Cuba's Cider (Woodchuck Clone)

[Braxton]

This is my first brew ever. I was looking for something similar to Woodchuck. After doing research online for about a week and not being 100% satisfied with any of the recipes, this is what I came up with:

21 quarts GV no sugar added apple juice. 1 packet champagne yeast.

12/22 OG = 1.050
12/28 FG = 1.001 - Added 3TSP of potassium sorbate and 1 tablet of campden
12/29 - Racked to Carboy, added 200ml of liquid sweetener/stabilizer, 1.5lbs of confectioners sugar, 1 can of frozen apple juice concentrate. Added Super Kleer.

I'm going to wait until new years eve and rack it again. I will then keg it when I receive my keg in the mail on the 3rd of January. I will then force carbonate it and partake in its cidery goodness.

I'm very pleased with how this tastes right now. It is sweet yet not overpowering and maintains the apple flavor. It should be around 6.5% ABV as well which is about what I was looking for.

I apologize if some of my terminology is incorrect and if my recipe isn't posted quite to standard. Still pretty new to this stuff and trying to figure it out.

Any suggestions or comments are greatly appreciated!

 

[Bush_84]

Might not be a bad idea to just use campden tablets and potassium sorbate instead of the liquid stuff. Throw them in after fermentation is done. Wait a day then toss in frozen only concentrate to sweeten. Not sure how expensive that liquid stuff is, but I would imagine that the stuff I suggested is cheaper. Also using only concentrate will give you one nice flavor. Just my opinion.

 

[Braxton]

Well I learned a valuable lesson today. Apparently potassium sorbate isn't a yeast killer and it will not keep yeast from fermenting until fermentation is 100% done. I found foam and bubbling this morning (because I added ferment able sugar) It was a sad morning. I put it in the freezer to cool it as fast as possible. It is now in my refrigerator until I get my corny in the mail on Monday. Hopefully it clears some between tonight and then and I can rack it, keg it and carbonate it so it will be drinkable.

It's my first brew ever. Might as well learn these things now with inexpensive ingredients I guess.

Bush: I'm not planning on using the liquid stuff again. It wasn't as inexpensive as the other stuff. Good advice.

 

[Calder]

It probably doesn't matter, but doesn't confectioners sugar have something added to it. Check the ingredients list.

 

[Braxton]

Confectioners sugar is just finely ground granulated sugar. It dissolves much better because of this. This is why I went with it. My keg is coming in the mail tomorrow. I'm excited. It's dry, yet still maintains an apple flavor and a nice level of sweetness. Once it's carbonated it will be nice. Gonna work on a beer next.

 

[myty1705]

confectioner's sugar also often has corn starch added to keep it from clumping together