Cider Tastes Like Commercial-Made Cider

[torilen]

So, I made a hard apple cider a while ago. It fermented for a good week, almost week and a half. Racked it to secondary and let it sit for another two or three weeks, then racked it once more and put in from toasted whiskey oak barrel chips for about five days. At some point, I had added a whole can of apple concentrate and I had pasteurized it...I forget when I added the concentrate exactly.

Anyhow. It has been sitting in wine bottles for about two weeks since bottling, and I thought I'd give it a small taste. Aside from a slight odd flavor that all my wine has add (I think simply because I haven't let them sit long enough), this cider actually tastes almost exactly like the new Angry Orchard Stone Dry cider.

Kind of neat. Finally getting it right, I think. (my wife still doesn't like it...she likes sweeter stuff...like Strong Bow Honey Cider).

 

[z-bob]

Angry Orchard Stone Dry? Never heard of it. I assume it's not as sweet as their regular stuff? I might have to find some and give it a try. Wife really likes AO, and I kinda like it but it's just a little too sweet for me. I mix it with mine when I make a batch that's too dry.

I just racked/sampled some grape wine I started a few months ago. (it was better than I expected this young, it will be ready to drink for Thanksgiving) and I started a batch of cider. Going to do a whole 6 gallons this time instead of my usual 3 or 4. It's 3 gallons right now in a 4 gallon carboy, but I'll add more juice when I rack the first time. Meanwhile I need to free-up a 6 gallon carboy. I'm still debating whether to add some tannin.

I'm glad you're getting it right. What yeast are you using?

 

[MikeTodd]

This is great to hear! I have some bourbon barrel chunks I am going to be using. How much of the oak did you use? What yeast? What brand of juice? Did you carb it and then pasteurize it or is it still?
Sorry for all the questions.

 

[torilen]

Yeast - I use either Red Star Premier Cuvee, or the equivalent Lalvin EC 1118. That's all I've ever used so far. They get high ABV, and I know how to use them. Comfort helps me brew, you know.

As for the juice...I honest do not remember. There are only a couple that I use, typically. This might have been the cheap store brand, or it could have been White House apple juice. I did not start with cider, though. I'll wait for those to come out in the fall, and get a good bottle for that.

For the oak...it is the Jim Beam Whiskey Barrel chips. I used maybe an ounce or so. I toasted them in the toaster oven, 400F bake, until they start turning dark and smoking a bit.

I do not carb my drinks. I really do not care too much about that. I had one carb itself...in the fridge, for that matter...but that was an accident.

I pasteurize on the stovetop. I use large canning jars and put them in a hot water bath until they reach 160F. I tried doing it to 140F, but had a bottle explode on me, and I DO NOT want that to happen again. I'm still finding glass shards, almost three months later. It was a horrible mess.

Oh, and I do 1 gallon batches. I have four 1 gallon glass carboys. I use them for fermentors, and usually keep one free. When it is time to rack, I just go straight from on to the free carboy, and then clean the used one out to make that the free one. I also have a 32oz growler that I use to ferment real small batches in, when I am not using it to store stuff in the fridge.

 

[MikeTodd]

Yeast - I use either Red Star Premier Cuvee, or the equivalent Lalvin EC 1118. That's all I've ever used so far. They get high ABV, and I know how to use them. Comfort helps me brew, you know.

As for the juice...I honest do not remember. There are only a couple that I use, typically. This might have been the cheap store brand, or it could have been White House apple juice. I did not start with cider, though. I'll wait for those to come out in the fall, and get a good bottle for that.

For the oak...it is the Jim Beam Whiskey Barrel chips. I used maybe an ounce or so. I toasted them in the toaster oven, 400F bake, until they start turning dark and smoking a bit.

I do not carb my drinks. I really do not care too much about that. I had one carb itself...in the fridge, for that matter...but that was an accident.

I pasteurize on the stovetop. I use large canning jars and put them in a hot water bath until they reach 160F. I tried doing it to 140F, but had a bottle explode on me, and I DO NOT want that to happen again. I'm still finding glass shards, almost three months later. It was a horrible mess.

Oh, and I do 1 gallon batches. I have four 1 gallon glass carboys. I use them for fermentors, and usually keep one free. When it is time to rack, I just go straight from on to the free carboy, and then clean the used one out to make that the free one. I also have a 32oz growler that I use to ferment real small batches in, when I am not using it to store stuff in the fridge.

Fantastic! I also have 4, 1 gallon carboy/fermenters that I am using. My first batch is in secondary using the ec-1118 and it is delicious! Thamks for the tips! Cheers!

 

[z-bob]

Try Cotes des Blancs yeast. It's not quite as fast as EC-1118 or Premier Cuvee, but I think it leaves a lot more apple flavor.

I'm using K1-V1116 this time; never tried that one before.

 

[torilen]

Thanks z-bob. I'm actually going to be ordering some new yeast tonight or tomorrow.
Do you know how Cotes Des Blancs does with stuff other than cider? I typically make ginger beer (ginger wine?) and wines, and very occasionally coffee wine. I would assume, if it leaves more apple flavor, it would leave other flavors intact?

 

[z-bob]

I've used CDB twice; once in cider and once in concord grape wine. I liked it in both and will be buying more next time I order yeast, unless the K1V1116 really knocks it out of the park. I can't answer the part about ginger or coffee.

 

[MikeTodd]

I have used the EC1118 and Muntons Ale Yeast so far. I have not tasted the Muntons yet but the EC1118 has worked awesome. I have a few more to try in small 1gal test batches.
I am waiting to try:
Premier Blanc
Cote des blancs
S-04