Caramel Apple Hard Cider

[willunc2005]

I've been looking for a great sweet cider to try as my 1st and this sounds like it. I do, however, have a question. If I want to do a half recipe and start in a 3 gallon carboy, can I actually use just half of the amounts for each ingredient? I want to bottle carb and then pasteurize, so will there be an issue with over carbing or will watching for a good FG prevent that just as with a full batch?
I think a lot of people on here must be engineers or chemists, but I'm a lawyer so please use small words and speak slowly.

 

[UpstateMike]

I've been looking for a great sweet cider to try as my 1st and this sounds like it. I do, however, have a question. If I want to do a half recipe and start in a 3 gallon carboy, can I actually use just half of the amounts for each ingredient?

Sure.

I want to bottle carb and then pasteurize, so will there be an issue with over carbing or will watching for a good FG prevent that just as with a full batch?

I have two 16 ounce plastic bottles. They use screw on caps, just like a pop bottle. These are the first and last bottles filled for each batch. When they carb up, the bottles get firmer. When they get to the right firmness, like an unopened pop bottle, then i know it is time to stovetop pasteurize. With the batch I did, it took about a week to carb up, but this can vary due to temperature where you have the bottles sitting while they carb up.

I think a lot of people on here must be engineers or chemists, but I'm a lawyer so please use small words and speak slowly.

Ohhhhhhhhhh. Kayyyyyyyyyy.

 

[willunc2005]

Thanks, Mike. I reread my post and had a duh moment about the ingredients. I'm pretty sure I had a reason to wonder that and for the life of me I don't know it. Maybe it was my OCD shining through.

 

[icanbenchurcat]

Thanks, Mike. I reread my post and had a duh moment about the ingredients. I'm pretty sure I had a reason to wonder that and for the life of me I don't know it. Maybe it was my OCD shining through.

When you cut a recipe, you can't just cut the priming sugar in half. If you are using this bcksweeten/pasteurize method, overcarbing isn't a big problem I guess.

 

[fbangie]

Made Edworts Aplewien for my first cider. It's been bottled for about 3 weeks now. Early sampling, it seems a little vinegary and it's dry. Not my cup of tea if you will so USMikes recipe sounded more to my liking. Started a 2.5 gal batch 4 days ago. I used Red Star Montrachet yeast. The yeast is going to town. The wife's laundry room smells like apple rhino dung (never been close enough to a rhino to know what it smells like but I'll take the experts word on it)....she's putting up with for now. Made a batch of USM's carmel syrup. I plan on carbing half and making the other half still. For the still cider I plan on stove top pasteurizing right away after bottling into wine bottles. For carbing I'll bottle to beer bottles, I'll check the carb level after 2 weeks to determine to stove top pasteurize then or wait. My thinking is I'll have still and carbed from the exact same batch to determine which is more to my liking. Any other thoughts????

 

[willunc2005]

My cider is really chugging along too, though it doesn't smell like anything but cider. I guess I'm lucky.
You may not want to wait 2 weeks before checking carb levels. It looks like this cider will carb quickly according to the more experienced members above.

 

[UpstateMike]

I used Red Star Montrachet yeast. The yeast is going to town.

Keep an eye on the SG, the Montrachet may ferment faster than the Nottingham, and I believe it has a higher alcohol tolerance.

 

[UpstateMike]

My cider is really chugging along too, though it doesn't smell like anything but cider. I guess I'm lucky.
You may not want to wait 2 weeks before checking carb levels. It looks like this cider will carb quickly according to the more experienced members above.

1 week may do it, but it will also depend on the temperature that you let it carb up. 1 week at mid 60's did it for me.

 

[fbangie]

Thanks Mike...I'll check SG this weekend. The Montrachet is really getting after it judging from the air lock. Looking for an SG of 1.010, started at 1.074. That would be awesome if I could get it into the secondary this weekend. A big thanks for the recipe.

 

[willunc2005]

Okay, so after I hit the low end of the recommended FG I bottled with the caramel sauce and apple juice concentrate. Two days later I open a bottle to check the carb and I see this "goo" has formed in the bottom of the bottles. I am pretty sure it is the concentrate and caramel separating into the bottom. Is that normal? Will it mix back into solution eventually? Has anyone else seen that happen? Or did I screw something up? Sorry for all of the questions.
P.S.- it smelled decent, there was quite a bit of alcohol initially, but then the apple and back sweetening came through. I've read that the alcohol smell and taste will temper with age. So I'm pleased with the taste so far!
In the pictures you can sort of see what I am talking about. I have a flashlight behind the bottle and I gently inverted it for a moment to see if it was in this bottle as well.

 

[UpstateMike]

Okay, so after I hit the low end of the recommended FG I bottled with the caramel sauce and apple juice concentrate. Two days later I open a bottle to check the carb and I see this "goo" has formed in the bottom of the bottles. I am pretty sure it is the concentrate and caramel separating into the bottom. Is that normal? Will it mix back into solution eventually? Has anyone else seen that happen?

Sediment will happen when bottle carbing. It is some of the yeast as well, but no worry, it won't kill anyone. If you want, you can swirl around before pouring, but that might make it slightly cloudy. Wait about a month before drinking, and serve chilled, like from the fridge.

 

[fbangie]

Here's an update on my latest batch. I checked SG last Thursday, it was almost there at 1.014. Went ahead and racked to the secondary. It was still somewhat cloudy. Checked
SG on Sunday at it was down to 1.006 so decided to bottle. Tasted pretty good before back sweetening. Half of the batch went into 750ml wine bottles for still cider and the other half went into beer bottles to carb up. Stove top pasteurized the wine bottles. I'll check one of the beer bottles at 4 days for carb level. Pretty tasty stuff. Goes down very easy. This stuff might get me in trouble....might not want to share with the wife.
Again thanks USMike for sharing the recipe.

 

[UpstateMike]

Here's an update on my latest batch. I checked SG last Thursday, it was almost there at 1.014. Went ahead and racked to the secondary. It was still somewhat cloudy. Checked
SG on Sunday at it was down to 1.006 so decided to bottle. Tasted pretty good before back sweetening. Half of the batch went into 750ml wine bottles for still cider and the other half went into beer bottles to carb up. Stove top pasteurized the wine bottles. I'll check one of the beer bottles at 4 days for carb level. Pretty tasty stuff. Goes down very easy. This stuff might get me in trouble....might not want to share with the wife.
Again thanks USMike for sharing the recipe.

If you think it tastes good now, try it again in a month and let me know what you think.

 

[fbangie]

Will do...I think I'll start another batch in the mean time. I'm thinking I'll change one thing. I'll use an ale yeast and be patient with fermentation.

 

[fbangie]

Update...popped open a bottle of the carb'd version tonight the carb level is perfect so I'll pasteurize. If anyone is looking for a good cider recipe I highly recommend this one. Folks this stuff is absolutely awesome. USMike you have a superb recipe. I poured this first carb'd bottle over a couple ice cubes and HOLY POOP...and that's after just 4 days in the bottle. I wanted to get the French Vanilla ice cream out. If I can wrangle it I'll be starting a second batch this weekend. Want to be able to repeat. Thanks again USMike.

 

[ezbonzo01]

That sounds like a great recipe. Im going to give it a shot this weekend. Ive never made cider or beer before so this will be my first go around with carbonation. Ive done a few fruit wines on my own, a really good raspberry mead, and a couple wine kits. I really want to brew and bottle a good carbonated beverage. But im a little intimidated by the whole process, bottle bombs etc. Ive read this thread probably 20 times, as well as the home pasturization method, also located in the forum. Wish me luck, any tips, or experience tricks would certainly be appreciated.

 

[SirElven]

You only ferment this for 24 hours before you bottle? Or am I very confused by this?

 

[UpstateMike]

You only ferment this for 24 hours before you bottle? Or am I very confused by this?

Let it ferment to approx a SG of 1.015, then rack to a secondary carboy to clear for 24 hours, then bottle.

 

[SirElven]

Never mind sorry

 

[fbangie]

ezbonzo01, How you doing on your first batch? Took a few bottles of both carbed and still to the family Easter get together and it went over big. The consensus was in favor of the still version. Getting a delayed start on my second batch. Will start this weekend keeping everything the same except I'll use Nottingham Ale dry yeast instead of wine yeast.

 

[SirElven]

Starting my first batch this Sunday and I can't wait! I was thinking about not carbonating and putting it in nice wine bottles for Christmas presents.

 

[UpstateMike]

Starting my first batch this Sunday and I can't wait! I was thinking about not carbonating and putting it in nice wine bottles for Christmas presents.

You might want to consider doing that to your 4th or 5th batch, this will not last until Christmas. Not because it will go bad, but because you will drink it all long before then.

 

[ezbonzo01]

ezbonzo01, How you doing on your first batch? Took a few bottles of both carbed and still to the family Easter get together and it went over big. The consensus was in favor of the still version. Getting a delayed start on my second batch. Will start this weekend keeping everything the same except I'll use Nottingham Ale dry yeast instead of wine yeast.

I didn't end up starting it yet. Im leaving for vacation tuesday, i was afraid i wouldn't have time to complete it before i left. Im going to get on it a soon as i return!

 

[SirElven]

You might want to consider doing that to your 4th or 5th batch, this will not last until Christmas. Not because it will go bad, but because you will drink it all long before then.

Nice! I hope it's that good! Thanks

 

[r0b0t]

I just made a batch of this last night and it is my first time making cider. This morning I saw a decent layer of light sediment at the bottom of my carboy, but no airlock activity or visible signs of fermentation. Is it possible the dextrose has settled overnight? I am using Nottingham and ambient temps are around 55-60F.

Mostly I am just wondering if it would be a bad idea to give it a good stir tonight (24 hours since pitching the yeast).

 

[fbangie]

Try getting it in a warmer place. If I remember Notties recommended fermentation temp range is 57F-70F. Try to get it between 60F-65F at least. I started another batch this past weekend and pitched Nottie this time around. It started up within half hour. By the next morning the air lock was burping every 3 or so seconds. Mine is right around 72F. I'm on the high end of the temp range. I might be a few degrees too warm. If you can't get the temp up a few degrees let it go. It'll be slow but it'll eventually do it's thing.

Here's the link to Danstars Nottingham page. At the bottom is a link to a PDF spec sheet for Nottingham.
http://www.danstaryeast.com/products/nottingham-ale-yeast

 

[r0b0t]

Try getting it in a warmer place. If I remember Notties recommended fermentation temp range is 57F-70F. Try to get it between 60F-65F at least. I started another batch this past weekend and pitched Nottie this time around. It started up within half hour. By the next morning the air lock was burping every 3 or so seconds. Mine is right around 72F. I'm on the high end of the temp range. I might be a few degrees too warm. If you can't get the temp up a few degrees let it go. It'll be slow but it'll eventually do it's thing.

Here's the link to Danstars Nottingham page. At the bottom is a link to a PDF spec sheet for Nottingham.
http://www.danstaryeast.com/products/nottingham-ale-yeast

Yesterday when I got home I saw the layer of sediment at the bottom of the carboy is almost fully dissolved, and there is a nice layer of foam and visible air lock action. Thanks for the advice regarding temperature, I can slap a brew belt on the carboy to hit the mid-60s.

 

[pwortiz]

Stupid question/brain fart (or total malfunction)....WTF is dextrose?! I type it in to all the vendors and NOTHING comes up? I was hoping to buy it and get this moving? I keep reading lots of stuff on Google but it's all about what dextrose does vs where the devil I can buy it and what it would be called on a vendor's site.

I apologize for the probably less than intelligent question.

 

[neovox]

Stupid question/brain fart (or total malfunction)....WTF is dextrose?!

Corn sugar.

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=424

 

[pwortiz]

where's the little emoticon where the dude is shootin' himself in the face....holy. crap.

my ONLY redemption - and it's a stretch - is that the vendors didn't call it that so I was searching....yeah, i get no excuse. thank you for taking pity on me.