Hard Country Cider

[Pruno151]

G'day everyone, thought I'd share my brew, as it's not the usual pro-setups that I see everyone talking about.

I've got a week in a halfway house with a bit of time to kill so I decided to make a hard cider. You can probably work out the issue - one week isn't much time.

Anyway, what I purchased (AUD$10 in total):

1. 2x 3 Litres of Homebrand Apple Juice
2. 1 kilo of homebrand Australian white sugar
3. 5x 7g Bakers Yeast

The method:

1. Utilise the sterile 3 litres containers that the juice came in. Tip out a midi's worth
2. Add about 150gm of sugar in each 3 litre container. Doing it by eye.
3. Swish it around
4. Add one 7g packet of bakers yeast in each container
5. Swish it around again
6. Put the original plastic screw lid back on tight (though there isn't a perfect seal)
7. Put each 3 litre container in a pastic bag, to safe guard against major leaks when burping
8. Store in a cupboard (temprature here is about 25 degrees celcius at night, 35 celcius during the day

...that's it.

So - it's day two here and I've needed to burp the containers ever 3 hours or so - there's a LOT of pressure being built up and when I crack the screw top it's like opening a bottle of shaken softdrink.

My plan is to open and consume the first 3 litre bottle on day 5, and consume the second 3 litre bottle on day 6. I'm hoping with the massive activity I'm seeing that I get at least 5% alcohol (@ 5% it would make a great hearty breakfast drink, anything above that I'll wait for beer o'clock) though anything above would be awesome. As for taste, I'm hoping that it tastes ok (I expect it to be average, though as long as it's drinkable it'll be sweet).

Attempting to avoid getting crook is also high on the list.

Can anyone offer any advice?

 

[Pruno151]

Here's some attachments. Just did another burp - lots of activity

 

[Pruno151]

One question - rather than burping by unscrewing the plastic lid every 2 to 3 hours, could I just leave the plastic lid slightly screwed on? This way it would allow some air out.

Because it should maintain a positive pressure inside I shouldn't get any air (+ contaniments) coming in right?

...or just stick to burping?

Note that I understand I should use a air lock with water in the centre or a plug and hose pipe that goes into a second vessel of water - I lack both (and the time to acquire).

 

[urbanmyth]

Rubberband a papertowel over the opening. Double or triple up the thickness if it worries you.

 

[Pruno151]

Rubberband a papertowel over the opening. Double or triple up the thickness if it worries you.

Good advice. I am getting tired of burping it constantly.

 

[Pruno151]

Day 3 update.

Considering drinking one of the two 3 litres on Day 4 as it's been a long time between drinks. I've got some softdrink bottles ready for racking and I'll be immediately putting them in the freezer to stop fermentation (until they're quite cold - maybe 60 minutes).

What percentage should I be expecting? Will it be palatable enough to comfortably drink?

It looks clean but cloudy, no noticable mold or anything that would make me reconsider drinking 3 litres in a sitting.

Advice would be appricated.

 

[Pruno151]

Day 3.5 update.

Decided to taste test - estimated alcohol content between 10 and 15% after only 3.5 days (how is this possible guys?!). This is mainly down to the smell - it has a similar alcoholic smell of cheap white wine and you can taste strong amounts of alcohol along side a relatively sweet apple juice.

I've decanted/racked into two 1.25 litre bottles, leaving a fair wack of sediment in the original 3 litre container (which contained approx 2.7 litres). I've put this in the freezer and it will be consumed tonight - about 2 litres @ ~10% is enough to get a buzz on.

The second batch will continue to ferment though I feel that it will have to reach its peak soon as I though the yeast will die off after say 15% - bubbles are still forming though and my room smells like a winery.

I'll report back in if anyone cares (does anyone care? I thought there would be more feedback on these forums...) tomorrow to let you know how it went. Hopefully good times and not extended periods of sickness or more trouble.

What could possiby go wrong

 

[BIGCUNN60]

I'm calling BS on this one!

 

[Pruno151]

I'm calling BS on this one!

Which part?

The quantity of alcohol after only 3.5 days? I'm as shocked as you are. Temps have been high though (25-35C, maybe peaking at 45C some arvos)

 

[BIGCUNN60]

No, your halfway house story.

 

[Pruno151]

No, your halfway house story.

It's not my house, that's for sure. Does it really matter when we're talking cider?