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MKelly

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Been lurking for quite a while and can’t say enough about the information available here for cider. This is a great site........

Currently have 2 - 30 gal batches going. (30gal Food grade plastic drums)

Both batches are Granny smith, Red Delicious, and McGowan apples.

1st barrel has 25lbs natural brown sugar, 5lbs maple sugar, 3lb raisins, Lavin 1118 yeast, and yeast energizer. Starting sg 1.085 on 10/18/08


2nd barrel has 1 gallon grade b maple syrup, 1 quart molasses, 3lb raisins, and yeast energizer. Starting sg 1.075 0n 10/18/08

Both of these barrels were fresh pressed cider right from an orchard in central mass. They have been sitting in my basement quietly bubbling away... as of last friday:

Barrel 1 hydro reading 1.02
Barrel 2 hydro reading 1.04 Bubbling has slowed down quite a bit.

The extra cider taken out of the two barrels to add the surgar and other goodies was put into a 5 gallon carboy with 4lb naural very dark brown sugar, 1 pint molasses, 1lb raisins. No added yeast or energizer. sg 1.077, at 75f, for 4 months fg 1.0. Cold crashed for 5 days outside at about 25f. sadly it did not last long enough bottle any to save for later.

Also just finished up a batch of Apfelwein/cyser.
4.5 gal store bought apple juice, 2lb brown sugar (stop and shop), 3lb natural clover honey, 1lb raisins, sg 1.085, kept at 75+f for 5 weeks, fg 1.02, cold crashed. Had mild vinegar after taste. it is now sitting for a while aging, might add some oak chips...

Will take some pics and post them soon.

Did have some question.

Has anyone here tried to make a cider using raw sugar cane chiped or choped up? Thought that might be cheap and kind of interesting to try..

Also has anyone made iced cider?

Many Thanks...
 
where did you get 5lb's of Maple sugar? Thats too damn cool. I haven't seen it packaged in anything bigger then something in the spice section 2-8oz.
 
Not sure how many on here have access to that type of sugar, but if I was, I know I would want to try it out.

Depends on what you mean by iced cider, if you are saying iced as in ice wine, where the juice is concentrated by freezing prior too fermentation, then yes. There are a couple of people on here that freeze their juice to concentrate the flavors and sugars, raising the SG. Also, a lot of people use frozen apple concentrate as an additional sugar additive in placed of granulated sugar/honey/etc. I would like to try freeze concentrated a whole batch prior to fermentation when I have the ability to do so.

Oh and for your first 3(kinda 4) batches, you went all out. Sounds like you have a lot of fantastic brewing a brewin. I will say for starting them in October, I would certainly hope they had dropped below 1.020 and 1.040. Those both probably have quite a ways to go. Try to throw some pics up for us, I'm always interested in seeing people brew and their setups.
 
I got 5lbs of maple sugar from my own tree's i tap each year. I tried to be adventourous and make maple cream from the maple syrup i made last year. Unfortunatly the cooking temp between maple cream and maple sugar is quite small. The end result was 8lbs maple sugar chunks.

Its also pretty good in coffee.
 
Wow, 8 lbs of maple sugar sounds like a lot of tree tapping! I tapped mine one year and collected about 200 gallons of sap, but my boiler was so inefficient i only got 50 gallons or so boiled and the rest went bad. About a gallon of syrup was the result. What do you boil with?
 
2 cups maple syrup

Bring the maple syrup to a slow boil in a deep sauce pan.
Using a candy thermometer, turn the heat to very low and allow the syrup to boil without stirring until the thermometer reads 233F. Be careful that the syrup doesn't boil over - once maple syrup boils, it really boils.
When the maple syrup reaches 233F, remove it from the heat and allow to cool, still without stirring it, until the thermometer reads 110F.
Once the temperature of the syrup reaches 110F, beat the maple syrup vigorously with a wooden spoon for several minutes. The syrup will gradually turn a pale caramel color and become stiff enough to mold.
Place in candy molds or form into patties on a plate or baking sheet and allow to cool completely.
Makes about 1 pound of maple syrup candy.
 
Wow, 8 lbs of maple sugar sounds like a lot of tree tapping! I tapped mine one year and collected about 200 gallons of sap, but my boiler was so inefficient i only got 50 gallons or so boiled and the rest went bad. About a gallon of syrup was the result. What do you boil with?

We just have a 55 gallon drum wood stove kit with the top cut off and a 8 inch deep pan set on top. the stove gets hot as hell when we use oak pallets. usually process 100 gallons a day.
 
Not sure how many on here have access to that type of sugar, but if I was, I know I would want to try it out.

Depends on what you mean by iced cider, if you are saying iced as in ice wine, where the juice is concentrated by freezing prior too fermentation, then yes. There are a couple of people on here that freeze their juice to concentrate the flavors and sugars, raising the SG. Also, a lot of people use frozen apple concentrate as an additional sugar additive in placed of granulated sugar/honey/etc. I would like to try freeze concentrated a whole batch prior to fermentation when I have the ability to do so.

Oh and for your first 3(kinda 4) batches, you went all out. Sounds like you have a lot of fantastic brewing a brewin. I will say for starting them in October, I would certainly hope they had dropped below 1.020 and 1.040. Those both probably have quite a ways to go. Try to throw some pics up for us, I'm always interested in seeing people brew and their setups.

The two 30 gallon barrels are taking so long i thing because there temp is about 55f. Wanted to do a long slow ferment should bring out some nice flavors... Patience is deffinatly a virtue......



Has anyone here ever tried raw chopped sugar cane ? I know it would be nearly impossable to figure your sg. I would think that would be quite tasty..
 
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