Simple Recipe in Progress

1gal Tree-Top Apple Cider
1 cinnamon stick
1 clove
Safale US-05

Starting Gravity: 1.050

Sanitized everything with Idophor (sp?). Poured the 2, 1/2 gal jugs into a glass 1gal jug. Made sure I splashed it and shook it to aeriate. Added the cinnamon and clove. Opened the yeast and poured it in. Everything was room temp, about 73f. Slapped on an airlock. Couldn't get much simpler.

Have had massive fermentation in about 2 hours. Plan to let it go as dry as it wants then back-sweeten, bottle.

Bill W

Looks great!

Been fermenting furiously these last couple of days. Finally has slowed down. Smells very apple-ly (is that a word?). Will take a reading tonight or tomorrow as well as sneak a taste.

Bill

I just basically did the same thing but made 5 gal of lemonade. My og was 1.05 as well. Maybe that's normal but it seems awful low doesn't it? What are you expecting your abv to be?

speedster00 said:

I just basically did the same thing but made 5 gal of lemonade. My og was 1.05 as well. Maybe that's normal but it seems awful low doesn't it? What are you expecting your abv to be?

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Never made lemonade, but for a draft-style cider its not low. It Bill lets the cider ferment to dry, it will be 6.5% abv; I stop my cider around 1.010 and get around 5.2% abv.

At this point in my brewing life, I'm brewing for taste more than for alcohol. Now, having said that, if my brew happens to be a bit strong, well, I'll just have to deal with it.

bill

Just took a hydro reading: 1.008

While the juice started out real clear, it is now quite cloudy. Still giving off CO2. Taste is actually quite bland, alcoholly. Kinda expected that actually but was hoping for a more apple flavor.

Bill

Wildbill001 said:

Just took a hydro reading: 1.008

While the juice started out real clear, it is now quite cloudy. Still giving off CO2. Taste is actually quite bland, alcoholly. Kinda expected that actually but was hoping for a more apple flavor.

Bill

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The drier it gets, the less apple flavor will be apparent. That's why I like my draft style cider around 1.010 - semi dry, not really sweet, but some apple flavor. But, if you age dry cider, the apple flavor tends to come back.