Crapple Raspberry

Just started a new gallon batch of Cider. This will be my first concentrate batch. I used one can of Apple-Raspberry and one of Apple-Cranberry (by mistake, hence the crapple . . . as my wife's family calls it) and two cans of apple juice. I added boiled water to fill it to a gallon in which I dissolved six ounces of orange blossom honey and a 1/2 pound of light brown cane sugar. I pitched a Nottingham starter with a tsp of yeast nutrient and stood back.

1 hour later I had a nice little ring of bubbles. At three hours it had a good 2 inch krausen (a very nice cranberry red tint ) and it was starting to bubble. This morning the krausen was mostly gone and it was bubbling about once every 4 seconds.

The OG was 1.062 so I should end up with a nice semi-sweet cider. I think it will clear pretty quickly but for some reason I think I will stick to fresh juice from now on. I will let you know how it turns out.

Do you have much cider making experience? I have a few questions that I've not been able to figure out yet.

Hey Billybrew,

Nope, I just started this brewing hobby. I am kind of just experimenting at this point and trying different things to see what ingredients and processes seem to work the best.

Anyway, feel free to ask, if I don't know I am sure there are guys here who do. I know that it may be sacrilege but I still prefer cider to beer.

Good luck . . .

cr(anberry) ap(ple) (rasp)berry -> crapberry

but seriously, sounds good
any sugar or anything else added

what was your OG?

missing said:

Hey Billybrew,

Nope, I just started this brewing hobby. I am kind of just experimenting at this point and trying different things to see what ingredients and processes seem to work the best.

Anyway, feel free to ask, if I don't know I am sure there are guys here who do. I know that it may be sacrilege but I still prefer cider to beer.

Good luck . . .

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I'm just trying to figure out how to make a sweet or semi-sweet cider that is carbonated and without the aid of a kegging system. Have you had any luck at that?

Raynor makes quite a bit of cider, but he goes for the still and dry stuff. Most of the other folks on this forum don't do much with cider.

billybrew said:

I'm just trying to figure out how to make a sweet or semi-sweet cider that is carbonated and without the aid of a kegging system. Have you had any luck at that? .

Click to expand...

You could add a non-fermentable sugar.

Actually, that is what I have been going for as well. I do like Woodchuck's dry cider but the best I ever had was from a small brewery in Colorado (long time ago) that was semi-sweet and lightly carbonated.

I have been running batches with different amounts of starting sugar (higher and lower OG's) and both Ale and Champagne yeast (still waiting on the cider yeast). I am going to divide my gallons into three different bottled batches. One will be primed with sugar, one will be sweetened with a tbsp of apple juice concentrate per bottle (or fresh juice . . . haven't decided yet) and the last will be left just to age as is.

That should give me nine different combinations to test (and I may do another if the wife isn't looking). I will be sure to post my results after they have aged a bit. I know, it is a tough job but I really want to do it . .

My understanding is, if you want a semi-sweet cider it is best to use around 1 lb of sugar to a gallon with either an Ale yeast or a cider yeast. Then, when it is done fermenting, add some more juice for flavoring (I haven't been able to find how much).

I hope this helps. Good luck with your cider. By the way, the Crappleberry (what I have decided to call it) is going like gang busters and has a great apple smell with a trace of raspberry!

Definately post the results... I will be waiting