mr_tripp
Well-Known Member
This may not taste exactly like Woodchuck, but I had a draft cider from Trader Joe’s the other day and they taste identical. I first have to thank this forum and CvileKevin for his Results from juice, yeast and sugar experiments, and sharing his success with Nottingham Yeast.
My goal was to create a strong sweet hard cider without waiting for months, without back sweetening, without kegging, and without using ingredients that are expensive or seasonal. These are the same discussions that take place daily on this thread. If you are looking for an easy to drink semi-sweet cider that most people will love, this simple recipe is for you. There are 3 key ingredients, Nottingham Ale Yeast, dark brown sugar, and frozen apple juice concentrate without sulfites. That’s right, frozen apple juice, not expensive fresh cider. I guess you could use bottled apple juice, but the frozen concentrate works great, and I added one more can then needed to keep the apple flavor.
Woodchuck Clone 5 Gallon Batch S.G. 1.070
14 cans “Old Orchard” frozen concentrate apple juice or any other juice without sulfites
Water to reach the 5-gallon mark
2 lbs. dark brown sugar
Nottingham Ale Yeast
Priming sugar (3/4 cup corn sugar)
Directions:
Boil 2 lbs of dark brown sugar in some water.
Prepare yeast by following the directions on the packet
Pour 14 cans of thawed apple juice concentrate into primary fermenter (fill each container with warm water and pour back into fermenter to get all of the concentrate from the side of the can)
Add brown sugar and water to reach the 5-gallon mark
Stir vigorously
Add yeast
Check gravity daily after 3 days. Fermentation should start the next day. About 5-7 days when it reaches 1.012 {correction at first I said 1.020, but that was wrong} or lower (the lower the number the dryer it will taste) rack it into the secondary fermenter and leave for at least 2 weeks. This will stop the fermentation and prevent it from becoming bone dry like wine or champagne yeast will do.
After 2 weeks, boil priming sugar in one cup of water and pour into a bottling bucket. Rack the cider into the bottling bucket (some people say you don’t stir) then bottle and cap. Wait 2 weeks (if you can) to drink.
My cider did have a strong yeast smell that I assume will go away, but the taste is phenomenal.
I would love to hear your comments or questions. I also made a 6 gallon batch using Wal-Mart’s brand of apple juice concentrate and light brown sugar. I’ll let you know how it turned out, but it fermented a lot slower.
My goal was to create a strong sweet hard cider without waiting for months, without back sweetening, without kegging, and without using ingredients that are expensive or seasonal. These are the same discussions that take place daily on this thread. If you are looking for an easy to drink semi-sweet cider that most people will love, this simple recipe is for you. There are 3 key ingredients, Nottingham Ale Yeast, dark brown sugar, and frozen apple juice concentrate without sulfites. That’s right, frozen apple juice, not expensive fresh cider. I guess you could use bottled apple juice, but the frozen concentrate works great, and I added one more can then needed to keep the apple flavor.
Woodchuck Clone 5 Gallon Batch S.G. 1.070
14 cans “Old Orchard” frozen concentrate apple juice or any other juice without sulfites
Water to reach the 5-gallon mark
2 lbs. dark brown sugar
Nottingham Ale Yeast
Priming sugar (3/4 cup corn sugar)
Directions:
Boil 2 lbs of dark brown sugar in some water.
Prepare yeast by following the directions on the packet
Pour 14 cans of thawed apple juice concentrate into primary fermenter (fill each container with warm water and pour back into fermenter to get all of the concentrate from the side of the can)
Add brown sugar and water to reach the 5-gallon mark
Stir vigorously
Add yeast
Check gravity daily after 3 days. Fermentation should start the next day. About 5-7 days when it reaches 1.012 {correction at first I said 1.020, but that was wrong} or lower (the lower the number the dryer it will taste) rack it into the secondary fermenter and leave for at least 2 weeks. This will stop the fermentation and prevent it from becoming bone dry like wine or champagne yeast will do.
After 2 weeks, boil priming sugar in one cup of water and pour into a bottling bucket. Rack the cider into the bottling bucket (some people say you don’t stir) then bottle and cap. Wait 2 weeks (if you can) to drink.
My cider did have a strong yeast smell that I assume will go away, but the taste is phenomenal.
I would love to hear your comments or questions. I also made a 6 gallon batch using Wal-Mart’s brand of apple juice concentrate and light brown sugar. I’ll let you know how it turned out, but it fermented a lot slower.