Caramel Apple Hard Cider

[Cheesy_Goodness]

Might have made a bit of a boo boo with my next batch.

I had some unexpected blowoff...and by some I mean a lot . I left the airlock alone with the blow off in it until krausen died down. I just got finished cleaning it and, like an idiot, pulled out the airlock first instead of the bung. All of that nasty juice that was in the bung got funneled into the cider
I don't think it was enough to worry about, especially with fermentation chugging along the way it is. Just hoping it won't affect flavor later on.

 

[kosherpig]

A follow up on my replace-all-sweeteners-with-honey experiment: I made up a half-size batch of this, using honey instead of the sugar, and leaving out the caramel sauce. OG 1.065, and I used a packet of wine yeast instead of the Nottingham. I also threw in a half teaspoon of pectic enzyme for clearing. 2 weeks later at room temperature, and it was down to 0.998. So I racked it to another container to try to get it to clear up before it went completely dry.

Before bottling, I added a can of frozen apple juice concentrate and then enough honey to get the flavor / sweetness I wanted. I didn't measure it, but from the size of the empty containers it looked to be about 2 pounds (which seemed like a lot for 2.5 gallons, but whatever). I ended up filling 9 champagne bottles, 5 12-oz bottles, and a 20-oz diet coke tester bottle. I pasteurized after 4 days.

It's only 1 week post-pasteurization, but this stuff is definitely on its way to being excellent. You taste the apple first, then get the honey (which I'm told will get stronger over time). It's sweet enough to hide the 8.2% ABV, but the flavors are subtle enough that it doesn't just taste like apple juice.

My plan is to give this stuff away around Rosh Hashanah, but I'll definitely be making it again this fall, in preparation for next year!

 

[bizoneill]

Is it ok to use a beer hydrometer on cider?

 

[Apple_Jacker]

Of course. I don't think there is such a thing as a "cider hydrometer"

 

[bizoneill]

Really? They had cider and mead hydrometers at my lhbs.

 

[FatsSchindee]

Really? They had cider and mead hydrometers at my lhbs.

Probably just different scale. You sometimes see "triple scale" hydrometers that work across a bigger range of gravities, or just single scale ones that have a narrower range for more specific uses...


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[Cheesy_Goodness]

A hydrometer measures specific gravity, regardless of what the liquid it's measuring is.
What's your lhbs saying the difference is between a mead and a cider hydrometer?

 

[bizoneill]

Not sure i didnt look at them. I saw them there on the table but they were wrapped up and was wondering what the difference was.

 

[mcangeli]

Most likely the number range.

 

[anonanon]

I just finished up the whole process using the recipe on page 42 following the instructions to the the letter. I pasteurized about 4 days ago and got the perfect carb and no bottle bombs (woohoo!) I did a taste test last night and although it is really good myself and the other 3 people that tasted it did not get the apple pie flavor everyone is talking about, for that matter didn't really get any of the caramel sauce flavor at all.
When I measured the brown sugar I did pack it in the measuring cup so I know everything got measured correctly.

Is it just time I need before the flavors come through? What was your experience with this flavoring and when did it appear?

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

In my experience, this is somewhere between ok-good immediately after bottling. But if you give it time (the longer the better, minimum of a month I'd say) the alcohol bite mellows and the spices and apple come forward and blend together nicely.

 

[M12345]

So this recipe sounds awesome and I want to try it. I've never brewed before so it'll be my first time. I wanna start small so a 1 gallon batch. Does anyone know if I can use a one gallon empty wine jug for this or would it be too small. Does the container have to be bigger than the amount you want to make? If I can and I get an airlock to fit it I think I can figure the rest out. However the recipe is for a big batch. Is it 5 or 6 gallons? I would have to divide everything but do I divide by 5 or 6 to get amounts of ingredients I need. Would it better to start with a half gallon batch in a me gallon container? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

Empty gallon wine jugs are great for small batches. You'll also need a #6 (I believe) stopper and an airlock to get you started. You can expect some trub loss, but with the priming sugar I'd estimate you'd make it all back...I'm guessing about 10 bottles per gallon.
This recipe is for a 5 gallon batch, so scale back accordingly.
Hope that helps!

 

[Newsman]

So this recipe sounds awesome and I want to try it. I've never brewed before so it'll be my first time. I wanna start small so a 1 gallon batch. Does anyone know if I can use a one gallon empty wine jug for this or would it be too small. Does the container have to be bigger than the amount you want to make? If I can and I get an airlock to fit it I think I can figure the rest out. However the recipe is for a big batch. Is it 5 or 6 gallons? I would have to divide everything but do I divide by 5 or 6 to get amounts of ingredients I need. Would it better to start with a half gallon batch in a me gallon container? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

You should cut everything down to 1/5 of the original except for the yeast. Pitch about half a packet of yeast (hard to overpitch) that has been rehydrated. You'll be wanting to scale this up to full size almost immediately, I think.

 

[M12345]

Thanks guys. I imagine it's gonna be good. But in case I mess something up I wanna start small. I'll cut everything by 1/5 except the yeast. It will all fit in a one gallon jug at 1/5 he amounts listed? I don't want to pasteurize in a hot water so I'll throw the bottles in the fridge when they're carbonated enough to stop the carbonation, is that correct? And good to know I won't need a lot of bottle at first. Just a few and a capper. Could I even get another wine jug and store it in tht with the screw top if it get consumed fast like in a week. I'll prob make it for a get together and have a few people try it. Thanks again everyone.

 

[Newsman]

Thanks guys. I imagine it's gonna be good. But in case I mess something up I wanna start small. I'll cut everything by 1/5 except the yeast. It will all fit in a one gallon jug at 1/5 he amounts listed? I don't want to pasteurize in a hot water so I'll throw the bottles in the fridge when they're carbonated enough to stop the carbonation, is that correct? And good to know I won't need a lot of bottle at first. Just a few and a capper. Could I even get another wine jug and store it in tht with the screw top if it get consumed fast like in a week. I'll prob make it for a get together and have a few people try it. Thanks again everyone.

I'd say pour out a small glass of juice/cider and drink it, then pour the sugar, yeast nutrient, etc into the jug, cap and shake it up well to oxygenate / mix the ingredients and then put the yeast in and put an airlock on it. Then put it in a dark, cool space for two to three weeks and forget about it until then. After about 3 weeks it should be completely fermented, but to be safe, sanitize your hydrometer and test it daily for another 3-4 days. Since you're making such a small batch, I would just put the hydrometer in the bottle you're fermenting in and check it that way. Or you can just say "it's been three weeks, it's most likely done" and bottle it.

 

[anonanon]

Be sure to check out the updated recipe on page 42.

 

[Newsman]

Be sure to check out the updated recipe on page 42.

Post #420.

 

[M12345]

Post #420.

Thanks fellas. I'll be using the updated one. Hoping to get this going soon. I'm gonna use store apple juice then come fall I'll probably try with local cider. And then see which one is better before I do a big batch. I'm excited tho and thanks for the responses. It's good to know I got a place to turn to if I need help or have questions.

 

[Newsman]

You MAY want to consider filtering before you ferment, as otherwise, it'll take a long time for it to clear.

 

[M12345]

Is the right yeast? Thanks. If not anyone got a link.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MI70GW/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[M12345]

Or this

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0064O73GK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

I usually use Danstar brand (mostly because of availability), but both are the kind recommended in the recipe.

 

[brewski09]

I also use Danstar because of what is stocked locally. I also like it for beer. I pay about $3/pack. They will both work just fine though.

 

[kevron]

I used this because I got the 10 packs for like 6 bucks. It has turned out nicely both times I have made this recipe.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007LQC3Q0/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Newsman]

Has anyone used Champagne yeast in this? Thinking of trying to boost the alcohol content as an experiment... Going to add 4 lbs of corn sugar to the juice and use champagne yeast and ferment around 60 degrees (at least for the first week) and then probably use some K-Meta and Sorbate to stop the yeast before I back-sweeten so as not to provide new food for the yeast.

 

[brewski09]

You don't necessarily need champagne yeast for high gravity. Not sure exactly how high Nottingham goes but I wouldn't be surprised if it was around 12%

 

[Newsman]

You don't necessarily need champagne yeast for high gravity. Not sure exactly how high Nottingham goes but I wouldn't be surprised if it was around 12%

OK. Well, I picked up a packet of Champagne yeast, so we'll give it a shot. Probably keep it at about 60 degrees the first 3-4 days, then gradually let it warm up to about 70 and sit there for a couple weeks, just to see how it goes. After that I think I'll add sorbate and K-Meta to stop the yeast from reproducing and cold-crash, then add the syrup to the keg and put the cider in on top of that.

 

[TrustyOlJohnson]

OK. Well, I picked up a packet of Champagne yeast, so we'll give it a shot. Probably keep it at about 60 degrees the first 3-4 days, then gradually let it warm up to about 70 and sit there for a couple weeks, just to see how it goes. After that I think I'll add sorbate and K-Meta to stop the yeast from reproducing and cold-crash, then add the syrup to the keg and put the cider in on top of that.

Share your numbers when its done. Im interested in how it turns out. Sounds like you are planning on serving it still?

 

[Newsman]

Share your numbers when its done. Im interested in how it turns out. Sounds like you are planning on serving it still?

Well, I'm going to keg it and carb it at a low pressure, so at most it'll be "petilent" to use the Homebrewing term.