My cider experience

[andy383]

Hello All,

I've been lurking for a while but just started my second batch of cider so I thought I'd throw up a post.

Last year I bought 5 gallons of cider from a local orchard. I placed the cider in a glass carboy, added camden tablets and waited 24 hours to add the yeast. I used Cote de Blanc yeast.

I had vigorous fermentation after about 3 days. It started to tail off after about the 10th day.

Due to home renovations and a strong recommendations from my beer brewing friend I left the carboy alone for about 6 months. I did not rack it. At the cider festival in Western Mass (been the last few years), I got just as many people arguing you have to take the cider off the lees as those arguing it'll be just fine if you leave it on the lees. My beer brewing friend said racking raises your chances of contamination, see what happens if you just leave it. So I did!

After 6 months the cider had clarified to a remarkable degree. I was so impressed with the taste too. Very dry, very clean with a pleasant aroma. I like a hardier cider and this was closer to a wine (big surprise with the Cote de Blanc).

We carbonated with CO2 and bottled. It didn't take the carbonation as much as a beer would have but for me it was just right.

Maybe I got lucky but the process seemed very easy. With special attention paid to sanitation I think anyone can do it.

I just started another 5 gallon batch and am using English Cider Yeast. I had vigorous fermentation over the weekend (started it last Wednesday). Its a steady gurgle now. I love the smell, its filled the cellar with apple orchard aroma.

 

[Fletch78]

I agree. Making dry cider is the easiest thing you can possibly brew. It only gets complicated when you want sweet cider... cold crashing, racking, stabilizing, pasteurizing, daily hydrometer readings, backsweetening, and more. If you just let it go dry with a wine yeast and age it for 6 months, you really can't go wrong.

 

[shanecb]

Sounds like it turned out great! Yeah.. some people rack and some people don't. If you don't and it turns out great then keep rolling with what works!

What's the English Cider Yeast you're using? White Labs?

 

[andy383]

Yeah, I'm guessing things can get really complicated with sweetening etc. I had and am having fun with it so I'll keep on with it!

I used White Labs English Cider Yeast WLP775.

 

[jamesjensen1068]

Making my first batch of cider too. Used WLP775 as well, funky stuff...all the yeast pellets floating up and down and then the almost rock candy look of the yeast at the bottem of the carboy. Guess I'm easily amused?? Can't believe how much the yeast has multiplied since pitching.

 

[andy383]

I corked the cider from October today. I am really happy with the flavor. It has a good deal of that gamey/wild yeast thing going on. I don't know if that is a function of the wlp775 or some of the natural yeasts in the raw cider.

It is a bit hazy and a few shades lighter than ginger ale. You can hold a license up to a pint glass and easily read the words. Its tangy and has a good amount of lip smack effect. There is that slight bit of cheesy flavor if you really let it rest in the mouth but by no means over powering or dominant as a flavor.

Oh and another nice surprise is that it has a natural effervescence, I'm not sure if this was due to some small positive pressure in the carboy caused by the vapor lock or what but its definitely a pleasant surprise. I hope this stays in the corked bottles.

It did not dry out as much as the Cote-de-Blance batch did which I'm happy about. I also didn't let it sit on the lees as long as that batch. I love Basque Choch (sp?) and this is close to that flavor.

Brandon O's graff has been bottled and I'm really liking it so far. The apple flavors are a bit ghosty but still fun to drink. I have the other popular one in the primary now, the english cider one with tea. Looking forward to bottling that before too long.

Also have a gallon of regular pasteurized cider going with a generous amount of brown sugar in it. I might see what it's spirit is all about

 

[hroth521]

Also have a gallon of regular pasteurized cider going with a generous amount of brown sugar in it. I might see what it's spirit is all about

Last year I made a batch with brown sugar and raisins in it that was very pleasant. And "spirited".