Howdie All

[rleeq]

I just got here and thought I'd say hi to begin with. The only experience with home brewing was back when I was around 8 or 9 years old. My step father did a brew once. (I guess he didn't like it because he only did it once. Of course I was told not to touch the stuff but you know how kids are. I would have drunk turpentine if it was his just to piss him off. I hated him that much.

I was reading a book last night and a reference to "Graf" (which in the book was hard cider) was made. That put me in mind of doing some making some Hard Cider for myself. I did a quick search on Google and came across a recipe with the following ingredients.

100% apple juice (no preservatives please, the yeasties don't like it)
Honey
Bakers yeast (the kind found in all supermarkets, well the big ones anyhow)
A little sugar (to start the yeast)

The instructions were very simple.

1. Get a 1 gal bottle.
2. Start the yeast
3. Put yeast into 1 gal bottle
4. Put apple juice in bottle
5. Put Honey in bottle (more for higher alcohol)
6. Put clear wrap over mouth of bottle w/ rubber band to secure
7. Poke a small hole in plastic wrap to allow gas to escape

Place in cool dark place for a week (Longer makes for drier higher alcohol content)

Well that's the jest of the recipe. simple straight forward.

I cooked for a living for many years and so know that the recipe will work...I just don't know how well. I wanted to get you guys input.

If the experiment works out I want to do more and try other brews. I'll probably use some stainless steal cooking pots I have to brew in. These are the kind you will find in a professional kitchen. (Big in other words.) As for other equipment I'll need, well, that will come as my experiments go forward.

Thanks

R'

 

[DragonTail]

Welcome
Not sure how it will be with the bread yeast though.
Keep us informed.

 

[smokey9015]

it will be interesting to see how it turns out

keep us posted

 

[Richabt]

I'd be a little worried about off flavors using bread yeast.
I don't think you can get much simpler than Edwort's Apfelwein recipe. The wine yeast used is a clean fermenting yeast perfect for apple juice. And it's cheap.

 

[rleeq]

First off let me say; thanks for the input guys.

I did make a little change to the recipe though. I decided that because the sugar I use for everyday, which in only partly refined and has more molasses left in to go with it instead of honey. Also rather than putting all of it in at one time I put about two to three tablespoons in each day. When I put it in, the brew goes through a couple of hours of heightened activity so I'm thinking it is doing what I wanted it to do.

My thoughts on this ran this way. If I put all of the sweet in at one time there is no rest period for the yeasts. In bread baking this rest period is very necessary so maybe it would be the same for my brew. I would very much like to hear any input you guys have on this idea.

Everything seems to be going off fine so far. I check on it twice a day just to watch the bubbles.

For the first three days it had a decidedly yeasty smell with an undertone of alcohol. I was also a little worried about the yeasty smell but by day four the yeasty smell was toned down. Then today when I checked the smell was almost gone altogether. The smell of alcohol is also rising.


So much for day five. next update in four or five days.


Thanks again for the input.

R'

 

[rleeq]

OK................ Well it's day 8 and as this is my first brew I decide to"decant" it AND SEE WHATS UP. ...This sh&%* rocks. It's a bit more than sour. I guess I should have expected that but other wist ... I've had 3 cups of this stuff and It's like drinking strong wine. (I mean really strong) Well I guess my first experiment is a success.
On to the next experiment..........................................