can anyone help predict the outcomes and taste

[paddy711]

This will be my second time making hard cider and i really don't know what i am doing but i am going to give it another shot. The first time me and some buddy's made 50 gallons of it in a whiskey barrel and it turned out great(i think by dumb luck), but anyways I am going to try a few different recipes and any feed back from you guys would be helpful, i plan on making this in a few days.


FIRST RECIPE
6.5 gallon carboy, 3 pounds of white sugar,2 pounds brown sugar and about two pounds raisins, just natural yeast. didn't plan on racking, actually thought about trying to cold crash early to keep it sweet(not sure if that is possible) and then drinking some and bottling some.

SECOND RECIPE
3 gallon carboy, 3 pounds of honey, just natural yeast, going to let ferment out and and rack into three one gallon containers. i am going to put one pound of honey in one container(not really sure what that is going to do), and nothing into the other two. wait awhile and then bottle all three.


Any thoughts on how this stuff is going to taste, and if it will work without store bought yeast.

thanks for the help

 

[Calder]

My prediction: It will not ferment and will be very sweet, probably some sour/vinegary/acetic taste, undrinkable and non-alcoholic.

......... Needs to be mostly apple juice to be called cider. ......... Maybe even a little bit of apple juice would have been a good idea????

 

[paddy711]

OUCH!!!.....what should i change to make it work

 

[lumpher]

wow... don't know where to start. the first recipe will ferment out like crazy, and become undrinkable. it's kinda like an eskimo saison... the second: a saison mead? never heard of it, and there's probably a good reason

 

[oldmate]

First recipe will be like wine, will need aging before it tastes good (but after a decent amount of time, will be like the nectar of the gods). The second recipe sounds absolutely fine (called a cyser, not cider), you will need to add nutrient to the must though, you can read about staggered nutrient additions in the Mead forum on this site. This is due to a lack of nutrients in honey when compared to sugar.

 

[lumpher]

First recipe will be like wine, will need aging before it tastes good (but after a decent amount of time, will be like the nectar of the gods). The second recipe sounds absolutely fine (called a cyser, not cider), you will need to add nutrient to the must though, you can read about staggered nutrient additions in the Mead forum on this site. This is due to a lack of nutrients in honey when compared to sugar.

so you think 5 lbs of sugar, 2 lbs of raisins, and wild yeast will make wine? well, it will, in some form. the second recipe? same

 

[MeadWitch]

OUCH!!!.....what should i change to make it work

Add a bunch of apple juice to start with. Then cut back on the sugar and raisins. Wait! Are you making cider or wine?