Crystal Malt Cider

[msmylie]

Ok, so I had been debating on how to proceed with this cider...was tired of having my cider turn out too sour and with little sweetness leftover. I came up with this recipe based loosely on Brandon's Graff recipe. I will update its progress. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.

Crystal Cider:

Boil 1 Hour:
12.5 oz corn sugar
1 lb. Simpson Medium Crystal Malt
19.4 oz 2 row LME with hop extract
at 40 min 1.21 lb 2 row LME (no hop extract)

After boil combined with four gallons Ziegler's Cider in primary and topped off with additional cider to have just over five gallons.

OG: 1.0628

Once cooled pitched liquid starter of Wyeast 3864 Canadian/Belgian High Grav.

I made this cider on 7/10/10 and left in the kitchen overnight to be sure temp was warm enough to begin an active ferment. Came down the next morning and it had blown through the airlock. Then moved batch down to basement where avg. temp is 65-68 degrees and replaced airlock with blow tube for a day. Back on airlock now and is chugging along very well. Tasted the sample and had a sweet maltiness to it with some caramel hints. Very excited. Will update its progress, going to ferment this all the way out to 1.00 then rack off yeast cake to secondary and age for couple months.

mfs

 

[pimento]

It will likely turn out exactly like brandon O's Graff, since the recipe is almost identical, a slightly sweet, slightly tart fuller bodied cider.

Because of the LME and crystal it likely won't go as low as 1.0, probably bottom out around 1.004-1.008.

The only issue you may run into is the hopped LME may make it a bit to hoppy. A couple people in Brandon O's thread had issues with that, but some extra aging seems to even it out.

 

[klyph]

I think the only way to get around the sour is to back sweeten.

 

[Freezeblade]

I think the only way to get around the sour is to back sweeten.

The only way to get around the "sour" is aging, imho. also, I think that sour in ths case is a mis-placed flavor, but rather a little tart and tannic (which cider should be) and the taste of green cider, which is very unplesent.

 

[klyph]

The only way to get around the "sour" is aging, imho. also, I think that sour in ths case is a mis-placed flavor, but rather a little tart and tannic (which cider should be) and the taste of green cider, which is very unplesent.

Oh I agree on the aging, don't even bother until it's been in the bottle for a few months. However, if after aging, you still find it too tart (can't imagine why, but it has been said to me by people who tried my graff) back sweetening may be an option.

 

[msmylie]

I'm planning on have some residual sweetness from the crystal malt...how much it comes through remains to be seen. I'm also wondering what the beligan yeast will do to the flavor profile.

 

[TheOutcider]

where da pics @?

 

[msmylie]

Here is a shot of the fermenter right after cooling and pitching yeast.

 

[msmylie]

Here is a shot of the fermenter right after cooling and pitching yeast.

 

[klyph]

Seems your picture URL is not valid.

Here ya go:

 

[msmylie]

Ok...so its time to keg this batch. Of course I waited too long and now have to rush to have this thing kegged and carbed by Friday night for a party. Couple of questions...
1. What is the best way to fully carb this by Friday deadline?
2. What is the ideal pressure to be at for serving?

Beyond that, when I rack to the corny I will take a sample for gravity reading. Wondering if it ever got down to 1.00 or if the specialty grains prevented that. I'll post an update on the flavor and alcohol once thats done. Pretty excited to give this a try...been tired of the cider I've made that has been too tart for me. I also have a champagne yeast cider that I made last March that has been aging in secondary ever since. Going to wait until its been a year and then bottle that. Will the yeast still be viable to carb the bottles? Thanks everyone for your interest and help.
mfs

 

[msmylie]

update...
I kegged the cider and the final gravity put it at 6.9% abv. Taste is pretty decent except it is pretty alcoholic tasting. I thought there would be more carryover flavor from the malt but not very much...its there but next time I would go heavier, maybe twice as much on the crystal malt. I was really looking for a caramel flavor to come through. overall id say it was successful, but not as malty as hoping for. Merry Christmas!
mfs