1st Cider

[slimer]

Since I racked my first Ale from the primary to the secondary, I decided that I would make a Cider that should be ready in time for Thanksgiving.

I tried to follow some of the recipes on here, but not to a T.

Ingredient List:

Yeast Starter
1 pkg expired Danstar Windsor Ale yeast
1 pkg Red Star Champagne yeast
Leftover Munton's yeast
1 tsp yeast nutrients
1 Tsp Dextrose
2/3 c Amber Malt

2 gal unfiltered apple cider
3 gal pasteurized apple juice (no presevatives, but with ascorbic acid)
1 lb. Dextrose
1 lb. Clover Honey
1 lb. Dark Brown Sugar
4 oz. Leftover Amber Malt
1 Tsp of Pumpkin Spice
1 tsp of Cinnamon

I poured about 1/4 bottled water onto the yeast in a 1 qt. Mason Jar. I combined about 3 c of near boiling water and the dried starter ingredients in a saucepan and simmered for 10 minutes. I then put the saucepan in an ice bath and brought the temperature down to room temperature. I aerated the starter ingredients by pouring the mixture back and forth between another sterilized Mason Jar. I then poured it into the Mason Jar with the yeast and let it sit for 4 hours.

To start the Cider, I poured the two unfiltered gallons of Apple Cider into a 16 qt. stockpot. I brought it to a boil and added the sugars (dextrose, honey, brown sugar, amber malt). I brought it up to a "hot break" and boiled it for about 35 minutes. With about 10 minutes left, I added the cinnamon and pumpkin spice.

I then removed it from the heat and poured in one of the chilled gallons of apple juice. It brought it down from 210 to 170. From there, I covered the pot and put it in an ice bath and oscillated the pot in the sink to facilitate the temperature drop. In about another 10 minutes it was around 100 degrees. I siphoned the mixture into my Ale Pail through my funnel with a screen to filter out and skins or solid pectin elements that were left. It aerated nicely and I added the last 2 gallons of apple juice. I took the gravity reading and it was at 1.078. From there, I washed the screen on the funnel and put the funnel over my carboy. I funneled it again and pitched the yeast. Looks like it will be a strong batch.

 

[mgayer]

Sounds like a lot of work!

The champagne yeast will overpower the other yeast very quickly. Most yeast will stress as they fight for strength against each thus giving some off flavors. If you want to use multiple yeast strains start with the ale first then when it has finished use the Champagnes or wine strains.

The boiling is not necessary for the starter. Just water and a pinch a nutrients is all you really need for rehydrating. Pectin is set by boiling the fruit juices. As mine are finished crystal clear I never get any juice close to heat. I do use some pectic enzyme on the unfiltered stuff and it drops the stuff within a few weeks.

Just next try just shaking the sugars in the juice to areate and disolve then pour it together in the carboy and slap an airlock on it. Leave it there 4 weeks rack to another carboy for futher clear and a bit of aging. In 6 to 8 weeks it will be ready or bottling or you can aging it further. I have done what they call cold crashing, which is puting the carboy in the fridge in the 40 degree range and it will drop more sediment in a couple days before bottling. Hope it turns out good!

 

[slimer]

Why so much work? It took about half the time of a standard extract brew.

 

[mgayer]

But it is not a brew! I have even 4, one gallon batches done and in the carboy in less than 30 minutes. It takes that long because I am making sure the yeast is started before pitching. Hey, if it works for you go for it. I look at brewing and fermenting as a personal style and there are several ways to do the same thing. Just because I never boil(meads, ciders or wines) doesn't mean that my way is any better. I was giving my advice from the experience I have gained over the years. I understand the beer process is longer as the cider process should be the about the shortest.

 

[slimer]

Thanks, I was trying to find a happy medium. Since I threw that leftover Amber Malt in, I thought that it would be a good idea to boil it for a little. I'm thinking about picking up an extra primary and two secondaries and make some of EdWort's too. There are a lot of family functions coming up over the next few months.

 

[mgayer]

All Ciders should be as easy as Edwort's Apfelwein. I personally like the ciders a bit sweeter than that so I started testing the different yeast and found one that I will now do all my ciders with. Look under my cider yeast test thread!

I am ready for all my stuff to be bottled and tested as the holidays are fast approaching.