Caramel Apple Hard Cider

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Mixed up a batch of this last night in a spare 5 gallon carboy.

Thanks UpstateMike for the recipe and to everyone else who has contributed to the thread. :mug:
 
Mixed up a 5 gallon batch of this this week. It took about a 1.5 days for the yeast to start doing their thing, but now the closet I ferment in is filled with that wonderful aroma of fermenting juice. I look forward to trying it! Thanks upstatemike.
 
Did a batch a while back, use the Nottingham with no nutrients, no starter, took a while for it to finish. Could have done a lot of things to make it easier on the yeast but did none of them. :)

After maybe 1.5-2 months I racked out of the primary into a secondary with sulfite and benzoate, plus the syrup and concentrate. Just kegged after about a week to drop clear. Tastes wonderful, very much looking forward to it.

I've not seen it mentioned (although I have not read 101 pages) , making the syrup is interesting. Mine settled into a sort of "snot" layer, similar to what you would expect if you boiled okra. I put that into the fermenter and some of it survived till I cleaned the carboy. Nasty looking but it tastes great. Maybe it was something that came out of the cinnamon making the syrup? Dunno.
 
Cinnamon does have a component that acts like starch or gelatin holding baked goods together. That is probably what you are seeing. IDK if there is an easy way to get rid of it.
 
LBussy said:
Did a batch a while back, use the Nottingham with no nutrients, no starter, took a while for it to finish. Could have done a lot of things to make it easier on the yeast but did none of them. :)

After maybe 1.5-2 months I racked out of the primary into a secondary with sulfite and benzoate, plus the syrup and concentrate. Just kegged after about a week to drop clear. Tastes wonderful, very much looking forward to it.

I've not seen it mentioned (although I have not read 101 pages) , making the syrup is interesting. Mine settled into a sort of "snot" layer, similar to what you would expect if you boiled okra. I put that into the fermenter and some of it survived till I cleaned the carboy. Nasty looking but it tastes great. Maybe it was something that came out of the cinnamon making the syrup? Dunno.
Click to expand...

I have the same issue SWMBO loves it but I hate the look of it.
 
I mixed up a batch of this 17 days ago and it's still bubbling the airlock. Does this stuff ever quit? lol.

I'll check the gravity when I get home to see where I'm at.
 
I used Nottingham with yeast nutrients and after 14 days at 62, it had been done fermenting for about 8 days with a FG of 1.002. I didnt even think that was possible. It was , of course, real dry but the frozen apple juice and syrup that I backsweetened with sweetened it up.
 
Jimbob904 said:
Cinnamon does have a component that acts like starch or gelatin holding baked goods together. That is probably what you are seeing. IDK if there is an easy way to get rid of it.
Click to expand...

I had the same "snot" at the bottom of my bottling bucket. Next time I think Im gonna pour the syrup warm into the bottling bucket and I have picked up some cinnamon extract to try in lieu of ground cinnamon. Any ideas on how much extract to use and would the extract possibly cause the same problem as the ground?
 
First time with the recipe; followed a 3 gallon recipe mentioned on page 91. once fermented down to 1.01 I cold crashed, made caramel and added concentrate.
Now carbonating in bottles, I did this on the 1st and its the 5th now. plastic 2 liter bottle is getting pretty rigid, but opened a 12 oz and a larger grolsch and neither were 'rdy' quite yet. I may have no left enough head space in the bottle for it to carbonate properly. Should I give it a few more or just pasteurize, and if its cruddy carbonating force carb in keg? The post said it carbs quickly from all the sugar and it had carbonation, just not as much as id like I guess? Just wary of when to pasteurize before bottle bombs commense
 
UpstateMike said:
Per the updated recipe on page 42,
"2 tsp. ground cinnamon, OR 1/2 tsp liquid cinnamon extract". :tank: :mug:
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I had to go to 3 different stores but I finally found some extract to use. I would suggest following the initial instructions and make the caramel solution a day in advance. I noticed small drops of the extract still floating on the surface of the solution after the boiling and was concerned that I would have "pockets" of cinnamon flavor that would show up in the last few bottles that I would bottle. I put the solution (once cooled) into a large Grolsch bottle and let it sit 24 hours. The extract "drops" all went into solution at that time :)
I bottled my cider last evening and had about 6oz's leftover that my wife and I sampled.....this is some good stuff! :rockin:
 
LBussy said:
Did a batch a while back, use the Nottingham with no nutrients, no starter, took a while for it to finish. Could have done a lot of things to make it easier on the yeast but did none of them. :)

After maybe 1.5-2 months I racked out of the primary into a secondary with sulfite and benzoate, plus the syrup and concentrate. Just kegged after about a week to drop clear. Tastes wonderful, very much looking forward to it.

I've not seen it mentioned (although I have not read 101 pages) , making the syrup is interesting. Mine settled into a sort of "snot" layer, similar to what you would expect if you boiled okra. I put that into the fermenter and some of it survived till I cleaned the carboy. Nasty looking but it tastes great. Maybe it was something that came out of the cinnamon making the syrup? Dunno.
Click to expand...

When cinnamon is boiled in water the heat releases mucilage that causes the thickening. I too have had it happen when I try to make a cinnamon waffle syrup.In my previous post I mentioned using my home made apple jack as a extract producer. I put cinnamon powder into a coffee filter, poured high proof apple jack on it, and got a crystal clear, strongly flavored cinnamon extract w/o making "goo".
 
So I made a batch of this following the original recipe. It fermented down to 1.001!! That calculated 7.0 % ABV !?! Is that possible? Also experienced the cinnamon "snot" and am gonna make another batch next weekend using extract and only backsweetening with 4 cans FAJC. Btw, everyone (chickwise) loves this :) Also, btw, used Nottingham.
 
I need to make this. Been looking for something like this for awhile.

I was thinking of honey as a sub for the sugar though.

Also might hit with sorbate vs doing the pastuerizing.
 
Bottle my first 5 gal batch last Thursday and I had to pasteurize Sunday afternoon. I had 4 bottle bombs this was my first time experiencing those as I'm a Noob and I'll say that can be dangerous. All 4 blew in the hot water with the lid on luckily.

I have a question about the taste? The one I opened to check carbonation tasted more like cinnamon apples than caramel apples. Did I do something wrong or does it need to sit longer and the taste will develop? I used the ground cinnamon because that is all I had. My wife and friends like it as is but to me the cinnamon is a little strong.
 
If anyone wants to prevent bombs just cold crash before you bottle. They carb up slower and you can catch it in time to pasteurize, between that and the test soda bottle it's easy. I followed this recipe mostly but used light DME instead of dextrose, i'll post the results of that soon.
 
tnorman93638 said:
I have a question about the taste? The one I opened to check carbonation tasted more like cinnamon apples than caramel apples. Did I do something wrong or does it need to sit longer and the taste will develop? I used the ground cinnamon because that is all I had. My wife and friends like it as is but to me the cinnamon is a little strong.
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Give it a month / 6 weeks. It is amazing what a little time in the bottle does to this drink. :mug: :tank:
 
Thanks UpstateMike I plan on letting it set for a least a month. Maybe taste one every now and then to see how it develops.
 
Im making my second batch this weekend and am considering using 1 tsp of cinnamon extract and 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract in the syrup. Also wanna to find a way to add the flavor of raisins. Maybe soak 1/2 cup of them in vodka til fermentation slows and the add that infusion? I used Nottingham last time and washed it and started a yeast starter with it and 1 1/2 qt apple juice to get it going again. I ferment my ales for a total of 21 days, 7 days each at 62, 65, an 68. That worked real well for my first batch.
 
tnorman93638 said:
Bottle my first 5 gal batch last Thursday and I had to pasteurize Sunday afternoon. I had 4 bottle bombs this was my first time experiencing those as I'm a Noob and I'll say that can be dangerous. All 4 blew in the hot water with the lid on luckily.

I have a question about the taste? The one I opened to check carbonation tasted more like cinnamon apples than caramel apples. Did I do something wrong or does it need to sit longer and the taste will develop? I used the ground cinnamon because that is all I had. My wife and friends like it as is but to me the cinnamon is a little strong.
Click to expand...

This is what I will use. Potassium Sorbate. Pastuerizing seems to be more of timing issue.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/potassium-sorbate.html

I will keg and then carb. If I want to bottle from there it's no problem.
 
johnpcook1 said:
Im making my second batch this weekend and am considering using 1 tsp of cinnamon extract and 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract in the syrup.
Click to expand...

Sounds like an interesting idea, let me know how that goes.

johnpcook1 said:
Also wanna to find a way to add the flavor of raisins.
Click to expand...

That might be tricky. I know some people use raisins as a type of yeast nutrient, but I think the yeast will eat all the sugar and leave no flavor in the primary. Maybe take a one pound box of raisins, make a Purée, and rack onto that in a secondary.
 
johnpcook1 said:
..... Also wanna to find a way to add the flavor of raisins. ......
Click to expand...

When I did a RaisonD'Etre clone the recipie called for 8 OZ of pureed raisins in a 5 gallon batch. You might try starting there. I saw a survival show where they soaked raisins in salt water and they drew the water through the raisin skin to remove the salt. Using that logic, raisins would likely not impart a flavor unless they were crushed.
 
It's been 6 days since I bottled my 5 gal batch. I think another day or two before I have to pasteurize them. I have two plastic bottles that are starting to firm up.
I did put a bottle in the fridge yesterday to chill to try last night and I have to say just the short time in the bottle so far has really mellowed it out, it tastes great. :mug:
I'm going to gather ingredients to get another batch of this going over the weekend, I don't want to run out :)
 
I'm about to make another batch. I picked up another bottle of cinnamon extract yesterday and saw they (Wal-Mart) had a caramel extract as well. I'm going to play with that in the syrup along with the cinnamon. Anyone experiment with this?
 
The first batch I made just took another medal in competition. Took silver with a score of 41.

The batch was closer to the original posted recipe not the modified so it was a bit sweeter since I had a bit more concentrate for the back sweetening. It actually got knocked a little in a previous competition for being a bit too sweet but did well this time.

I have another batch going now that I will scale back on the concentrate a bit.
 
If you let this ferment out all the way and then back sweeten it with less sugar, do you still have to pasteurize it or will it carb up to a normal level on its own?
 
Just updating on the progress of the batch I started on 5/15. I let it ferment out dry and drop clear. This was a five gallon batch, but I back sweetened and flavored with the full amount in the updated recipe on post #420.
There's a few things I'll change next time I make this. First, I'll use a different yeast. I used champagne yeast on this batch.
Second, I'll add maybe another can of concentrate when back sweetening or make more of the brown sugar syrup.
Third, I'll add more cinnamon extract. The cinnamon flavor was almost non existent when I tasted what was left at the bottom of the bottling bucket.
But this is just as of now. I'll know for sure what I want to do after I taste the finished product once it's carbed up and pasteurized.
 
jglazer said:
If you let this ferment out all the way and then back sweeten it with less sugar, do you still have to pasteurize it or will it carb up to a normal level on its own?
Click to expand...

If you add sugar to backsweeten without either pasturizing or sorbating, the yeast will wake up, resume chewing, and you most likely will get bottle bombs. If you backsweeten with volumes similar to carb beer ( 1 oz per gallon) you most lilkely will not get the sweetness you are looking for. I was paranoid and pasturized 24 hours after bottling (sanitize setting on the dishwasher) and ended up with a still product. Next time I'll let it carb a little longer. I used Nottingham, FWIW.

I did this recipie once last fall. Where does everybody source non-sorbated juice in the middle of the summer? I go to the local orchard, which only sells juice during picking season.
 
william_shakes_beer said:
I did this recipie once last fall. Where does everybody source non-sorbated juice in the middle of the summer? I go to the local orchard, which only sells juice during picking season.
Click to expand...

I think most people use store-bought juice, which has been pasteurized but not had preservatives (sorbates, etc.) added...
 
william_shakes_beer said:
Where does everybody source non-sorbated juice in the middle of the summer?
Click to expand...

128 oz (1 Gallon) Wegmans 100% Apple Juice, with Calcium.

$2.89 per gallon.

Ingredients
Filtered Water, Apple Juice Concentrate, Calcium Gluconate, Calcium Lactate, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Malic Acid.

Specific gravity is about 1.055.

077890303146.jpg
 
All right, I have a question. I made this up a few days ago and now it is a yellow color. Looks nothing like the Apple juice I started out with. This is my first cider so....did I do something wrong or is that normal? Any help is appreciated!

ForumRunner_20130621_130724.jpg
 
Haha what did you put in there? That yellow blanket may also contribute to the color a smidgen...
 
rdneckbrew said:
All right, I have a question. I made this up a few days ago and now it is a yellow color. Looks nothing like the Apple juice I started out with. This is my first cider so....did I do something wrong or is that normal? Any help is appreciated!
Click to expand...

You did use apple juice, not orange juice, right? :D
 
I followed the recipe! I don't know what the heck is going on. I don't think the blanket is affecting the color. Also, is there supposed to be a Krausen cause there's not. The airlock is bubbling though. Here is a before photo....looks normal! Should I dump this and not waste my time. Help!

ForumRunner_20130621_163815.jpg
 
It's fine and it will clear. If you're hellbent on dumping it, then send it to me. I've made 5 gallons before and currently have three 5-gallon buckets fermenting to fill a half barrel. All looked like yours once fermentation kicked off.

You really need to switch to decaf. :D
 
Just never made a cider so I was a bit shocked when I peeked at it and saw the orange juice. I will ride it out though, thanks for the help. I wasn't looking forward to dumping all that out.
 

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