Caramel Apple Hard Cider
- Thread starter UpstateMike
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk:
Hop_Head_from_Connecticut
Well-Known Member
OK thanks for your input. I am definitely carbing the cider, I'll see how much I like. Thanks
brewski09
Well-Known Member
I targeted 1.5 volumes of carbonation on my cider and loved it. I bottle conditioned though so I don't know psi. The bjcp has a classification for this level of carbonation on their style guidelines for mead/cider/perry.
Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew
Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew
Hop_Head_from_Connecticut
Well-Known Member
I'm definitely bottle conditioning the cider, I'm just trying to make sure I'm clear on the pasteurizing of the cider so it doesn't over carb. Everyone I talk to has never heard of it. What do I have to lose.
I make this using the original recipe and Nottingham yeast. I bottle condition. When I get to the appropriate level of carb (I sample at 2 1/2 days after bottling and every 12 hours thereafter, I want my last sample to be a little bit under carbed, usually its between 3 1/2 and 4 1/2 days) I put it in the fridge (about 36 degrees). That puts the Nottingham to sleep. If enjoyed within 2 months you prob wont have any gushers. If you have a dishwasher, put the bottles through a wash and heat dry cycle and then u can store the cider at any temp. Enjoy!
"Sometimes Im right half of the time ...."
Hop_Head_from_Connecticut
Well-Known Member
Wow that's a great idea
![Craft A Brew - Safale BE-256 Yeast - Fermentis - Belgian Ale Dry Yeast - For Belgian & Strong Ales - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [3 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51bcKEwQmWL._SL500_.jpg)
Stovetop also has worked well for many. I didnt have such great success, so I gave up. I do the fridge method. Would use a dishwasher if I had one. Small kitchen :/
"Sometimes Im right half of the time..."
Hey guys made a batch of this Wednesday night. And within 15 hours it was bubbling away. When I came home today however, there was a couple of fruit flies around it. I noticed the airlock was low. I filled it back up. I'm probably ok right?
Cheesy_Goodness
Well-Known Member
Fruit flies being around it doesn't hurt anything. Are you saying some might have gotten in it?
robbyhicks
Well-Known Member
My wife and I prefer this cider still... i have not pasteurized... I bottle and keep it in the keezer at around 35... our first batch we sparkled half and left half still...
They didn't seem to have found a way inside. Just hanging on the airlock.
Cheesy_Goodness
Well-Known Member
Should be fine then. Sanitize the crap out of it and reattach 
No, they like co2. thats what is attracting them to the fermentor.
Leave a beer out and the co2 release from it will attract the fruit flies. there have been many times where i see a fat drunk dead fruit fly that did a kamikaze into the beer.
I made this as my first cider, following the recipe, and just tasted it last weekend. Everyone liked it, although there didn't seem to be any caramel flavor. Oh well. I just made labels without the word "caramel" on them, and no one will know the difference.
I'd like to try and adapt the recipe to make an "apples and honey" flavored thing by substituting honey for all the added sugar. Assuming 1.25lbs of honey has the same sweetening/fermenting power as 1lb of table sugar, my calculations say I should add 2.5lbs at the beginning and a little more than 2.5lbs more at bottling time (for priming and backsweetening). I'm pretty new at this, so does that sound like it would work? Or would I need to make other changes, too?
I'd like to try and adapt the recipe to make an "apples and honey" flavored thing by substituting honey for all the added sugar. Assuming 1.25lbs of honey has the same sweetening/fermenting power as 1lb of table sugar, my calculations say I should add 2.5lbs at the beginning and a little more than 2.5lbs more at bottling time (for priming and backsweetening). I'm pretty new at this, so does that sound like it would work? Or would I need to make other changes, too?
Id back sweeten it with the honey for honey flavor. Also i would boil it first. Honey is known to inhibit any bacteria growth but if there is bacteria in it (most likely there is) and you dilute it in apple juice, the properties of the honey that inhibit the growth will be too thin to stop the bacteria from growing. Ive heard of a story where someone forgot to add honey to the boil when making beer and added it while chilling the wort, only to find that the late honey addition contaminated the beer.
Oh and i brought a 6 pack of this cider too a party and gave it to the host to keep. She just threw it in the fridge and about 2 hours later tried one. She then ended up hiding the rest and was telling people how good it was and to try the bottle she was working on. People liked it so much they were stealing sips out of her bottle while she wasnt looking, and tried to find the rest that she hid. Had a couple dudes tell me its the best cider they ever had and that they normally hate cider. Great success!
Oh and i brought a 6 pack of this cider too a party and gave it to the host to keep. She just threw it in the fridge and about 2 hours later tried one. She then ended up hiding the rest and was telling people how good it was and to try the bottle she was working on. People liked it so much they were stealing sips out of her bottle while she wasnt looking, and tried to find the rest that she hid. Had a couple dudes tell me its the best cider they ever had and that they normally hate cider. Great success!
brewski09
Well-Known Member
So, about this honey debate. If you boil it at all you lose all those wonderful aromatic qualities from the honey. If you do that, you may as well add table sugar. I add my honey straight in without boiling or treating an have not had any honey related infections. I doubt this person with the beer picked it up from the late honey addition. Probably a siphon tube or racking cane that got a little too old or wasn't washed completely (those tips come off) or something.
Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew
Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew
well im no expert on the subject and im just giving suggestions based off what i heard with contamination. Maybe pasteurize it some how in the jar it comes in so that nothing gets boiled off. 170 degree bath for 15-20 min to pasteurize.... . Also i would think if you added it before the fermentation that the yeast would just ferment the honey and thus losing the honey flavor? ive never used honey so idk....
Cheesy_Goodness
Well-Known Member
I always thought mine was good when it hit the bottles, but I agree I always found the caramel part to be lacking.
But, last night I cracked a bottle from late last year and it was like drinking delicious caramel apple pie. It might get better for you too with some time to age.
tante
Well-Known Member
Sorry if this was already mentioned but i didn't read the entire thread. Has anyone used something like van gogh caramel vodka to get the caramel flavor? I made a graff last year and we would add a little vodka when we poured into a glass and it was insanely good. I may just dump a whole botte when i keg next time.
Ive had it with a shot of whipped cream vodka. Very good!!
I've been using cinnamon extract and putting a lot more than the recipe calls for since I like cinnamon flavor. Everyone who's tried it loves it. Says it's similar to the "Fireball" whiskey.
Cheesy_Goodness
Well-Known Member
If it were me, I'd just add a hoot of vodka to each glass as it's served. Assuming you're doing a 5 gallon batch, that's a huge amount (read: expense) of vodka to get it working. TrustyOlJohnson did the math on the whipped cream vodka a while back and figured it would take too much to make it be worth it.
You may be able to get away with just adding some type of actual caramel sauce instead of the brown sugar primer indicated in the initial recipe. I can't say I've tried it personally but I feel sure it's been tried at some point.
+1 on the whipped cream vodka though. Hell add a shot of whipped cream AND caramel and have yourself a legit caramel apple pie drink...and probably a headache the next day to boot
If it were me, I'd just add a hoot of vodka to each glass as it's served. Assuming you're doing a 5 gallon batch, that's a huge amount (read: expense) of vodka to get it working. TrustyOlJohnson did the math on the whipped cream vodka a while back and figured it would take too much to make it be worth it.
You may be able to get away with just adding some type of actual caramel sauce instead of the brown sugar primer indicated in the initial recipe. I can't say I've tried it personally but I feel sure it's been tried at some point.
+1 on the whipped cream vodka though. Hell add a shot of whipped cream AND caramel and have yourself a legit caramel apple pie drink...and probably a headache the next day to boot
I was dating a girl a while back and served the shot of whipped cream vodka with this. She tasted it and jus took her panties off and threw em at me and said "Oh hell, might as well take em off now!" And I never looked back
Peruvian802
Well-Known Member
^^^ classy lady!!!
I value her honesty, if nothing else...
If it were me, I'd just add a hoot of vodka to each glass as it's served. Assuming you're doing a 5 gallon batch, that's a huge amount (read: expense) of vodka to get it working. TrustyOlJohnson did the math on the whipped cream vodka a while back and figured it would take too much to make it be worth it.
You may be able to get away with just adding some type of actual caramel sauce instead of the brown sugar primer indicated in the initial recipe. I can't say I've tried it personally but I feel sure it's been tried at some point.
+1 on the whipped cream vodka though. Hell add a shot of whipped cream AND caramel and have yourself a legit caramel apple pie drink...and probably a headache the next day to boot
Hey I only read to page 30ish before I went a head and made this. Then skipped to page 172. Are people haveing trouble with the Carmel flavor coming through?
Cheesy_Goodness
Well-Known Member
I don't think it's a pervasive problem, no. In my experience it got much more caramel-y (and SOOO much better overall) with a few months to condition.
