need help (small batch cider)

Try to find a 1 gallon recipe for hard apple cider made with apple juice
Thanks for helping me
Gingerpower

Yaa mon! Just jump into it!
i lean towards a glass jug of quality juice/asorbic acid only allowed.
Add alittle less than a half pkg of redstar yeast...champange/cuvee/montrarat..ect...2.00$ at brew store..no bread yeast!!! 8$ for 5pkgs on ebay/no shipping.
shake 10 times.....put a medium balloon with a pin hole in it on the mouth.
keep around 65 degrees give or take 5ish.
this will give you a 6ish % alcohol...add 1/2 cup sugar if more is desired.
dont sweat the small stuff and have patience...
put in frig and drink when the balloon is flaccid.
ENJOY!!! TOO much fun!!!!!!! :rockin:

and you can add a tablespoon fo fresh ginger too!

Thanks
Gingerpower

I used this walk through. It helped me understand the process and layed out everything I needed to buy ad do. It's super easy, produces a gallon.
I'm about 1 week into my first batch.

http://m.instructables.com/id/Home-Brew-Hard-Cider-from-Scratch/

Yeah, cider really isn't hard. Start with any applejuice or cider that doesn't have either potassium sorbate or potassium metabisulfite in it. Add sugar, preferable brown sugar, slowly until you hit your target gravity. I don't like to go over 1.100. If you want more apple flavor, don't add any sugar at all.

Something to watch out for is "apple juice cocktail". It's generally got a lot of ingredients and doesn't ferment well, even when it doesn't have preservatives in it. Preferably, your juice should have between one and three ingredients. IE: Apple juice. Apple juice, ascorbic acid. Apple juice concentrate, water, ascorbic acid. Pasteurized juice is fine.

Your FG should be about 1.050, with no sugar. Add your yeast, champagne yeast works well but if your going to be brewing in a container that won't have a lot of head space then montrachet is a good idea. It's less likely to cause a foam over.

If you like ginger, then a tablespoon or three of fresh ginger is nice. I like to drop a cinnamon stick in mine after it's hit FG.

Yeast nutrient is a good idea, usually 1 tsp/gallon is good. Half a tsp of pectin enzyme wouldn't go amiss either. Pectin enzyme breaks down a carbohydrate that is sometimes present in apple juice that can cloud the final product. It won't make any difference to the taste, just the clarity. Neither are really necessary though.

If you omit the nutrients and use additional sugar, plan on aging the result for about 3 months after it's hit FG for it to be good. It will get you drunk as soon as it hits fg, but it won't taste very good.

Happy Brewing!

Hi all
Just starting my 1gal batch. Went to brew shop to get some pectolase and they told me to chuck in 1 crushed campden tab and leave for 24h which I have done but my main concern was that I have either ale yeast or cider yeast ( youngs ) enough for 23L and they said just add the entire lot?? Will be adding 1LB LIGHT BROWN SUGAR + 1LB HONEY. Is this too much yeast?
Tia

If it's an 11g packet, I'd say you don't really need that much. 5-6g would be fine if you rehydrate in 90º-100ºF water/juice for about 10-15 mins. I make 1 gallon batches with 5g of Nottingham all the time.

That said, my OG is usually around 1.060. If your OG is up towards 1.100, I'd use the whole 11g.

Thanks PP
Looking at doing this the proper way ish, Sooo much to learn. Hoping to start a kit soon either a perry or stout, I know they are completely different but need a start to learn the basics..
Thanks again

Pickled_Pepper said:

If it's an 11g packet, I'd say you don't really need that much. 5-6g would be fine if you rehydrate in 90º-100ºF water/juice for about 10-15 mins. I make 1 gallon batches with 5g of Nottingham all the time.

That said, my OG is usually around 1.060. If your OG is up towards 1.100, I'd use the whole 11g.

Click to expand...

Yup. If you only use half the packet, you can tape it up and put it in the fridge. It should be good there for months.

Thanks.
Its a 5g pkt, going with the cider yeast.
At the mo its sitting at just over 4L with a crushed campden tab and tsp of pectolase in it. When I reach the 24h mark which will be around 1pm uk time I shall be adding my sugars ( inverted 1Lb Lbrown + 1Lb Honey ).
Looking for an SG of around 1080-1100 then FG of 1010 ish..
Just one thing, Should I rehydrate the yeast or just sprinkle on top and leave it, maybe a little shake..
Looking to do a slower ferment at a slightly lower temp ( 16-18c ) rather than stripping the **** out of it in about 2 days :/.
Thanks again

Ok all.
Progress update.
Transfered to another carboy. As way to much if adding invert sugar mix 1L. Sugar first then poored juice in to take it to the top.
Added Nutrient
SG 1.110 !!!!
Going to tip yeast (cider) in about 10 mins.
Fingers crossed

Give it a week or 2 and ill let you know Gingerpower. Im heading for a semi sweet .