Caramel Apple Hard Cider

[pwortiz]

So I'm going to make this as a holiday cider, and the reviews look great.

Where i'm stuck: carbonated or still?

I've only done two ciders, a 8.5% with a bit of brown sugar, and a 6.5% with some malic acid, for a tart/sour cider.

With the 'holiday' flavors in there, I could see it going over better as a still cider, but that has me a little nervous, having never left one still. Do you serve it warm? How do you warm it up? Any danger in re-heating already-alcoholic liquid?

Would the bubbles take away too much from the "holiday-ness" of the cinnamon and caramel?

You'll find people in both camps, but I'm in the one (the best one, of course) that goes with carbonation! I don't know what it is, but I think it adds the right touch.

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

I've got a toe in both camps on this one. I carbonate, but it's a very very light carbonation, which is exactly where I want it. If it gets too fizzy it loses some appeal for me, so I usually only let it go for a few days before I'm pasteurizing.

 

[bfinleyui]

And you both serve it cold?

 

[theIrish]

to the guy asking if brown cider from farm will clear, yes. i added some pectin enzyme before the yeast and no fining agents. it was crystal clear after 6 months.

 

[pwortiz]

And you both serve it cold?

That's a 100% yes for me. Even when I test for the carb level and open 1 or 2 of them during the 5 - 7 days, I will pour them over ice.

 

[dhammers91]

that's a 100% yes for me. Even when i test for the carb level and open 1 or 2 of them during the 5 - 7 days, i will pour them over ice.

^+1

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

And you both serve it cold?

Yessir.

Has anyone ever had this served hot (and probably still)? I'm wondering if it could potentially be a good winter drink.

 

[chadkarol]

It sounded to me that he had already added 5 cans if AJC and is looking for a solution to save the batch now that it is over sweetened... That's why I suggested adding yeast again to start fermentation over again. Either in the keg with the center spring peg taken out of the gas connect with a tube connected running into a bucket of water, or transfer it back to a bucket or carboy...

If I already added Camden tablets can I still add more yeast? Will the Camden tablets I added previously effect new yeast?

 

[dhammers91]

If I already added Camden tablets can I still add more yeast? Will the Camden tablets I added previously effect new yeast?

I used fresh pressed cider and everything said to add campdem tablets before adding my yeast to kill any wild yeast. I posed the same question, and I was told that after adding the campdem, you just have to allow the container to be open for 24 hours bc it slowly evaporates. So I just put a piece of run foil with a bunch of holes poked in it with a tooth pick for 24 hrs, then added my yeast. The lag time was about 26 hrs, but it's start, and I did use a 1 L starter. I would imagine it would do the same for you, but I understand if u do tawny to take my world for it. I'm just saying what I have been told and what I did.

 

[chadkarol]

I used fresh pressed cider and everything said to add campdem tablets before adding my yeast to kill any wild yeast. I posed the same question, and I was told that after adding the campdem, you just have to allow the container to be open for 24 hours bc it slowly evaporates. So I just put a piece of run foil with a bunch of holes poked in it with a tooth pick for 24 hrs, then added my yeast. The lag time was about 26 hrs, but it's start, and I did use a 1 L starter. I would imagine it would do the same for you, but I understand if u do tawny to take my world for it. I'm just saying what I have been told and what I did.

Perfect. That's what I'll do. I'll take it out of the fridge, let it warm back up and release the pressure, and I'll pitch more yeast. Fortunately I have some dry yeast laying around that should do the trick.

 

[dhammers91]

Perfect. That's what I'll do. I'll take it out of the fridge, let it warm back up and release the pressure, and I'll pitch more yeast. Fortunately I have some dry yeast laying around that should do the trick.

Sounds like a plan... Keep us posted bc I am curious as to how it turns out!

 

[CBelli]

128 pages are too much to read all the way through to answer my question...
my apologies if this has been covered...

2 questions

1 I keg everything so should I use sorbate when I back sweeten?

2 I'm concerned after reading a number of posts with the maple falling out of suspension...
I assume the first 3-5 pints from the keg will be sweet glop?

Thanks

 

[TexasWine]

128 pages are too much to read all the way through to answer my question...
my apologies if this has been covered...

2 questions

1 I keg everything so should I use sorbate when I back sweeten?

2 I'm concerned after reading a number of posts with the maple falling out of suspension...
I assume the first 3-5 pints from the keg will be sweet glop?

Thanks

1. Depends. If you keep it cold, no need for sorbate. However, I don't have a kegerator yet for my keg, so I used sorbate.

2. Add the caramel mixture while the cider is still warm and you'll be fine.

3. You didn't ask, but there's a thread search feature in the forum that keeps you from having to read every post in a thread to find your answer.

 

[CBelli]

1. Depends. If you keep it cold, no need for sorbate. However, I don't have a kegerator yet for my keg, so I used sorbate.

2. Add the caramel mixture while the cider is still warm and you'll be fine.

3. You didn't ask, but there's a thread search feature in the forum that keeps you from having to read every post in a thread to find your answer.

Thanks....

I never thought about using the search function... this will save me tons of time Thanks again!!

 

[harry_the_face]

I see what everyone is talking about with the goop at the bottom. That goop is the cinnamon separating not the Carmel sauce. Cinnamon does not mix with any liquid well. When you heat cinnoman it buts out oil that makes it clot. I have seen this with other recipes. Best option would be to get extract.

I was worried that it would be to sweet so I let it ferment down to 1.000 and then only added the Carmel sauce, no juice. In my opinion it turned out the perfect level of sweet with a mild apple flavor. Next batch I might add one can of juice to drive it a bit more apple flavor but it was well received by the family.

It did not carbonate very fast for me (2 weeks) but that is probably becuase i let it ferment to 1.000 so the yeast was mostly settled out.

 

[JrBeerGut]

Does anyone have the ingredients for this recipe with a 5 gallon carboy? I have a couple 5 gallon carboy's and 6 gallon plastic buckets but the buckets are full of beer. I can always get another bucket if needed.

 

[rocketsan]

I see what everyone is talking about with the goop at the bottom. That goop is the cinnamon separating not the Carmel sauce. Cinnamon does not mix with any liquid well. When you heat cinnoman it buts out oil that makes it clot. I have seen this with other recipes. Best option would be to get extract.

I was worried that it would be to sweet so I let it ferment down to 1.000 and then only added the Carmel sauce, no juice. In my opinion it turned out the perfect level of sweet with a mild apple flavor. Next batch I might add one can of juice to drive it a bit more apple flavor but it was well received by the family.

It did not carbonate very fast for me (2 weeks) but that is probably becuase i let it ferment to 1.000 so the yeast was mostly settled out.

I'm making a simple cinnamon extract. Soaking cinnamon sticks in vodka. Two weeks with a shake of the jar every day and it smells ABSOLUTELY awesome. Wonder if this will resolve issues with using powder...

 

[pwortiz]

Does anyone have the ingredients for this recipe with a 5 gallon carboy? I have a couple 5 gallon carboy's and 6 gallon plastic buckets but the buckets are full of beer. I can always get another bucket if needed.

Hey Jr., I actually do my 5 gallon recipes in a 5 gallon carboy now. The notty has not created any head at all. I may leave a TINY bit 'o space in the top, but if so, it's less than a 1/4 gallon's worth of space. I've done it twice now.

 

[BOYDBrew]

I'm making a simple cinnamon extract. Soaking cinnamon sticks in vodka. Two weeks with a shake of the jar every day and it smells ABSOLUTELY awesome. Wonder if this will resolve issues with using powder...

That's what I'm planning on doing too!
Let me know how it turns out!!!

 

[pwortiz]

On the cinnamon thing, another dude posted that you could use a coffee maker and BREW the cinnamon vs adding directly. I did that this past recipe and it turned out pretty well. I have an old single cup coffee maker that I "recylced" just for this purpose. After the brew process I add it as part of my 2 cups of water with my 2 cups of brown sugar.

 

[justineaton]

Sounds good, I have 10 gallons I am getting ready to bottle that I just planned on doing a couple different frozen juice concentrated to flavor currently but since the Carmel syrup is added at the end I think I will try this with some of it. Thanks for the recipe

 

[n8tivebrew]

Hello all, Experienced drinker but novice brewer here, giving cider a try for my 1st brew. So far I have 4 gallons of Langers Cider going with 2lb of light brown sugar with Red Star champaign yellow pack yeast, about a week in. Brew seems fine, air lock is going bout every 30 sec ( during the fist week the air lock was going every 5 to 10 sec) no off smells just that of old fruit.

Was still debating to use the 2 part of USM caramel recipe for at least half the batch. Has anyone used the 32 oz Reeds swing tops? I have some on order from Amazon. Any suggestions for pasteurizing these big guys? I was planning on trying to use my XL Butterball electric turkey fryer.

 

[pwortiz]

Bottom rack of the dishwasher on Sanitize cycle might be your best bet for for those bigguns. They're not too tall for that are they?...or is the issue they might be too wide for the spokey things?

 

[n8tivebrew]

Bottom rack of the dishwasher on Sanitize cycle might be your best bet for for those bigguns. They're not too tall for that are they?...or is the issue they might be too wide for the spokey things?

Thanks for the quick reply, I seen the posts on the dishwasher and also am considering it. My dish washer does not have a sanitize setting it has "hot start, hot dry, heavy cycle" it is a GE brand. I was thinking maybe two cycles of those setting?

 

[pwortiz]

I know someone did a test of the temp somehow - maybe one of those stove temp sensors with digital readout and that thin wire/probe....maybe you can verify how long the "hot" lasts and then verify that's enough time at that level to kill anything off. Perhaps there's somethin' out there regarding your model on the Google (is it even called the "net" anymore?) that talks about the particular cycles and times. Sorry I don't have more to offer on that one.

 

[Cheesy_Goodness]

I might be missing something but can't you still use the stovetop method?
If it's a thicker bottle wouldn't it still work if you keep it in there a bit longer? I'm not sure I would trust a dishwasher to do a better job than a stovetop.

 

[hallerobin]

I'm curious about the reason for the dextrose in UpstateMike's recipe. Is it just to up the alcohol content? Has anyone made the recipe without the dextrose? If so, how'd it turn out?

 

[n8tivebrew]

I might be missing something but can't you still use the stovetop method?
If it's a thicker bottle wouldn't it still work if you keep it in there a bit longer? I'm not sure I would trust a dishwasher to do a better job than a stovetop.

That may be the way I go, I don't currently have a thermometer. Just trying to use what I got. Figured since the fryer has temperature control I could set it to 190 n put the bottles in, I just wonder if I should keep them in there for 10 min or longer. If I recall the 10 min was for 12 oz bottles.

 

[harry_the_face]

I like the idea of using a coffee pot to make the cinnamon extract. An espresso machine would do it even better because of the higher temp and pressure. To bad i just gave ours to the thrift store.

 

[thompson1175]

This was my first official brew last fall and it has been awesome! We have been nursing through them and they continue to get better with age. I bottled almost exactly a year ago and this summer we were saying that we wasted most of them drinking them too early and the kicker is that they were good then! I had to up my brewing schedule this fall to allow for some aging of this precious fluid. Anybody else hide it away and feel the same?