Not the end of the world Cider.

So since today was another one of those silly end of the world things, I'm going to start a cider.

On hand I have 5 gallons of motts, rather bland cider by the taste of things but better than using cheap old walmart AJ maybe..

Frozen concentrates many of them, I think I'll throw in a few strait apple just to boost up sugar and flavor. Maybe a cranapple or some cranberries they fit the season.

possibly some oat milk or oat flower I would like to boost the body and the wife wants it sweet and I aim to please since she keeps going out and buying angry orchard... hopefully Santa wife brings me a keg setup. I could have picked one up with what she spent on 6 packs lol.

any one else have a not the end of the world cider idea today?

Not cider today, but I'm making a few batches of wine tonight. Good idea with the cranberries btw. Adds a seasonal/holiday touch.

Yes, I am making some end of the world cider. As it so happens, I've never made a cider before. While in a mill today, I was able to buy 12 gallons of UV pasterized no chemicals cider, and I thought what the hell. If the worlds not going to end, I might as well start brewing my own booze. I picked up a pair of 6 gallon carboys and some yeast and I'm going to put it all together tomorrow. I was lurking for info when I noticed your question and could not help but respond. Of course, the days not over yet, so maybe I'm celibrating prematurely.....................but I doubt it

Cheers

I kept it super simple for now not knowing exactly what will be done in the end,
5 gallons of musslemens cider,
1.050
pectic enzyme
all in a 6 gallon carboy with nottingham and a blowoff tube.

after it ferments most of the way i will transfer to a 5 gallon carboy and top up with some apple juice.

well from 1.05 to 1.01 i think i'll cold crash it tonight if it warms up a little outside its to far past freezing, i need to get myself a brewing fridge... then some malic acid and into a keg as soon as i get one.

just a note to myself, cider went from 1.01 to 1.008 and now has that bitter flavor.... racked and stabalized for the keg, waiting for it to clear now.

started my wife some stuff 1.064 another hooch experiment for her.

well, today i racked to a new carboy nd added 4 cans of aj concentrate last time i stabalized and it stopped at 1.006


i took the sample to the wife and her comments were i really like this without aj concentrate added yet, sofar it has better flavor by far than using walmart aj. i will be using musselmans when i cant get real cider from now on.

4 cans of concentrate took it to 1.022 i also added 1 tsp of malic acid. we tasted the new mix and its not bad, i will have to do a side by side with an AO but this is close enough if not better and its hardly aged.

i just ordered my keg and fittings today just have to wait for that to arrive and get my co2 filled so i can start kegging my brew, much easier to do sweeter ciders now.

the sugar water well i got buy and ppl got sick it went dry .990 about 9.8% instead of 7 but eh, when i get the cash for another keg i will do that with a bunch of bacardi strawberry dacquiri mixes for the wife. i need to do something diferent for her this stuff smells wreched i hope it clears up after racking and stabalizing.

next on the list a mini fridge so i can build a keggerator for us. its winter and the garage holds a steady 40 degrees so we can cheap out for now

Well, the work is still here, so I racked both my 6 gallon batches into 5 gallon carboys. This leaves almost no roomm for air to get to my cider. Even after leaving a 1/2 gallon or so in the bottom, I had a couple pints to drink. I am pleased. It's pretty darn good, and I'm sure it will get better with age. I think I'm going to put another batch on. Cheers

price1077 said:

Well, the work is still here, so I racked both my 6 gallon batches into 5 gallon carboys. This leaves almost no roomm for air to get to my cider. Even after leaving a 1/2 gallon or so in the bottom, I had a couple pints to drink. I am pleased. It's pretty darn good, and I'm sure it will get better with age. I think I'm going to put another batch on. Cheers

Click to expand...

(Thumbs up)

Ok another step closer, this is all new working on the AO clone and kegging for the 2nd time, first time on my own equipment. Racked into the keg before work hit it with 30 psi to seal it, bled it a few times to make sure the air was out. I was going to leave it hooked up to start carbonating but I found a leak. Had to leave for work so I unhooked the co2 shut off the tank. Got home fixed the first leak, just required a wrench to tighten things properly. Hooked the co2 up again sprayed all my connections no bubbles, started to shake it up as its my first time and I can't sit back and drink a home brew this time. Then I spot liquid in the co2 line and i found another leak, turns out I need to clamp that line as well. So fixed that leak, turned the co2 down to 12 psi, bled it 2 short bursts and i hear a crapload of bubbling from my keg lid now.... one spot isnt sealing, relubed it moved it around, flipped it around, flipped it back, hit it with 30 bled it 2 quick bursts turned the co2 back to 12 bubbles and the flippen lid falls in...

ok, pull out my "free" o rings, pull the lid ring, look at it, ya that's not new as advertised when compared to my new o ring, lube it put it on, sanitize, hit it with 30 check for leaks with starsan, bleed it 2 quick bursts, turn it to 12, no leaks, no falling lids, no bubbles or funny sounds so if i have a leak now its really really slow. Drinking my 3rd pint of warm undercarbonated cider and loving it, and being ocd with the starsan to check for leaks after i pour to make sure the problem is solved.

My wife found the AO I had stashed which is ok i should do the side by side test after its cold, carbonated and i'm not half in the bag due to lack of sleep and consumption.