Original Sin Cider

I recently tried Original Sin at a local micropub, and I loved it. I'm not a huge fan of ciders, but this is one I would love to brew.

I've never brewed a cider (only apfelwein)...can anyone fill me in on the basic process or give me an easy recipe that'll make this type of cider?

I'm on the west coast and it is difficult to get Original Sin out here. So my advice is going to be on the general side.

Commercial ciders are either six pack or craft, just like beer. The good ones are selective in the apple breeds they use. Some apples are good for eating, while others are better for pies, baking, or apple sauce, and others are best for cider. In fact, cider apples are horrible eaters.

To get started, I would recommend just using apple juice. If you can get a hold of something in the produce area, it will be better. DO NOT ADD SUGAR! It is only 6%

computer is failing - be back to finish post.

According to their site, the cider is made from Granny Smith apples. It looks interesting and I am going to have to see if I can find this locally. I made a cider last fall that was ok, but this definitely sounds interesting. I also saw on the site, they are producing a Pear cider which sounds interesting.

One of the local bars has their cider and a ton of posters. I didn't try it as I was distracted by the 22 taps of non ****ty beer (24 total at the time and now 48). Maybe next time I have a free night and my wife isn't around I'll head over there (it's smoking bar and she bitches the whole time). I do love me some cider.

Kind of off topic but how does original sin taste compared to apfelwein? My SWMBO really likes original sin so I am hoping that she will also enjoy apfelwein.

Original sin is a good pub cider. Start with some good tart juice. Doesnt need to be granny smith, but needs to have some tang in the finish. Use an ale yeast like Notty or S04 and crash it to taste when the sg gets down to 1.004-1.012 or so

The problem for me was I expected apfelwein to taste like woodchuck, hornsby, etc. It tastes more like wine than cider. It's not bad after the first glass, but I won't make it again.

As for the Original Sin Pear....I saw it at the local liquor store yesterday, so it's already out. I should have picked it up but I was in the mood for beer.

I've never made apfelwein, but had it at parties before. doesnt do much for me. tastes like what my mountain friends call "apple wash"

wine and champagne yeasts will ferment out every last bit of sugar, along with most of the flavor. The ale yeasts leave more flavor and are easier to stop if you want to leave some residual sugar. Woodchuck and original sin have a lot of original sugar, anywhere from 1.014 to 1.020 depending on variety. If you are using fresh juice, you can let the sg go lower and it will still taste good. wheat yeasts are also good if you leave some residual sugar but dont taste as good dry.

The difference between fresh juice made with decent cider apples vs store juice is like the difference between all grain vs some crappy stale extract. here are some orchards near you if you want to make some good cider. Ask to speak to the press operator, tell them you want a mix for making hard cider and ask what they recommend. If they arent sure, call another orchard. They probably wont have anything now unless they are pressing out of cold storage.

http://www.allaboutapples.com/orchard/il01.htm

Original Sin was my first taste of Sweet Sparkling Cider. Then I tried Strongbow which is a dry English hard cider.

My wife really liked the Original Sin.

The issue with trying to recreate an Original Sin or Woodchuck sweet sparkling cider will be backsweetening the dry cider once it ferments. There are various ways to stop the yeast from eating through the added sugar during the carbonation process.

Most of the hard cider recipes you find here will result in a dry hard cider, which will not be anything like the Original Sin taste.

I brewed up a batch of Graff which is supposed to be a less dry cider. The missus didn't like it. I might try again since I now have a keg setup by backsweetening with Granny Smith concentrate.

I still have a case of Graff to drink before trying again as my wife won't touch the stuff.

Good luck with your Original Sin clone.

You might try WLP005 it has a lower attenuation and lends itself to maltier flavors. If you couple that with the graff you might end up with something you want. After looking at the yeast I might give it a shot on my next batch of graff.

So no recipe yet for original sin?
I have to admit, for a apple cider it's a great name. I just wish I could get some.

Kauai_Kahuna said:

So no recipe yet for original sin?
I have to admit, for a apple cider it's a great name. I just wish I could get some.

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Until you mentioned it, I never put two and two together. You're right...excellent name. I'm going to try using edwort's apfelwein recipe with a cider yeast instead of champagne. I'm also going to monitor the FG and try to stop it around 1.015 to leave it a bit sweet instead of dry like apfelwein. I'll post in a few months when it's done.

Well this question will show how much I still don't know about brewing. How is that you are able to stop the yeast at a particular FG?

Campden tablets should stop yeast growth.

campden, followed by k-sorbate will stop the fermentation, but it will leave a chemical taste. If you want to stop the ferment without the chemical taste, search the forum for 'cold crash' or else 'bottle pasteurization'

So it seems like this has been stagnant for a while, just wondering if anyone here had managed to track down a recipe yet. I had this in Virginia and thought it was the best hard cider I've ever had and would love to make some. Soooo... Anything?

Not sure if anyone is interested, but I managed to find a place that sells it. Its called The Liquor Shop in Tyngsboro, MA, just across the road from the Pheasant Lane Mall.

cayergeau said:

Not sure if anyone is interested, but I managed to find a place that sells it. Its called The Liquor Shop in Tyngsboro, MA, just across the road from the Pheasant Lane Mall.

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Its not rare in MA, I can find it in about any well stocked liquor store. Even the local packies have it. A bar out in Amherst had it on tap for a month or so too.

To the OP, you wont really need a recipie per se, just start with some good apple juice (not from concentrate, maybe a little tart). Then ferment with US-05 or maybe an english strain. You can either ferment dry, stabilize, sweeten and force carb. Or ferment to 1.010+ (to taste), stabilize, and force carb; your choice.

Despite the sweetening, this will likely take a good bit of aging.