Caramel Apple Hard Cider

So my last batch I used a little more sugar than called for in the recipe and I used a full teaspoon of cinnamon extract. I also used two packets of Nottingham as it didn't look like the first packet was doing much.
I kegged it last week and had some left over that I put in a gallon juice jug and I had a glass of it last night. Seemed to be a little "hot" but I'm not sure if that's alcohol heat or from using double the cinnamon extract.

I started this with 5 gallons of store bought cider 2 lbs light brown sugar and about 1 cup of yeast slurry from an IPA I bottled. We'll see how it turns out. Kinda just wanted to do a cheap and easy experiment.


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I made a gallon batch of this... with tweaks of my own. And just before bottling, the taster was lovely. Would be nice as a still cider as well. I might have to make a bit more of this, that's for sure! Thanks!!

Gonna bottle tomorrow....OG was 1.076.....FG is 1.002...9.71 ABV. This is gonna be a rockin cider. Used the WL English Cider Yeast...flavor is incredible even without the back sweetin! Clarity is awesome!

54 bottles...gonna get another batch of this started tomorrow. This next batch will be 6 gallon...

First cider so I have a few questions. But first some adaptations I made:

Used brown sugar instead of dextrose
Used a cider yeast(dry but I can't remember which)
Left in primary for 3 weeks to a FG of 0.99
Been in secondary for 4 weeks.

So...

1) With the campden and potassium sulfate, should I add direct or put into a soluble solution.

2). Since it went so dry, and I want it fairly sweet, should I add 4 Fajc of stick with 3)

3) when ready to keg, how long would you keep it on 30psi to get proper carbonation?

Any help us greatly appreciated. Can't wait to try it.


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So I'm getting ready to bottle (and subsequently paseurize) and I'm thinking of using just 2 cans of concentrate and the syrup. Has anyone else done this? How were your results? How long did it take to carb?

I don't want it too sweet, but I do want some apple flavor, which seems to be gone from the few samples I've taken.


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It depends on what yeast (ale, wine or cider) is used and how far you let it go down.

I've got a batch of this right now on which I used Nottingham and stopped it at 1.006 by moving into the cold crash (35*F). I plan to keg it, use K-sorbate and serve it still. I'll start with the syrup and two cans of FCAJ. If it needs the third can, it'll be a simple matter to add it.

mbtmm said:

So I'm getting ready to bottle (and subsequently paseurize) and I'm thinking of using just 2 cans of concentrate and the syrup. Has anyone else done this? How were your results? How long did it take to carb?

I don't want it too sweet, but I do want some apple flavor, which seems to be gone from the few samples I've taken.


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Ive let 3 batches go all the way down, with Nottingham, to bout 0.996ish. Then Ive tried adding the syrup and 3,4,or 5 cans. 5 seems to br the sweet spot. I mean, yes, its sweet, but I havnt served it to a girl who didnt like it. Jus sayin


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mbtmm said:

So I'm getting ready to bottle (and subsequently paseurize) and I'm thinking of using just 2 cans of concentrate and the syrup. Has anyone else done this? How were your results? How long did it take to carb?

I don't want it too sweet, but I do want some apple flavor, which seems to be gone from the few samples I've taken.


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I did 2 cans and syrup on my last one. It's right where I want it, basically, and received very positive feedback from the HB Club members during our last meeting. It didn't carb in the bottles as I would have liked, but it's still good!

pwortiz said:

I did 2 cans and syrup on my last one. It's right where I want it, basically, and received very positive feedback from the HB Club members during our last meeting. It didn't carb in the bottles as I would have liked, but it's still good!

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Do you mean it didn't carb at all? Or not as much as you would have liked?


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I pastuerized too soon so it is very lightly carbed.

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pwortiz said:

I pastuerized too soon so it is very lightly carbed.

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Much preferred to pasteurizing too late.

Haha, true that. I have dealt with that, too.

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So how long does this take to carb in the bottles on average. I'm going out of town in about ten days and plan to bottle tomorrow. I'd like to pasteurize before I leave and have them fully carbed.


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You will need to pastuerized in 3-4 days


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I'm only planning on using 2-3 cans of concentrate, and the syrup. But I assume that 3-4 days still stands


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I pasteurized in 4 days. Girls want to buy all of this fully backsweetened batch barely carbed up. I can't wait to see the difference with modified recipe fully carbed as my second cider batch.

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mbtmm said:

I'm only planning on using 2-3 cans of concentrate, and the syrup. But I assume that 3-4 days still stands


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Dude, give the ladies what they want


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mbtmm said:

I'm only planning on using 2-3 cans of concentrate, and the syrup. But I assume that 3-4 days still stands


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I gave mine 5...but because the temp was lower than usual in my basement it didn't carb as quickly. So, 3-4 may work but it will depend on the temp.

mbtmm said:

So how long does this take to carb in the bottles on average. I'm going out of town in about ten days and plan to bottle tomorrow. I'd like to pasteurize before I leave and have them fully carbed.

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If you bottle this and wait 10 days before pasteurizing, you will have bottlebombs.

I don't plan to wait ten days, just wanted to make sure I had adequate time. Thanks for all the responses. I appreciate them.


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10 days depends on yeast and temps

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Does anyone have video or can post a link to video of bottle bombs detonating??


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Should I chill a bottle down before testing carbonation (put it in the freezer for 30-45 min)?


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johnpcook1 said:

Does anyone have video or can post a link to video of bottle bombs detonating??


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Youtube has a lot of them. There's one where a guy dumped his batch of cider https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioEKTBwbDEw

I saw one before my first experience but wasn't able to find it - a dude had a batch sitting on his washer/dryer and they were just popping away.

I had one go about 2 feet from me of an OLD batch of cider (not mike's). It startled me but didn't cause any damage luckily.

Bottled yesterday. I think the first few bottles go more concentrate than the rest. Might have to pasteurize them tomorrow.


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pwortiz said:

Youtube has a lot of them. There's one where a guy dumped his batch of cider https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioEKTBwbDEw

I saw one before my first experience but wasn't able to find it - a dude had a batch sitting on his washer/dryer and they were just popping away.

I had one go about 2 feet from me of an OLD batch of cider (not mike's). It startled me but didn't cause any damage luckily.

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I would categorise those as "gushers" that would definitely turn into bottle bombs if you tried pasteurizing them. In a bottle bomb you would have the bottle or cap fail and break.

Those are gushers. Sad to see really. I had a batch that did slight overcarb before it hit the fridge. Jus had to pour it into a large glass before it went on the table and let it settle. Very drinkable. Not for sure what serving method would work for those gushers though lol


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Those are gushers. Sad to see really. I had a batch that did slight overcarb before it hit the fridge. Jus had to pour it into a large glass before it went on the table and let it settle. Very drinkable. Not for sure what serving method would work for those gushers though lol


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Just made two gallon batches of this with Notty, and realize that I put almost 1 lb of sugar in each, vs 2 lbs in 6 gallons!!! OG 1.090 and 1.094 seemed a little high. Uhoh, what will all the extra sugar do to finished product, and is it still safe to backsweeten with same amt of syrup/juice concentrate mix and pasteurize these, or am i just guaranteed bottle bombs?

Texconsinite said:

Just made two gallon batches of this with Notty, and realize that I put almost 1 lb of sugar in each, vs 2 lbs in 6 gallons!!! OG 1.090 and 1.094 seemed a little high. Uhoh, what will all the extra sugar do to finished product, and is it still safe to backsweeten with same amt of syrup/juice concentrate mix and pasteurize these, or am i just guaranteed bottle bombs?

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You sir have potentially jus made a 12.1% Hard Cider!! Well played!! The Nottingham wont make the journey. Its gonna die around 8-10% ABV. That will make it sweet and unable to carbonate in the bottle. You could force carb in a keg though. If you want to get the full alchohol potential, get half a package of champagne yeast in each and aerate like crazy. Then you should be able to go down to 1.000, get the ABV Ive mentioned and then be able to backsweeten and carbonate from there. This could turn out amazing!!


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This is from the danstar site...

"The recommended fermentation temperature range of this strain is 14° to 21°C (57° to 70°F) with good tolerance to low fermentation temperatures (12°C/54°F) that allow this strain to be used in lager-style beer. With a relatively high alcohol tolerance, Nottingham is a great choice for creation of higher-alcohol specialty beers!"

I have had notty be very robust up to 9.5% with enough energy to carbonate after a dry ferment... just make sure you get a nice starter and areate well and throw some nutrient in the start and some enrgizer in about 4 or 5 days in...

Followed the recipe with 10 days in fermenter at 65° now. OG is 1.064 and FG is 1.010 - ABV 7.1%. Going to transfer to secondary at day 14. The sample tasted pretty good already.

iRebound said:

Followed the recipe with 10 days in fermenter at 65° now. OG is 1.064 and FG is 1.010 - ABV 7.1%. Going to transfer to secondary at day 14. The sample tasted pretty good already.

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Soakin anything with it in secondary?


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TrustyOlJohnson said:

Soakin anything with it in secondary?


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No sir. Just going to let it clear up a bit.

Was jus wonderin. Ive used cinnamon extract and powder and vanilla extract and have thought about doing a secondary soak with cinnamon stick and vanilla bean and maybe raisins, although I wonder if raisins would really add a raisin flavor.


"Sometimes Im right half of the time ...."

iRebound said:

No sir. Just going to let it clear up a bit.

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Racking a cider to a secondary is not needed and increases the risk of oxidation. Mine clears up very nicely during a week-long cold crash of the primary.

Planning to use this recipe for my first cider adventure, and had a question regarding kegging and force carbing. I know that I need to backsweetent the cider before kegging but I don't want any natural carbonation in the keg, as I plan to just force carb. Will campden tabs do the trick to stop the yeast from carbing up the keg, or do I need to add additional things? Also, I have read that boiling the cider, if I wanted to add some Irish Moss to help with clearin, it actually makes a cloudier cider in the end? Sorry for noob questions here. I have done quite a few homebrews but this will b my first cider!

nudarkshadowl said:

Planning to use this recipe for my first cider adventure, and had a question regarding kegging and force carbing. I know that I need to backsweetent the cider before kegging but I don't want any natural carbonation in the keg, as I plan to just force carb. Will campden tabs do the trick to stop the yeast from carbing up the keg, or do I need to add additional things? Also, I have read that boiling the cider, if I wanted to add some Irish Moss to help with clearin, it actually makes a cloudier cider in the end? Sorry for noob questions here. I have done quite a few homebrews but this will b my first cider!

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Welcome to making ciders. It's pretty darn easy and a nice supplement to brewing beers, especially if you have friends, family and co-workers who prefer cider over beer.

Irish moss or Whirlfloc isn't something you'd want to put in a cider. It's to help coagulate protein break material in wort. If you can cold crash the primary, that will clear it nicely in about a week.

I use potassium sorbate to stop yeast activity before backsweetening. Some folks use Campden or a combination of Campden + K-sorbate.