craigtube hard cider

[helix6789]

I am trying craigtube's easy hard cider. Allthough i am using Lavlin D47 and not bakers yeast. I was woundering if anyone has tried it before and if so how did it turn out? It looks like it is doing ok 24 hrs in.

 

[helix6789]

Just did first racking, let it sit for 4 days until fermentation slowed to a crawl, starting gravity was 1.050, went to 1.000, tastes more and smells like wine more than cider. Not very flavorful. Going to let the cider sit in secondary fermenter for 2 weeks. Before i bottle should i use sorbistat K and back sweeten or just back sweeten? Or will more flavor come back when it sits for a couple of weeks?
Any thoughts.

 

[ACarver]

I did basically the same thing on my first batch and it stays pretty dry. Not too bad if you don't mind a dry, wine-like cider though. I bottle carbed it and it did pretty well.

Next batch I did I backsweetened with non-fermentable sugar and ended up dumping the batch because I couldn't stand the chemical taste of it.

My future batch I will backsweeten with apple juice and brown sugar, then bottle and pasteurize when the proper carb level is reached. I think this is what you will want to try if you like a sweeter cider such as woodchuck.

Hope this helps.

 

[dulynoted]

I'm a fan of D-47 yeast. The lees compact extremely well, which makes for a clearer final product. My default recipe is a variation on EdWort's Apfelwein, where I add 200 grams raw sugar per gallon of juice, one packet of D-47 yeast (I only do 3 gallon batches), let it sit for a month, rack into a bucket, add a can of frozen apple juice concentrate (usually TreeTop), and bottle. I let it sit for a week or two in the bottles then refrigerate. It gives me a light sparkling cider with about 9% ABV. Bread yeast is for bread. If you were yeast, would you rather be a first rate bread yeast or a second rate cider yeast?

 

[cyberlord]

I let my ciders go dry and bottle carb. No preservatives or pasteurization needed.

Then to sweeten I pour the cider onto some apple juice to sweeten it. I get a better head when I do that. Plus I can adjust how sweet I want it depending on the mood.

You just have to make sure you have apple juice on hand.

 

[helix6789]

Thanks, what is the ratio you guys use cider to concentrate or juice per gal. I have the none fermintable suger but from what i here apple concentrate or juice is the way to go.

 

[helix6789]

How do i gadge tje carb. Level besides poring it? To help me from making bottle booms.

 

[ACarver]

How do i gadge tje carb. Level besides poring it? To help me from making bottle booms.

Bottle like regular and check after about 2 days by opening one. Pretty much the only way to do it. It will still be drinkable even if the one you open is not completely ready, many people enjoy their cider flat anyway.

I have also thought about finding smaller plastic bottles (8oz or so) that I could try it out on, so your not losing as much while checking.

 

[cyberlord]

Also PET (plastic) bottles can be squeezed tested for firmness so bottle one in a soda bottle. When its hard it's time to pasteurize the lot.

 

[helix6789]

Thanks everyone i just tasted it and man o man it is starting to tast good. It started kinda wine like and is starting to get sweeter with time. I guess on the 21stit will have been sitting in the 2ndary jug for almost two weeks and and two weeks from the start. I guess i will possabley back sweeten then and bottle then wait a couple days and put in the frig. Can't wait!!!

 

[helix6789]

Bottled the cider ladt night. Tadted great! I back sweetened with one container of apple juice concrntrate and added 3/4 cup of brown suger in a cup of water to carbonate.
In hine site I am worrying that I just made bottle booms adding suger and concentrate all that suger. We shall see tonight and or tomorrow I will have to open them to check. Then put in frig. Any thoughts.

 

[helix6789]

After i added back sweetner and brown suger the gravity was 1.200

 

[ACarver]

Bottled the cider ladt night. Tadted great! I back sweetened with one container of apple juice concrntrate and added 3/4 cup of brown suger in a cup of water to carbonate.
In hine site I am worrying that I just made bottle booms adding suger and concentrate all that suger. We shall see tonight and or tomorrow I will have to open them to check. Then put in frig. Any thoughts.

I would really recommend you look at the pasteurization sticky in the forum. It would be much more reliable than just keeping them in the freezer.

 

[helix6789]

Well cider was great. Not the best in the world but not to shaby. bottled a week and put in freg. Then enjoyed. First of many ciders to try.

 

[helix6789]

Ok its all said and done. Bottles are carbed like champain bottles. Thast is ok and it is clearing up some. The question is can i wait to drink for another couple months. And do i let it all sit in the freg or do i boil pastutize it.....