Caramel Apple Hard Cider

Yakima 728
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BigRedHope said:
I don't have any cinnamon extract. Is using fireball whiskey doable?
Click to expand...

I have made two batches of this cider and I was planning on using Fireball Whiskey for the next batch. I am going to make the caramel syrup per the recipe, but use the fireball instead of the cinnamon extract.

As a side note, on a previous batch I used cinnamon oil extract (non-alcohol extract) and it seemed like the cinnamon oil did not mix at all. It just floated on the surface despite vigorous mixing. The cider also had no cinnamon flavor either.

This stuff goes amazingly with fireball IMO.
 
Someone started a thread asking about using apple brandy... basically to boost the alcohol content, I guess, but my thought was it would help with the apple flavor as well. What are everyone else's thoughts?
 
I took a keg of this cider today to a regional brew fest where they used a ticket/envelope voting system for peoples' choice awards in various categories. Around 350-400 people were in attendance.

It took first place in meads/ciders and got the second highest number of votes overall out of about 60 brews (many of which were very well crafted). I brought home an empty keg.

Thanks for this excellent recipe. :mug:
 
With the tins of Apple Juice you add at the end to back sweeten, can you just use the same juice as the one you used at the very start of the brew?


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kalamj said:
With the tins of Apple Juice you add at the end to back sweeten, can you just use the same juice as the one you used at the very start of the brew?


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Click to expand...

At the start, I used bottled juice. For the back sweetening, I used defrosted frozen concentrate.
 
I live in perth, Australia. Does anyone know where I can get the concentrate from and if not can you tell me what one you use so I can research it and find a similar one?


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Or just what brand you would use anywhere you are?


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I can't seem to find concentrated juice anywhere :/ is there anything else I can use instead? I'm supposed to be adding it in two days...


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No :/ do you recon the concentrate from a brew kit cider would do?


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The cider stuff would work... as would a higher concentration of the brown sugar, corn sugar, pretty much anything sweet... if your going for carbonated then make sure to stay away from artificial sweetners like stevia or spelnda etc...

its not terrible dry (not back sweetened)

try mixing 2 cups brown sugar and 1.5 cups apple juice and simmer down to 75%ish
 
kalamj said:
I can't seem to find concentrated juice anywhere :/ is there anything else I can use instead? I'm supposed to be adding it in two days...


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Click to expand...

You could start with a gallon of juice/cider and do a freeze concentration. Take the gallon and freeze it, turn upside down and let it drip thaw until you have all liquid juice in one container and remaining frozen ice water in the other. Toss the ice and the juice left over will be concentrated.
 
I would probably go with freeze concentrating a good juice myself. You ends up with about the same thing as we buy here. Good luck.
 
Do you take the final ready before or after you add the caramel syrup


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How much gravity points is everyone adding when they back sweeten? Just curious. Thanks.


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My target would be to bump it to 1.010 or so


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So thinking about making my own cinnamon extract instead of adding straight cinnamon powder.

I'm going to soak some cinnamon sticks and some powder in vodka. then filter it through a coffee filter and then add it to the caramel and boil off the alcohol.

Does this sound like a good plan? i really do not want those cinnamon floaties in the cider.
 
j1n said:
So thinking about making my own cinnamon extract instead of adding straight cinnamon powder.

I'm going to soak some cinnamon sticks and some powder in vodka. then filter it through a coffee filter and then add it to the caramel and boil off the alcohol.

Does this sound like a good plan? i really do not want those cinnamon floaties in the cider.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry about the powder. Just use the sticks.
 
I used powder only (in rum) and it's fantastic. Make sure whatever you use that it's high quality. If you have a spice shop nearby (we have a penzey's spices here) I would recommend going in and smelling the different cinnamons to make sure you get the right character you are looking for as they are actually different.
 
brewski09 said:
I used powder only (in rum) and it's fantastic. Make sure whatever you use that it's high quality. If you have a spice shop nearby (we have a penzey's spices here) I would recommend going in and smelling the different cinnamons to make sure you get the right character you are looking for as they are actually different.
Click to expand...

+1 for Penzeys. We don't have a store here but I get all my spices through them mailorder.
 
So I made a batch of this and took some in aluminum bottles (had to drink the crap that was in them -- UGH!!) to Ohio with me when I went to visit my brother and his fiancee. They loved it. His fiancee asked for the recipe and I just sent it to her. She's a bit concerned that it makes approximately 5 gallosn of cider, but I assured her she could reduce the quantities to 1/5 of what everything calls for (except yeast) and she should make about 1 gallon. :)
 
What yeast did you use? Looking to start this recipe this weekend and wanted to know what yeast works best for cider.
 
I generally use nottingham ale yeast from Danstar... I've gotten a nice dry cider from using belle saison and not back sweetening...
 
Original recipe calls for Danstar Nottingham. That being said, you're welcome to try any other yeast you want. If you try a different yeast, please report back how well it worked. :)
 
Just started a batch today. Used Langers Apple juice and cane sugar since i didnt have dextrose and ddint feel like making a trip to the LHBS. I also added DAP to prevent rhino farts. Using Notty yeast as recommended.
 
j1n said:
Just started a batch today. Used Langers Apple juice and cane sugar since i didnt have dextrose and ddint feel like making a trip to the LHBS. I also added DAP to prevent rhino farts. Using Notty yeast as recommended.
Click to expand...

No worries using table/cane sugar. It works just fine. Notty is great. Keep it under 66 though.
 
BigFloyd said:
No worries using table/cane sugar. It works just fine. Notty is great. Keep it under 66 though.
Click to expand...

I've used Notty once before and fermented at 62 with good results. this time i'm trying it at 60 since i keep hearing lower is cleaner with that yeast.

Yeah, i figured Cane sugar would be OK. i read that sticky where the guy did a bunch of tests and used cane sugar with good results.

Honestly im not really a big fan of cider. This is more for the ladies. ;)
 
j1n said:
I've used Notty once before and fermented at 62 with good results. this time i'm trying it at 60 since i keep hearing lower is cleaner with that yeast.

Yeah, i figured Cane sugar would be OK. i read that sticky where the guy did a bunch of tests and used cane sugar with good results.

Honestly im not really a big fan of cider. This is more for the ladies. ;)
Click to expand...

Yes!! The key to Notty is low and slow, but honestly, I've produced excellent results with fermentation and a clean yeast profile for 5 batches of cider and at least 10 different batches of beer starting with 62, then raising to 65 and then 68, 7 days each. For a total of 3 weeks this produces exceptional results. The key is to not let it get higher than 62 the first week.
As for sugar, I've used dextrose every time but have wanted to try brown sugar. Ive heard many have had great results and it adds a lil sumptin good to the taste profile.
And yes, the ladies love this stuff! As long as u backsweeten it enough (I still use 5 cans FAJC), with vanilla and cinnamon, the apple pie flavor and 7.75% ABV is a big hit!!


"Sometimes Im right half of the time ...."
 
I had no issues with Notty at 68F. Any particular notes you are worried about or don't like with Notty at that temp?


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brewski09 said:
I had no issues with Notty at 68F. Any particular notes you are worried about or don't like with Notty at that temp?


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Click to expand...

Its possible, and if you have produced good results, its true, that Notty can have a clean fermentation at that temperature. For me, I really enjoy using Nottingham over any other dry yeasts because, with lower temps, I can produce a clean refeshing beer with no off flavors. Many people on this forum can confirm that Notty will ferment anything!! My first few attempts with kits that included Notty fermented at higher temps (room temps of 68-70) and I had MASSIVE amounts of acetaldehyde. 2 of the 4 batches were undrinkable. Once I got the temps in the low 60's, all the problems went away. Thus, my ferment schedule.


"Sometimes Im right half of the time ...."
 
TrustyOlJohnson said:
Yes!! The key to Notty is low and slow, but honestly, I've produced excellent results with fermentation and a clean yeast profile for 5 batches of cider and at least 10 different batches of beer starting with 62, then raising to 65 and then 68, 7 days each. For a total of 3 weeks this produces exceptional results. The key is to not let it get higher than 62 the first week.
As for sugar, I've used dextrose every time but have wanted to try brown sugar. Ive heard many have had great results and it adds a lil sumptin good to the taste profile.
And yes, the ladies love this stuff! As long as u backsweeten it enough (I still use 5 cans FAJC), with vanilla and cinnamon, the apple pie flavor and 7.75% ABV is a big hit!!


"Sometimes Im right half of the time ...."
Click to expand...

Didn't think about the vanilla. How much did you add?
 
j1n said:
Didn't think about the vanilla. How much did you add?
Click to expand...

For a 5 gallon batch I add:
5 cans FAJC
2 cups brown sugar boiled in 2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon extract
1 tsp vanilla extract

For last Thanksgiving, I added 4 cans frozen Apple and 1 can Cranberry juice concentrate. It was a nice touch.



"Sometimes Im right half of the time ...."
 
Started another batch last night. OG is approximately 1.076 (corrected, according to a chart I found online.) I have two hydrometers which read a little different so I averaged the two.
I've pitched the yeast. Will Nottingham be able to eat up most of that sugar or do I need to pitch something a bit more alcohol tolerant?
 
Newsman said:
Started another batch last night. OG is approximately 1.076 (corrected, according to a chart I found online.) I have two hydrometers which read a little different so I averaged the two.
I've pitched the yeast. Will Nottingham be able to eat up most of that sugar or do I need to pitch something a bit more alcohol tolerant?
Click to expand...
Notty is a great yeast for this!! Ive used it on every batch. And despite what the literature says, it'll handle up to 12%.


"Sometimes Im right half of the time ...."
 
I made a one gallon batch and then placed it in mason jars and stove top pasteurized it. Damn the back sweeting masks the alcohol taste bit time, you don't notice it until you have taken a few sips of it. Yeah my wife is happy with the outcome. :ban:
 
Trulyphe said:
I made a one gallon batch and then placed it in mason jars and stove top pasteurized it. Damn the back sweeting masks the alcohol taste bit time, you don't notice it until you have taken a few sips of it. Yeah my wife is happy with the outcome. :ban:
Click to expand...


That 1 gallon is prob not gonna last long!!


"Sometimes Im right half of the time..."
 

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