Caramel Apple Hard Cider

[globell]

Has anyone made this without the fajc?..

This stuff can not be found in my city.
I've hit every grocery store in the city.....honestly every single one
Every walmart , any store that carries groceries....it's just not sold here in Canada

Try superstore or loblaws. Superstore here has it

 

[BILTIT]

Yup, superstore. Looks like this can or else in rectangular plastic containers.

 

[custompainter99]

I made my first batch of A/P Cider yesterday. Followed the updated instructions from Mike. How log should i expect the Nottingham yeast to start doing their thing? I've seen no bubbling out of my airlock . I'm a brewer and usually, i see action within 24 hrs. is this the same with cider? i pitched Nottingham and put it in my fermentation chamber (aka chest freezer) set at 62 degrees on the temp controller.

 

[Newsman]

Cider doesn't ferment as aggressively as other things. Patience, Grasshopper. Watch your Hydrometer, not the airlock. Oh, and be sure your fermenter is airtight, otherwise the CO2 may be taking an easier way out of the fermenter than your airlock

 

[BILTIT]

Yup, i have waited 3 days on some of my ferm's. They usually take off real well once they start though.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I made my first batch of A/P Cider yesterday. Followed the updated instructions from Mike. How log should i expect the Nottingham yeast to start doing their thing? I've seen no bubbling out of my airlock . I'm a brewer and usually, i see action within 24 hrs. is this the same with cider? i pitched Nottingham and put it in my fermentation chamber (aka chest freezer) set at 62 degrees on the temp controller.

I put up my fall batch for fermentation last Friday. I use English cider yeast, not Nottingham. Checked it Monday morning, no bubbles. However, when I lowered my head into the chest freezer to adjust the heater cord, I nearly passed out from the sulphur fumes. Yup, its working, all right

 

[custompainter99]

Couple of questions..(Thanks for all the helpful info, i'm kinda a newbie here) i cannot find cinnamon extract here where i live, but found a ton of cinnamon oil. would this work mixing it in with the caramel sauce? or would it float on top of the cider like most other oils and liquid? when should i take a gravity reading? its been a week and my airlock has slowed way down.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Couple of questions..(Thanks for all the helpful info, i'm kinda a newbie here) i cannot find cinnamon extract here where i live, but found a ton of cinnamon oil. would this work mixing it in with the caramel sauce? or would it float on top of the cider like most other oils and liquid? when should i take a gravity reading? its been a week and my airlock has slowed way down.

According to this website

http://www.foodsubs.com/Extracts.html

cinnamon extract*** Substitutes:* cinnamon oil (One part flavoring oil is roughly equivalent to four parts extract, but this may vary according to the products used.* To be safe, begin by substituting 1/8 teaspoon of oil per teaspoon of extract, then add more drops of oil until you're satisfied with the flavor.)

for cooking food. However, the cinnamon flavor is suspended in oil, not alcohol ( as the case for extract). I would be concerned about oil not diffusing through the cider and just floating on the surface. I would try online for extract. If you can't find extract, try tossing a few cinnamon sticks into the fermenter for a few weeks.

I also recently was introduced to fireball whiskey, which has a strong cinnamon flavor. Wonder how that would work as a substitute ?

 

[pwortiz]

Fireball became my go to about two batches ago. I use it based on an earlier post and now use 3/4 cup for me recipe

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Fireball became my go to about two batches ago. I use it based on an earlier post and now use 3/4 cup for me recipe

3/4 cup in a 5 gallon batch? Outstanding.

 

[pwortiz]

Yeah. It's still enough of a background flavor in that case...for me at least. It's been well received by those that have drank it, so I will run with it

 

[UpstateMike]

Fireball became my go to about two batches ago. I use it based on an earlier post and now use 3/4 cup for me recipe

I like this idea. I will have to try it next time i make this.


I've been gone awhile, and it is nice to see that this thread has made it to 209 pages so far.

 

[custompainter99]

Gravity of 1.018...it's been a week and a half. Maybe another 2-5 days?

 

[indolent]

Couple of questions..(Thanks for all the helpful info, i'm kinda a newbie here) i cannot find cinnamon extract here where i live, but found a ton of cinnamon oil. would this work mixing it in with the caramel sauce? or would it float on top of the cider like most other oils and liquid? when should i take a gravity reading? its been a week and my airlock has slowed way down.

You can make your own extract by soaking cinnamon sticks in vodka.

 

[chunkychicken]

I drop cinnamon in boiling water, allow to sit for 10-15 minutes, drop it all in the carboy. Boiling water isn't alcohol, but it's enough to kill anything surface level and 15 minutes soak is more than enough to sanitize it. Have done it twice and both times the cinnamon was a background note, just noticeable and nice.

 

[chunkychicken]

I wonder what volume people have when they say that it takes 48-72 hours for the brew to start. Mine typically start quickly, usually within 6-12 hours. I'm using 5L carboys (1.3~ gl) - it's all the space I have to work with.

 

[custompainter99]

So i bottled my cider Friday night (2 nights ago) popped one today, decent carbonation (not as carbonated as i like).I'm thinking I may wait 1 more day. My question should i pasteurize? or simply cold crash? whats the reasoning to pasteurize? simply to kill off the yeast? wont cold crashing do pretty much the same thing? if i wait another day, bottle bombs? gushers?

 

[WTFOMGBBQ]

So i bottled my cider Friday night (2 nights ago) popped one today, decent carbonation (not as carbonated as i like).I'm thinking I may wait 1 more day. My question should i pasteurize? or simply cold crash? whats the reasoning to pasteurize? simply to kill off the yeast? wont cold crashing do pretty much the same thing? if i wait another day, bottle bombs? gushers?

It's my understanding that cold crashing will stop fermentation while it remains cold, and pasteurizing will prevent any further fermentation period...even if the bottles return to room temp.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

It's my understanding that cold crashing will stop fermentation while it remains cold, and pasteurizing will prevent any further fermentation period...even if the bottles return to room temp.

Cold crashing doesn't kill the yeast, it slows it down/stops the fermentation process. Think yeast ranching. The samples are stores in the frige until ready to resume/. I regularly experience significant pressure build-up in my ranch tubes, even at frige temperatures. Once the product warms up the activity resumes. Pasteurizing actually kills the yeast and prevents further fermentation (and carbonating) no matter what the temperature.

 

[brwmistr]

Its nice to see the experiments others are doing with their batches. I will be doing a 4L batch with caramel and another test batch 3L for the cinnamon as this will be the first time for me doing a flavor addition to my ciders. BTW I start with 23L of fresh pressed non-Pasteurized cider and pitch EC-1118 and 1tsp of yeast nutrient. I start with a OG of 1.070 which should get me to 6.8% when done. I will add my flavor additions to the 3L and 4L batches and then to my PET bottles for a bottle carb of two weeks testing after one week.

 

[globell]

I like this idea. I will have to try it next time i make this.


I've been gone awhile, and it is nice to see that this thread has made it to 209 pages so far.

Soak some cinnamon sticks in vodka for a week or so (even a few days). Works great. I'm soaking some in butterscotch schnapps and vodka with an additional cardemom to blend later

 

[gedion]

So i made this recently and just poured my first pint from my keg. Its tasty and everyone loves it...however its really sweet for my personal taste. If i make this again i will probably half the amount of juice concentrate. Deffinatly a keeper though!

 

[GaryL]

Okay, I survived reading all 210 pages of this thread over the last week or so. Very informative stuff.

Has anyone tried caramel extract and, if so, how much in a 5 gallon batch? Found it at Walmart when I was looking for cinnamon extract.

I don't remember seeing the extract mentioned but there were 210 Pages! Thanks!

 

[pwortiz]

the words "carmel extract" gave me pause...not sure how one would extract carmel flavors as you do with Vanilla, almonds, etc, - so I did a quick check on Walmart's site and it's for flavoring only. This choice will be totally up to you. My experience with flavors up to this point has been overall negative and too artificial tasting. But all our palates are different so you may enjoy it!

 

[GaryL]

Going to be dropping this into 2.5 gallon kegs so I may do one making the caramel and one with the extract as an experiment.

Thanks. Anyone else?

 

[bpaulik]

I want to try and make this but since this is my first cider I have a question about the apple juice. Do you use an apple juice such as what is in the picture or are you looking for an apple juice that is more fresh like an apple cider? I have seen that some of the bottles of apple juice say made from concentrate, is that ok to use? I went to our local Wegmans but was unable to find a 96oz bottle of apple juice of any kind.

 

[GaBrewZoo]

That's exactly what you need. 100% apple juice, NO preservatives. Concentrate or not, does not matter.

 

[bpaulik]

That's exactly what you need. 100% apple juice, NO preservatives. Concentrate or not, does not matter.

Awesome, Thank you very much. Looking forward to giving this a try.

 

[GaBrewZoo]

Awesome, Thank you very much. Looking forward to giving this a try.

I made some last year. It was very good. I would recommend using real cinnamon sticks or extract. Ground cinnamon does not dissolve and comes out of the bottle in clumps. I need to make another batch.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

That's exactly what you need. 100% apple juice, NO preservatives. Concentrate or not, does not matter.

Agree. The only ingredient besides apple juice can be ascorbic acid, which is vitamin C. Anything similar to sulphate is a preservative that slows the action of microbes by preventing them from dividing. Yeast is a microbe that is affected by sulphate