I finally found a recipe worth making in large batches. I've spent 6 months or more fermenting apple cider now and have made everything from plain/dry to cinnamon to well just about everything I can think of. I've used brown sugar, agave, vanilla sugar, and table sugar. I've used candied apples, dehydrated mixed fruit (cooked in a bit of cider to re-hydrate them), half cider half 100% grape juice, and a few other concoctions I won't mention because those came out tasting like, well, let's just say they weren't good.
Here are the two brews I have liked the best so far:
Fruited Brown-Sugar Cider: I caramelized/candied small apple chunks in bourbon and brown sugar then let them ferment in the 1 gallon primary with the cider (used clear cider for this one). Racked to secondary and siphoned off (and ate) the apple chunks. They were freaking delicious, btw. Added 2 Tbsp extra brown sugar to the secondary and then racked into another 1 gallon container with airlock to cold crash for a few days. Bottled, aged for 2 weeks and it was quite yummy. Still not as sweet as I wanted but it gave me an idea.
I call this one 50/50 and so far it's the best combination of sweet, sparkling, and the natural tartness I have made. Not quite as much sparkling as I want but playing it safe for now as I don't like exploding glass.
1/2 gallon primary clear cider with Safale S-04 racked to secondary and combined with another 1/2 gallon fresh cider and 2 Tbsp vanilla sugar. Fermented another 2 weeks then added another Tbsp of vanilla sugar and crashed it. Sampled and bottled and I'm pasteurizing and labeling them tonight. It only yielded 9 330ml bottles but it's the first hard cider I'm actually happy about sharing with friends.
BTW, to make vanilla sugar cut down the center of a fresh vanilla bean and immerse it in plain white sugar for about 4 weeks. The aroma of the vanilla infuses with the sugar crystals and makes a divine combination. In the cider it added just that right almost creamy-like flavor that's hard to describe but perfectly understandable once you try it for yourself. Make your gal a lemonaid with vanilla sugar and she'll look at you with extra happy eyes wondering why your drink is so much better than any she's ever had before.
Here are the two brews I have liked the best so far:
Fruited Brown-Sugar Cider: I caramelized/candied small apple chunks in bourbon and brown sugar then let them ferment in the 1 gallon primary with the cider (used clear cider for this one). Racked to secondary and siphoned off (and ate) the apple chunks. They were freaking delicious, btw. Added 2 Tbsp extra brown sugar to the secondary and then racked into another 1 gallon container with airlock to cold crash for a few days. Bottled, aged for 2 weeks and it was quite yummy. Still not as sweet as I wanted but it gave me an idea.
I call this one 50/50 and so far it's the best combination of sweet, sparkling, and the natural tartness I have made. Not quite as much sparkling as I want but playing it safe for now as I don't like exploding glass.
1/2 gallon primary clear cider with Safale S-04 racked to secondary and combined with another 1/2 gallon fresh cider and 2 Tbsp vanilla sugar. Fermented another 2 weeks then added another Tbsp of vanilla sugar and crashed it. Sampled and bottled and I'm pasteurizing and labeling them tonight. It only yielded 9 330ml bottles but it's the first hard cider I'm actually happy about sharing with friends.
BTW, to make vanilla sugar cut down the center of a fresh vanilla bean and immerse it in plain white sugar for about 4 weeks. The aroma of the vanilla infuses with the sugar crystals and makes a divine combination. In the cider it added just that right almost creamy-like flavor that's hard to describe but perfectly understandable once you try it for yourself. Make your gal a lemonaid with vanilla sugar and she'll look at you with extra happy eyes wondering why your drink is so much better than any she's ever had before.
