My first foray into cider. After last years Strawberry ale that was too dry, so didn't taste like the fruit, I figured some residual sweetness would be a good idea for berry cider. So Friday 10-13-06 I mixed up a 5 gallons of commercial juice, 3# frozen berry medley, mashed 2# of Munich and 3# of Pilsner malt. Brought the berries to a boil in some apple juice, then smashed with potato masher. Added the berry juice to my mash after 45 minutes, figured residual enzymes might do something beneficial. Boiled the wort, not the apple juice. Dumped it all into a carboy, including the berry bodies. OG 1.060. Pitched recycled ale yeast- from a malty Fat Ass Tired batch. Bubbler working in an hour. No blow-off like last years strawberry, when I added the berries after the yeast had multiplied in the primary. Slowing down now, after 40 hours.
Will I get ale speed? For this thanksgiving? Or christmas? Any pectin probs from boiling a quart of the apple juice? Will the Marion Berries add a cocaine kick?
Will I get ale speed? For this thanksgiving? Or christmas? Any pectin probs from boiling a quart of the apple juice? Will the Marion Berries add a cocaine kick?