1st Batch Hard Cider

[bmd2k1]

Fired up my first ever batch of hard cider in my new Speidel 30L fermenter.

5gals Sams apple juice
Wyeast 1272
OG 1.048
Storage Area temp 68F-70F

Plan 2 splint secondary & add cinnamon sticks to one and tart cherry juice concentrate to other half.

 

[Nebraskan]

Apple juice from Sam's Club? Check the label to make sure they haven't added Potassium Sorbate to it.

I'd add the cinnamon and cherry concentrate when it's all done fermenting. The cherry will add acid and a bit of sugar, and both would probably benefit from an addition of some sugar before kegging.

 

[bmd2k1]

VitC is only additive.

24hrs in - Vigorous fermentation underway

 

[bmd2k1]

Day7 and fermentation still humming along....getting an airlock bubble every 25-30 seconds. Anticipation...

Ohhh...and here's the b4 pic I forgot to post earlier...

 

[bmd2k1]

My updated flavor plans for my 1st 5gal batch:

Tart cherry

Cinnamon

Tart cherry / Cinnamon

Blueberry

Plain

-- ordered tart cherry & blueberry concentrates from Brownwood Acres

 

[bmd2k1]

Fruit concentrates arrived... [emoji41]

 

[bmd2k1]

2 weeks into primary fermentation...just took first SG reading and its 1.022. So it appears I need to let this go a bit longer before racking to my secondaries. Airlock activity still chugging along...getting a bubble every 40ish second. Storage temp has held consistent in the 66-68F range. Cider is bubbly....tasty, with slight yeasty aroma. Was hoping to rack 2day...but it appears with cider patience is really a virtue [emoji3]

 

[aviator24]

Day7 and fermentation still humming along....getting an airlock bubble every 25-30 seconds. Anticipation...

Ohhh...and here's the b4 pic I forgot to post earlier...

View attachment 549028

I make that sams cider variety all the time! Always have one or two kegs of it on tap, it makes very good cider and is cheap. I just blew my pumpkin keg and will be replacing it with another this weekend after adding cinnamon stix to the keg.

 

[MarkKF]

Fruit concentrates arrived... [emoji41]

View attachment 549564

That is great! How much do you add? Before or after fermentation?

 

[bmd2k1]

Planning to add one ounce in secondary gal size vessels...let sit for week or so then bottle.

 

[bmd2k1]

at the 3 week point in primary -- SG is now at 1.014

I'm not sure if I should wait a bit longer till its at 1.01 or if I should rack it into my 1gal secondaries now for conditioning & continued fermentation.

Cider is bubbly, tastes very appley with just a small hint of yeast aroma.

 

[Maylar]

The longer you wait the less lees you'll have in secondary. I've been racking at about 1.015 and again when it's done (1.000 or less) for bulk aging. There will be almost zero lees after that. But I've also racked at 1.006 or so and not racked again, and only get a dusting of lees.

 

[bmd2k1]

Went ahead and racked two 1gal into secondarys along with 1 full cinnamon stick in each, bottled (2) 3-week plain-janes for comparison later and left rest in primary. Goal is to rack rest in a week, add fruit concentrates and bottle em up.

Cheers & Merry Christmas All...

 

[bmd2k1]

4 weeks today...

FG - 1.006. (So ABV ~5.75%)

Racked all into final conditioning containers...the bottling prob tomorrow

Right to left

Plain
Blueberry
Cherry
Chery/Cinnamon
Cinnamon

 

[bmd2k1]

After first tastings...Ranking favs top to bottom:

Tart cherry/Cinnamon
Cinnamon
Tart Cherry
Wild Blueberry (very tart!)
Plain

 

[bmd2k1]

Overall impression

Cider was clear, nice apple taste & aroma and was semi-sweet. Lees were dense/packed & didn't seem like much for 5+ gal batch - no meaningful disturbing as I racked out of spigot.

All "flavors" are drinking nicely without any aging (too excited to age...lol). I'm serving right out of the gal containers at this point...and all have a nice light carbonation.

Wyeast 1272 is on my use again list!

Need to score more AJ for batch #2.

Cheers & Happy New Year!

 

[scarps51]

Hi, I’m fermenting a cider with a French Saison yeast at 70F. What temperature should I maintain after racking the cider to a secondary? I want to have it in the secondary for about a month.

 

[bmd2k1]

Hi, I’m fermenting a cider with a French Saison yeast at 70F. What temperature should I maintain after racking the cider to a secondary? I want to have it in the secondary for about a month.

Kept mine between 64-68F...

 

[scarps51]

Kept mine between 64-68F...

Okay, then maybe I’ll bring my temp down on the secondary a few degrees. Thanks.

 

[MarkKF]

When I used Belle Saison the ferm temp was in the 60’s but I think it went up a bit during active fermentation.

 

[bmd2k1]

Just finishing my 1st 5gal batch 2day. Lots of favorable feedback from friends & family. I'd definitely do the Wyeast1272 again! Left a nice semi-sweet cider...most went right from primary to conditioning/capped bottles. 1 cinnamon stick in a gal does a nice job....but if ya want more of a kick...2 is better. Did zero backsweeting...and was still very tasty.....I'm not a fan of dry. Conditioning back in the 1gal Sam's AJ plastic jugs worked awesome! ...and that's what I served from [emoji111]

Cheers!