Christmas Cider

[ChrisRC1985]

Hey guys. I want to brew a Hard Cider for XMas. I was reading through some of the forums and still have a few questions.

My understand so far; (From Nexus555 post)

"Hey guys, I was looking for a very basic "hard" cider recipe. From what I read it just seems to be 5 gallons of pastorized apple juice (with no perservatives) and champagne yeast. Does this sound correct? Please enlighten me!"

So my question is;
1) Do I boil the apple juice(prob a dumb question, just wanted to ask to be safe)
2) Do I add hops at any time
3) Ferment for 2 weeks, check grav and rack??

anything I am missing...is this truly as simple as adding my champagne yeast into the pasteurized apple juice and let it sit??

Thanks all!

 

[Ramitt]

You don't need to boil if it is Pasteurized, even then don't boil gogle how to pasteurise. Don't usually add hops to Cider. Most ciders take longer than 2 weeks to get good, you want 6 weeks min for edworts apfelwein.

 

[GinKings]

You don't need to boil if it is Pasteurized, even then don't boil gogle how to pasteurise.

Don't boil cider...period.

 

[ChrisRC1985]

You don't need to boil if it is Pasteurized, even then don't boil gogle how to pasteurise. Don't usually add hops to Cider. Most ciders take longer than 2 weeks to get good, you want 6 weeks min for edworts apfelwein.

So, not enough time to have a batch bottled n ready by the 24th. =\

 

[Pumbaa]

You COULD it just wouldnt be at it's best . . . It would be drinkable and maybe even enjoyable but you really would be better off to make a good cider now and bottle it in a couple or 3 months and enjoy it next Christmas

 

[Ramitt]

So, not enough time to have a batch bottled n ready by the 24th. =\

you can try it, taste before you bottle. Might try an ale yeast like nottingham, I recall some finding faster results with it. I tatsed a batch with mantrachet at 3 weeks and it was not all that good, at 6 very drinkable.

 

[Snackerton]

My ciders actually seem to be moving very quickly. My recipe is pretty simple: 1 Gallon preservative-free cider, little under 1 cup of light brown sugar per gallon of cider. A starter of ale yeast, like Cooper's or Nottingham.

I racked after one week and bottled after two using apple juice concentrate to backsweeten and prime. I'm going to be pasteurizing here in a day or two depending on carbonation levels. I rushed the bottling a tiny bit but either way, it'll have a good bit of time to age before Christmas. As Pumbaa said, you can still do it for Christmas, just expect it to be good but not amazing.

 

[dinnerstick]

first, i agree with anyone and everyone who says "don't ever boil the juice" and don't add hops sounds pretty eloquent as well. in my opinion dry winey ciders (the kind i make) need a few months to age, but sweetening will spackle over some of the flaws and inadequacies of your youthful tipple. the worst thing for me about a very young (couple weeks) cider is the yeasty taste, which can largely be got rid of with a few days in the fridge. if you do something like prof snackerton (above), prime and back-sweeten for example with concentrate (taste it often while slowly adding concentrate, stop when you like it), bottle and pasteurize carefully according to the accepted protocol which you can find on this site, being careful not to over-carb and lead to a dangerous situation, then making sure they spend a few days in the fridge, upright, and then when it's time to pour a glass be very careful when pouring to avoid the sediment, of which there may be quite a bit, since you will have a lot of yeast still in suspension and after pasteurizing a lot of dead yeast knocking around, pour each bottle in one go into a glass, don't attempt to stop and restart pouring, you might just find you like the end result even in just 3 weeks. if it were me though i'd bash up a much smaller amount now, a few liters or a gallon jug might get you through christmas depending on how annoying/numerous/verbose your relatives are, and if it came out promising maybe embark on the larger project straight away. and i'd get on it today, or if possible, yesterday