this hard cider? I've never made cider before but would love to try it. I'm so use to waiting 6 weeks for beer to be ready that 2 weeks for a hard cider just seems strange to me lol.
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14 days was my original estimate, but I think it took closer to 3 weeks to get to the FG that I wanted. Then a day in the secondary for clearing (optional) then about a month of bottle conditioning. Also, about a week into bottle conditioning, I stovetop pasteurized the batch.
 
UpstateMike said:
I stovetop pasteurized the batch.
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BigRob90 said:
How does one do that while the cider is in bottles?
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Follow the link for Easy Stove Top Pasteurizing, With Pics

BigRob90 said:
And Lets say I wanted to keg it, would I just let it sit in the keg for a month?
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Sounds right, just dont forget to add 5 crushed Campden tablets to the secondary carboy during the 24 hour clearing.

BigRob90 said:
So over all close to 7 weeks for it to be completed?
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7 weeks, two months, yeah. I have found that this is a cider that is good green, and improves with age.
 
Just bottled my 2nd batch last night. Used Nottinghams this time around. Pretty much the only thing I changed from the 1st batch. I let it get a little dryer then I wanted but still had a great taste before back sweetening. Og was 1.061 and FG was 1.000. It was in the primary for 3 weeks and secondary for 4 days. Bottled and pasteurized to make it still. Itching to pull a cork after 1 day in the bottles but will wait at least a couple weeks. Now I have a couple empty car boys that are begging to be filled up......
 
Just bottled this two days ago. To test carbonation I put some in a little water bottle and the bottle has bloated and looks like its going to explode! When should I pasteurize?
 
Charlieatthedisco said:
Just bottled this two days ago. To test carbonation I put some in a little water bottle and the bottle has bloated and looks like its going to explode! When should I pasteurize?
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Water bottles aren't designed to hold pressure. Soda bottles are.

I'd pop a glass bottle in the fridge overnight and open it to see if it's ready.
 
cyberlord said:
Water bottles aren't designed to hold pressure. Soda bottles are.

I'd pop a glass bottle in the fridge overnight and open it to see if it's ready.
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I cold crashed the whole batch, popped one open and the bottle foamed up a little bit then went right down and tastes great, is it safe to pasteurize?
 
Do you guys think this batch would scale down well for a 1 gal batch?
Also, I looked at the sticky and there was no mention of pasteurization for plastic bottles... I am guessing this is a bad idea?
 
I did a 2.5 gallon batch just by cutting everything in half. So far, it seems to be going well. I'm going to bottle in a little bit.

Regarding your plastic bottles - NO. PET might work up to 120-140 max but not anything higher. Even then you're playing with reduced ability to hold pressure. Glass only is my opinion.
 
Ah thanks! I just realized I could do a 2.5 gal batch since I have 2 single gallon carboys :D (minus a 1/2 gal).

And I will try to pick up some bottles if they are at a good price, or just have it still...
 
See? Life is good. ;) I used a 3 gallon carboy. Also, I did the bottling at lunch as planned today...

There was a question about measuring the SG after adding the syrup and the juice cans. I measured and, at 68 deg it was ~ 1.023. My FG was 1.010 when I racked to the secondary yesterday. But, I had a half batch, I used SLIGHTLY less dextrose and instead of 2.5 cans of juice concentrate, I used just 2.

Also, I have 2 questions of my own for Mike - I mixed everything in during the siphoning and swirled around even midway through bottling but had quite a bit of the syrup at the bottom. So my last two bottles I actually marked and set aside just because there's a MUCH higher syrup content in them. 1) Does that usually happen or have you found a way to eliminate the settling? and 2) why wait the 24 hours on the syrup? I'm really curious about that vs using it as if you had made your normal 5 oz of priming sugar, cooled and added.

Thanks!
 
The level of sweetness is up there. Other ciders I have had (strongbow and whatnot) are much drier. But, I think that was Mike's entire point: backsweeten. With the judge's comments before being awarded a gold medal of "apple pie" and so on, that pretty much nails it. It's DEFINITELY one of the sweetest ciders I have ever had. But it tastes damn good too! I also had my temp at the upper level of 68 for most of the time. Last couple days it actually hit 76 but I cannot detect any negative effects.

I'll be checking up to 3 bottles in 4 days to check the carb level. I think I'm going to be pretty happy with this one and will end up with a full batch before long :)
 
pwortiz said:
Also, I have 2 questions of my own for Mike - I mixed everything in during the siphoning and swirled around even midway through bottling but had quite a bit of the syrup at the bottom. So my last two bottles I actually marked and set aside just because there's a MUCH higher syrup content in them. 1) Does that usually happen or have you found a way to eliminate the settling? and 2) why wait the 24 hours on the syrup? I'm really curious about that vs using it as if you had made your normal 5 oz of priming sugar, cooled and added.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

The main reason for racking to another carboy and waiting for 24 hours is if you want a still cider, or if you plan on keging and then force carbing. At this time you would add the crushed campden tablets, then add the syrup in 24 hours.

Or, if not doing either of those things, you just want to let it clear a little bit more before adding syrup and bottling. If this is the case, I guess waiting 24 hours is optional, depends if you want to clear a bit.

As for mixing the syrup, I usually add the syrup to the bottling bucket first, then rack on top of it to help mix it in. I also do use a paddle and mix gently while bottling. However, I have not noticed the syrup settling to the bottom.
 
AHA! That paddle mixing pretty much explains why I had a problem then - I didn't do that. I mixed really good once. Then 1 time midway through. If I would have sorta done a more constant gentle stir, I think I wouldn't have run into the issue I did.

I did do the 24 hour clearing (you made my buy an additional 3 gal carboy lol).

Overall, I think it was this statement in the recipe that made me ask the question: "Make the Caramel Syrup and wait 24 hours before proceeding." But it appears that you can rack, wait 24 hours and make the Carmel Syrup, mix and bottle :)

So, that's most likely what I'll do next time.

Thanks again for the recipe, man. This is by far the best batch of cider I've made yet and it's my 4th. I had to dump my 3rd and drinking the first and second haven't been the most enjoyable experience. I'm looking forward to enjoying this one!
 
pwortiz said:
Overall, I think it was this statement in the recipe that made me ask the question: "Make the Caramel Syrup and wait 24 hours before proceeding." But it appears that you can rack, wait 24 hours and make the Carmel Syrup, mix and bottle :)
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You can. I just like having the syrup made a day ahead of time, and cooled to room temperature before using.
 
Liking the looks of this. Think i'm going to try a scaled down version to see how I like it, then tweak the recipe from there.
 
well got mine going 2 days ago, no airlock activity whatsoever.. but the yeast the guy sold me was expired (dry nottinghams) by about 2 years... what should I do no, pitch some newer stuff? (I happen to have picked up some ec118 but its a beast and eats ALL the sugars....)
 
It's growing more tart each day in the bottle - I didn't expect that. It's not bad but I definitely noticed a difference from 2 days ago. I'm still waiting for the carb to kick in a bit more and may need to move to a warmer location perhaps. There is some, but it's not much.

Has anyone else noticed a difference in the tartness? I'm assuming the yeasties are still workin' their magic - just not as quickly as I was expecting.

The tart isn't bad - just unexpected. My SWMBO noticed it as well tonight when we tested the next bottle for carb level.
 
nsh22 said:
well got mine going 2 days ago, no airlock activity whatsoever.. but the yeast the guy sold me was expired (dry nottinghams) by about 2 years... what should I do no, pitch some newer stuff? (I happen to have picked up some ec118 but its a beast and eats ALL the sugars....)
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I assume you just pitched the yeast and forwent the starter. Give it a week or so, there still may be some viable yeast. There shouldn't be too many bad things in store bought juice too leave it that long.

You can stabilize or pasteurize and back sweeten if you use the EC.
 
added 5g of hydrated ec1118 last night. in under 24 hours it knocked it from 1.065 to 1.045. this yeast amazes me. hopefully after I rack and stabilize it will clear.
 
I kegged my first batch of this recipe today.......All I can say is AMAZING. As I handed my swmbo a taste sample I said "I don't think this will last long." She was in agreement. I bottled a couple of 6er's in case I choose to enter in a competition.
 
just brewed up about 2.75 gallons of this today, its in the carboy waiting on the yeasties to do their magic. the swmbo is anxiously awaiting the results
 
Alright. Have a couple glass carboys on the way - $7 each - pick them up early this week. This is getting fired up as soon as I have them
 
wow, wish i could find a deal like that. you should of bought most of them and re-sold them on here.
 
I found a 1gal glass jug WITH applejuice for $7!!! thats what I made this batch with (whick is now clearing in a secondary carboy :D)
 
Perhaps I'm missing something but if you put over 5 gallons of apple juice in to begin with in the 6 gallon carboy, how does it fit into the 5 gallon carboy for the 24 hour secondary period?
 
amelson said:
Perhaps I'm missing something but if you put over 5 gallons of apple juice in to begin with in the 6 gallon carboy, how does it fit into the 5 gallon carboy for the 24 hour secondary period?
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You will always lose a little bit to lees settling and more so from sampling the progress of the batch :mug:
 
Darn you UpstateMike! Now that I've read this thread, I have to go make a batch. ;) Problem is, I already have 6 gallons of cider, 6 gallons of Welch's Grape wine, 6 gallons of quad berry skeeter pee and 5 gallons of skeeter pee fermenting. That fills all my carboys so I guess this will just have to go in a bucket. :mug:

Yes yes, I have issues. :D
 
sounds like you need to have some friends over to help you out a bit with your dilemma :) that's the only way i get to keep on making stuff here - they help me get my bottles empty so i can keep on creating!!
 

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