My Experimental Cider

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

It's going to be a 2.5 gallon batch.



I'm throwing in some oats and Carmel briess steeped at 155* for 1 hour. I'm then going to add 2 lbs of honey while it's still hot, add my frozen apple juice concentrate to help cool things down and then my yeast starter and some pectic enzyme.

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

Tea bagging it for 1 hour

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

I'm going with three pounds

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

Got my yeast starter going. Apple juice with my yeast, shake it every ten minutes, open lid and repeat every ten minutes for 1 hour.

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

Here's my "wort" so to speak. Did it just like you would do a batch of extract beer. Boiled my 3 lbs honey, let cool down to 155-160* and added my grains for 1 hour. Now I will add my apple juice concentrate that is still frozen to help cool wort down and when it's around 74*, add my yeast starter.

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

here's my "wort" so to speak. Did it just like you would do a batch of extract beer. Boiled my 3 lbs honey, let cool down to 155-160* and added my grains for 1 hour. Now i will add my apple juice concentrate that is still frozen to help cool wort down and when it's around 74*, add my yeast starter.

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

Taking a nice ice bath

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

Here it is, ready to ferment.

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

here it is, ready to ferment.

 

[LeBreton]

Non-brewer here with what is probably a total newbie question in any other forum on this board . . . but what are you trying to get from the oats and caramel briess? Body? Flavor? texture? head retention?

I like the idea of a starter in a bottle, no more stirring for me!

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

Non-brewer here with what is probably a total newbie question in any other forum on this board . . . but what are you trying to get from the oats and caramel briess? Body? Flavor? texture? head retention?

I like the idea of a starter in a bottle, no more stirring for me!

Flavor and body. For some reason I was thinking an oatmeal apple cinnamon flavored cider. The briess are a Carmel do I was thinking "Carmel apple perhaps"? It's a total experiment, that's what I like about home brewing, you just never know

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

I'm going to add cinnamon sticks to secondary

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

Here it is 7 days later. It's almost stopped bubbling the airlock. Going to let it go a few more days then transfer to secondary.

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

Doing the transfer to secondary.



It's looking real good. I tasted it and it tastes like a beer with a hint of apple, a little bitter but not bad. I added 1/2 ounce of cinnamon sticks to secondary and in a couple more weeks will see how it's doing.

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

Secondary stage

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

My cider has been in its secondary for a week or so now and just last night it re-started fermenting. The airlock is bubbling away and there are millions of little tiny bubbles coming up.

 

[Rhaop]

hmmm this is interesting will have to see how this turns out for you, good luck!

 

[overpunch]

Great pictures! How do you intend to finish it? Are you going to carb it? Back-sweeten?

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

I'm going to back sweeten with the apple cherry concentrate. I bought some apple flavor 4oz. bottle but was told by someone to stay away from it and go all natural.

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

So I'm done! Finished bottle carbing last night. I had it outside in the shade in cardboard beer boxes for about 4 days. It's on the fridge now. It made about 25-12 oz bottles. I decided along the process to add three cinnamon sticks to the secondary. You can defenitly taste the cinnamon (2 sticks would of been better) I also added 2 cans of apple/cherry concentrate and 1 oz. of apple flavoring. I had 1 last night just to sample it and it knocked me out! Not sure of the alcohol level but it's strong. The good thing is it doesn't taste strong at all. The flavor is apple/cinnamon and I can't quite figure out what's going on with the other flavors that are present, it's interesting but good. I'm going to have another!

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

so i'm done! Finished bottle carbing last night. I had it outside in the shade in cardboard beer boxes for about 4 days. It's on the fridge now. It made about 25-12 oz bottles. I decided along the process to add three cinnamon sticks to the secondary. You can defenitly taste the cinnamon (2 sticks would of been better) i also added 2 cans of apple/cherry concentrate and 1 oz. Of apple flavoring. I had 1 last night just to sample it and it knocked me out! Not sure of the alcohol level but it's strong. The good thing is it doesn't taste strong at all. The flavor is apple/cinnamon and i can't quite figure out what's going on with the other flavors that are present, it's interesting but good. I'm going to have another!

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

Lightly bubbly, semi sweet apple cherry flavor and a cinnamon bite to it. Gets you nice and warm feeling inside.

 

[Rhaop]

looks good, i was thinkin of doing a 1gallon experimental batch steeping some crystal 120

edit: by the way what yeast did you use?

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

Ah the wyeast 4766

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

Man I had three of them today and I'm smashed

 

[aroundthehornbrewing]

Great experiment! I am currently an extract beer brewer but I have really gotten into drinking cider recently and figured I might as well get into that too. Similar process, equipment, etc so it makes sense. Also SWMBO has celiac disease so she cant have beer, except for that nasty Gluten free beer which isn't very good.

I see that you're in Ventura. I'm in Santa Clarita. Any local brew stores near you?

Cheers!:rockin:

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

The LHBS closed here beginning of the year I just found out that Surf Brewery carries some ingredients though. I myself was a extract brewer (and still am) but cider is so easy, quick and versatile. This "experimental cider" that I made is pretty darn good. A little heavy on the cinnamon but I gave away about 15 or so and everyone wants MORE!!! After consuming 2 your pretty much buzzing good. Any more and your toast

 

[snortwheeze]

Was thinking of doing something similar to this and was wondering if you wanted to hear what I have in mind.

It will be a one gallon batch (can't afford the three gallon carboys just yet) and ill use basically the same process you used but with a few tweaks.

A half pound of oats and Carmel breiss with a little ( about a cup ) of crushed corn, I am from Wisconsin after all. Instead of honey I'm going to use about a pound of molasses.

Well what do you think?

 

[HAREEBROWNBEEST]

No clue man, other than it sounds good and heavy. Never tried molasses but it could turn out great.