So I brewed my first hard cider this year, after about 10 5-gallon batches of beer were under my belt (only 3 or 4 all-grain). Well, not all the beer ended up under my personal belt. But a decent portion did. I thought I'd post my experiences here as a journal of sorts, for the benefit of myself and maybe even others.
My objective was to brew 2 batches of hard cider. 1 fortified with sugar, fermented with wine yeast, treated with campden, aged on oak, and named Torin Oakencider. The goal was a white wine made from apples. The other fermented with an ale yeast and mostly un-altered from how I received it, named Arwen Evencider. The goal was a standard English Dry Cider.
I acquired 12 gallons of Cold-Pasteurized (with UV light) apple cider from Solebury Orchards in New Hope, PA.
OG: 1.050
PH: 3.8
Based on the cidermaking instructions of Andrew Lea (http://www.cider.org.uk/frameset.htm) I was lead to believe that 18 campden tablets were needed to properly inhibit wild yeasts.
Torin Oakencider
============
6 Gal cold pasteurized cider
3LB Table Sugar
18 campden tablets
1 pack Red Star Premier Cuvee Yeast
OG: 1.073
PH: 3.8
10/19/15 - Cider into 6.5 gallon glass carboy, on top of crushed campden tablets.
10/20/15 - Pitched yeast. Did not rehydrate.
10/28/15 - No yeast activity. Why did I use so many freaking camden tablets? Rehydrated and pitched a second pack of same yeast.
11/5/15 - Significant yeast activity FINALLY.
11/22/15 - SG: 1.002, racked onto 2 medium toast american oak spirals in 6 gallon glass carboy. Lots of lees settled out. Tastes pretty good. Definitely brings white wine to mind.
11/29/15 - Still a little airlock activity, but yeast is settling out well and this batch is getting very clear. I'll taste test after another week or 2 on the oak.
12/12/15 - SG: 0.992. Bottled 6 gallons with 4oz of corn sugar. No bottling yeast. It is very oaky, boozy, and tannic tasting. I think I will let this sit for a few months before cracking any bottles.
Arwen Evencider
============
5.5 Gal cold pasteurized cider
1.5L starter of Wyeast 1318 London Ale III (yeast harvested and stored from a previous IPA brew)
OG: 1.050
10/20/15 - Overzealously filled 6 gallon plastic bucket with cider even though my starter wasn't done.
10/22/15 - Pitched yeast. Cider had a distinct vinegar aroma. Fears began to develop that I'd already failed.
10/25/15 - Vigorous fermentation. Basement smells like rotten egg vomit. Fears that I'd failed were really taking hold. Later learned this smell is known as "Rhino Farts".
11/2/15 - SG: 1.002, racked into 6 gallon glass carboy because the bucket had me worried about oxygen turning my Cider into vinegar. Lots of yeast flavor in the Cider at this point. No sulfur. Nice appley character. Smells like bananas.
11/16/15 - SG: 0.998, racked into a 5 gallon plastic carboy with 3 crushed camden tablets and filled it to the top. First racking was pointless. Second racking had a lot more lees. Banana aroma is gone. Cider has not cleared but a lot of yeast has settled out and the complex fruity flavors are gone.
11/29/15 - Cider doesn't look any clearer than when I racked it. This yeast is probably to blame. Into the fridge for a cold crash. Hopefully it'll start to show signs of clearing in a week.
12/3/15 - Cold crash wasn't clearing it to my satisfaction. Added 1/2 tsp of gelatin dissolved in 1/2 cup of hot water.
12/9/15 - Cider is reasonably clear and I don't think it's getting any clearer. Kegged, carbed, and on tap.
OK there will be no more updates on the original post. If anyone has any questions/comments let me know!
My objective was to brew 2 batches of hard cider. 1 fortified with sugar, fermented with wine yeast, treated with campden, aged on oak, and named Torin Oakencider. The goal was a white wine made from apples. The other fermented with an ale yeast and mostly un-altered from how I received it, named Arwen Evencider. The goal was a standard English Dry Cider.
I acquired 12 gallons of Cold-Pasteurized (with UV light) apple cider from Solebury Orchards in New Hope, PA.
OG: 1.050
PH: 3.8
Based on the cidermaking instructions of Andrew Lea (http://www.cider.org.uk/frameset.htm) I was lead to believe that 18 campden tablets were needed to properly inhibit wild yeasts.
Torin Oakencider
============
6 Gal cold pasteurized cider
3LB Table Sugar
18 campden tablets
1 pack Red Star Premier Cuvee Yeast
OG: 1.073
PH: 3.8
10/19/15 - Cider into 6.5 gallon glass carboy, on top of crushed campden tablets.
10/20/15 - Pitched yeast. Did not rehydrate.
10/28/15 - No yeast activity. Why did I use so many freaking camden tablets? Rehydrated and pitched a second pack of same yeast.
11/5/15 - Significant yeast activity FINALLY.
11/22/15 - SG: 1.002, racked onto 2 medium toast american oak spirals in 6 gallon glass carboy. Lots of lees settled out. Tastes pretty good. Definitely brings white wine to mind.
11/29/15 - Still a little airlock activity, but yeast is settling out well and this batch is getting very clear. I'll taste test after another week or 2 on the oak.
12/12/15 - SG: 0.992. Bottled 6 gallons with 4oz of corn sugar. No bottling yeast. It is very oaky, boozy, and tannic tasting. I think I will let this sit for a few months before cracking any bottles.
Arwen Evencider
============
5.5 Gal cold pasteurized cider
1.5L starter of Wyeast 1318 London Ale III (yeast harvested and stored from a previous IPA brew)
OG: 1.050
10/20/15 - Overzealously filled 6 gallon plastic bucket with cider even though my starter wasn't done.
10/22/15 - Pitched yeast. Cider had a distinct vinegar aroma. Fears began to develop that I'd already failed.
10/25/15 - Vigorous fermentation. Basement smells like rotten egg vomit. Fears that I'd failed were really taking hold. Later learned this smell is known as "Rhino Farts".
11/2/15 - SG: 1.002, racked into 6 gallon glass carboy because the bucket had me worried about oxygen turning my Cider into vinegar. Lots of yeast flavor in the Cider at this point. No sulfur. Nice appley character. Smells like bananas.
11/16/15 - SG: 0.998, racked into a 5 gallon plastic carboy with 3 crushed camden tablets and filled it to the top. First racking was pointless. Second racking had a lot more lees. Banana aroma is gone. Cider has not cleared but a lot of yeast has settled out and the complex fruity flavors are gone.
11/29/15 - Cider doesn't look any clearer than when I racked it. This yeast is probably to blame. Into the fridge for a cold crash. Hopefully it'll start to show signs of clearing in a week.
12/3/15 - Cold crash wasn't clearing it to my satisfaction. Added 1/2 tsp of gelatin dissolved in 1/2 cup of hot water.
12/9/15 - Cider is reasonably clear and I don't think it's getting any clearer. Kegged, carbed, and on tap.
OK there will be no more updates on the original post. If anyone has any questions/comments let me know!