Everyday Simplest Dry Cider

[Techy]

If you see foam your fermentation is fine you just have a leaky stopper or airlock that won’t bubble until you adjust and reseal it

Yep I think that is def the problem....I don't see much activity in the airlock but there is def foam and tiny bubbles going like crazy. I didn't have a bung to fit the 1 gallon jug of AJ so I had to order one online. When it arrives today I plan to replace my drilled through the lid contraption I have going on right now

 

[wrongway]

I just picked up 2-1 gal glass jugs of Organic Apple Cider from Dillons.
Reg price 8.99 marked down to 4.99. Cant wait to get a ferment going!
I think I will add a little Cinnamon to one of them!

 

[Techy]

@phug and @z-bob

Good news...my cider has been in primary for over a month...(a month and a week at least) and is super clear. I am getting ready to "attempt" bottling. My wife has been drinking a lot of kombucha lately and the glass bottles (16oz) look pretty good to re-purpose for bottling. I picked up some AJC last night and I need to look at the total sugar content to see how much to add to my one gallon batch.

phug...in post #168 you stated: There is some math back in post 35 but as long as your ajc doesn't have more than 140 g of sugars in the whole thing, then 55 ml will be fine for your one gallon batch.

So I am going to follow that logic...I don't know if I have any measurement device that does ml so I may have to convert that to oz which is close to 1.86. So if I am understanding this correctly...just just add the ajc to the entire one gallon batch after you rack to another container and then fill up each bottle and let it go at room temp for a few weeks before refrigeration? Sorry for the stupid ?'s I am a total newb at this

 

[z-bob]

@phug and @z-bob

Good news...my cider has been in primary for over a month...(a month and a week at least) and is super clear. I am getting ready to "attempt" bottling. My wife has been drinking a lot of kombucha lately and the glass bottles (16oz) look pretty good to re-purpose for bottling. I picked up some AJC last night and I need to look at the total sugar content to see how much to add to my one gallon batch.

phug...in post #168 you stated: There is some math back in post 35 but as long as your ajc doesn't have more than 140 g of sugars in the whole thing, then 55 ml will be fine for your one gallon batch.

So I am going to follow that logic...I don't know if I have any measurement device that does ml so I may have to convert that to oz which is close to 1.86. So if I am understanding this correctly...just just add the ajc to the entire one gallon batch after you rack to another container and then fill up each bottle and let it go at room temp for a few weeks before refrigeration? Sorry for the stupid ?'s I am a total newb at this

I've never done it that way, but yes you got the procedure right.

 

[phug]

@phug and @z-bob

Good news...my cider has been in primary for over a month...(a month and a week at least) and is super clear. I am getting ready to "attempt" bottling. My wife has been drinking a lot of kombucha lately and the glass bottles (16oz) look pretty good to re-purpose for bottling. I picked up some AJC last night and I need to look at the total sugar content to see how much to add to my one gallon batch.

phug...in post #168 you stated: There is some math back in post 35 but as long as your ajc doesn't have more than 140 g of sugars in the whole thing, then 55 ml will be fine for your one gallon batch.

So I am going to follow that logic...I don't know if I have any measurement device that does ml so I may have to convert that to oz which is close to 1.86. So if I am understanding this correctly...just just add the ajc to the entire one gallon batch after you rack to another container and then fill up each bottle and let it go at room temp for a few weeks before refrigeration? Sorry for the stupid ?'s I am a total newb at this

Yup you’ve got it. One oz is 29-30 ml or so so 1.86 oz sounds right for 55ml. Another way to calculate it is 3 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons to equal 55 ml. Tablespoon = 15 ml and teaspoon = 5 ml. Makes sure you completely thaw the ajc first and mix thoroughly before adding.

Good luck

 

[Techy]

Yup you’ve got it. One oz is 29-30 ml or so so 1.86 oz sounds right for 55ml. Another way to calculate it is 3 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons to equal 55 ml. Tablespoon = 15 ml and teaspoon = 5 ml. Makes sure you completely thaw the ajc first and mix thoroughly before adding.

Good luck

I am starting to get worried now...I just looked at my AJC and see it has 26g of sugars per serving. So that would be (26 x 6 servings per container) is 156 which is over the 140 as you specified. Serving size per 1/4 cup is 60 ml and total carb is 29g per serving. I do not want to have bottle bombs...lol

Should I cut down my % to maybe 50 or 45 ml to add to my gallon instead of the original 55 ml?

 

[phug]

Wait, how many ml is your container of ajc? Take the volume of the container. Divide by 5. Then add a little less than that. Maybe 90% if the result should be added.

I was told there would be no math

 

[z-bob]

Why not add the AJC during active fermentation (maybe after it slows down a little), then prime with sugar when it's all finished? Sugar is easy to use.

 

[Techy]

12 FL OZ (355 mL) is the total for the container of AJC. 355 mL divided by 5 is 71 mL.

90% of 71 would be about 63.9 if my math is correct. This is still above the 55 mL as suggested in previous posts unless I am doing something wrong which is def possible.

 

[phug]

12 FL OZ (355 mL) is the total for the container of AJC. 355 mL divided by 5 is 71 mL.

90% of 71 would be about 63.9 if my math is correct. This is still above the 55 mL as suggested in previous posts unless I am doing something wrong which is def possible.

go ahead and add 60ml and you should be fine. your AJC has more more sugar, but it's less concentrated.

 

[phug]

Why not add the AJC during active fermentation (maybe after it slows down a little), then prime with sugar when it's all finished? Sugar is easy to use.

for this recipe I use it for priming for more apple into the batch, and because in a 5 gallon batch pitching a can of AJC is easy than weighing, dissolving, etc... priming sugar.

 

[thedevanzoshift]

Do you back sweeten this at all or just go straight to the keg with it ?

 

[oriley]

For some reason FAJC seems to have disappeared from my local supermarkets. I've been going to No Frills in Acton, then tried Valumart in Erin. No luck. Today went down to the Superstore in Georgetown and still no FAJC. Any ideas what to replace this with to carbonate??

 

[z-bob]

For some reason FAJC seems to have disappeared from my local supermarkets. I've been going to No Frills in Acton, then tried Valumart in Erin. No luck. Today went down to the Superstore in Georgetown and still no FAJC. Any ideas what to replace this with to carbonate??

I use pasteurized apple juice and a little sugar and yeast nutrient to make the cider, then carbonate with plain ol' sugar. It has plenty of apple flavor after a few weeks in the bottle -- unless I added way too much sugar at the beginning, or used Premier Cuvee or EC-1118 yeast.

 

[phug]

Do you back sweeten this at all or just go straight to the keg with it ?

If you’re kegging I would not backsweeten or add fajc unless you want to carb naturally in the keg

 

[James0816]

How dry does this one finish?

I'm already trying Paps' pub cider now looking to start something a little on the milder side. Just not a fan of dry ciders.

Also, would D47 be a good yeast choice for this?

 

[phug]

How dry does this one finish?

I'm already trying Paps' pub cider now looking to start something a little on the milder side. Just not a fan of dry ciders.

Also, would D47 be a good yeast choice for this?

Similarly dry, I imagine.

I haven’t tried d47 but go for it

 

[MarkKF]

I back sweeten with my own freeze concentrate. I set aside 1/2 gal. of the fresh pressed juice I use. Put it in the freezer. After I stabilize the fermented cider I add the flavor juice that drips out the thawing cider to a corny keg and mix the fermented cider and force carb.

 

[Scientific hippie]

I finally found frozen concentrate in the fourth supermarket I checked. I just filtered three 1-gallon batches (two plain, one from spiced juice) into a brand-new 3-gal carboy today. I'll bottle it at the end of the month. I used Montrachet yeast; I may try D47 or Wyeast's cider and mead yeast next time. I just preordered 6 gal of Vermont apple juice; can't wait!

 

[must1]

Some people will say thet EC1118 is a beast of a yeast that will strip all the flavour out of any cider.

I've come back to this cider 4 times now, and there's always a good segment of my friends and neighbors who like it. The upside is that it is simple, cheap, and pretty darn hard to mess up.

For a 5 gallon batch, purchase 19 litres / 5 gallons of storebrand/whatever is cheapest filtered, pasteurized apple juice with vit c added. Avoid the low acid juices.

Pour vigorously into your primary fermenter, and pitch one sachet of Lalvin EC-1118 yeast. Allow to ferment for 4 weeks or until clear. For priming use 55ml per 3.75litres/gallon of storebrand frozen Apple Juice Concentrate, thawed and added to the bottling bucket before racking your cider to the bottling bucket. I cheat and use the entire can for 5 gallon batches, I believe the can of concentrate is 283 ml.

Bottle, allow to condition for 3-4 weeks. Chill and Enjoy.

This is the simplest cider in my recipe book, and it always has fans. Approx 6% ABV but will vary by your juice. Don't worry about the OG, don't bother to boost it, just start with your apple juice and let it ride.

Can I use fresh apple cider? Not [URL='https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1&q=pasteurized&spell=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi9hOuyhoveAhWEZd8KHeU8BTAQkeECCCgoAA&biw=1600&bih=771']pasteurized [/URL]and no additives.

 

[rdback]

Can I use fresh apple cider? Not pasteurized and no additives.

Absolutely!

 

[Techy]

@phug I have been meaning to come back here and post results so finally getting the time today. Anyway, I just wanted to say wow...and thank you! I made 3 different versions of cider and let family / friends try over the summer up till about a month ago (I ran out) and by far everyone picked this recipe as the best. Wasn't even close....lol

So with that being said, I am going to the store today to buy 5 gallons and going to make a BIG batch and use an old glass carboy I have sitting in the basement

 

[ChipWaState]

@phug I started a batch of this last Monday. After a day I was getting some activity in the airlock. After 5 days there is no activity. I am thinking something is wrong. Thoughts?

 

[phug]

@phug I have been meaning to come back here and post results so finally getting the time today. Anyway, I just wanted to say wow...and thank you! I made 3 different versions of cider and let family / friends try over the summer up till about a month ago (I ran out) and by far everyone picked this recipe as the best. Wasn't even close....lol

So with that being said, I am going to the store today to buy 5 gallons and going to make a BIG batch and use an old glass carboy I have sitting in the basement

Very excited to hear that. I’m glad you’re getting good mileage out of this recipe.

 

[phug]

@phug I started a batch of this last Monday. After a day I was getting some activity in the airlock. After 5 days there is no activity. I am thinking something is wrong. Thoughts?

Depends on a few things. Maybe your yeast was extra robust. Maybe your juice had more nutrients. Maybe your temps were warmer.

I would say take a hydro meter measurement and see where it is

 

[Scientific hippie]

I'm a newbie. I have a 3 gal carboy of a mix of organic juices and a 1 gal jug of the clear juice you recommended. I have the apple juice concentrate in the freezer. I have cider coming from NH. I can't wait!

 

[Scientific hippie]

Sorry I repeated myself! I'm very anxious to try the finished product.

 

[Farmside]

Sorry I repeated myself! I'm very anxious to try the finished product.

I had to chuckle when I read this thought to myself “hey, your not the only one!” LOL I bet I check my carboys dozen times or more during the course of the day. Bottling time I must look like a mad scientist

 

[Techy]

@phug or anyone else that may be able to help. I made a large 5 gallon batch of this recipe and wanted to keg some of it to try out the kegging process and also to make it easier rather than bottling.

So I ordered a little 2.5 gallon corny keg since I already have a kegging system. Anyway, tonight I finally decided to get to kegging and I read on here that if I was kegging to not add AJC unless I wanted to carb naturally. So I added the proper amount of AJC to carb naturally but it still is not sweet at all. So then I added xylitol to sweeten it up a bit.

I was curious why I couldn't just add more then the recommended amount of AJC to get it to my recommend sweetness level and then just put it in the kegerator (skipping the xylitol addition). Wouldn't putting it in the kegerator stop the yeast or at least slow down the yeast from eating the sugar from the AJC. Then I could hook my co2 up to it and just keep it connected for a few days to finish carb'g the keg?

Would this work or am I way off track?

Thanks for any assistance you can provide....

 

[JAReeves]

I don’t have a lot of fermentation experience, but unless your yeast is tapped out because of the alcohol, it’s going to eat. If it’s cold or full of CO2 from your kegerator, it’ll be slow, but it’ll still eat.

May not be an issue if you drink the cider fast, but I would check pressure on your keg to make sure it isn’t too mucho.

I am bottle conditioning a wild-yeast cider, so I have no clue what the hell it is going to do in the next month: explode, non-carbonate, or come out like liquid gold. Math calculations and spread sheets can only do so much; single-celled buggers sometimes do it their way.

Peace!

 

[phug]

@phug or anyone else that may be able to help. I made a large 5 gallon batch of this recipe and wanted to keg some of it to try out the kegging process and also to make it easier rather than bottling.

So I ordered a little 2.5 gallon corny keg since I already have a kegging system. Anyway, tonight I finally decided to get to kegging and I read on here that if I was kegging to not add AJC unless I wanted to carb naturally. So I added the proper amount of AJC to carb naturally but it still is not sweet at all. So then I added xylitol to sweeten it up a bit.

I was curious why I couldn't just add more then the recommended amount of AJC to get it to my recommend sweetness level and then just put it in the kegerator (skipping the xylitol addition). Wouldn't putting it in the kegerator stop the yeast or at least slow down the yeast from eating the sugar from the AJC. Then I could hook my co2 up to it and just keep it connected for a few days to finish carb'g the keg?

Would this work or am I way off track?

Thanks for any assistance you can provide....

Go for it. It’ll stay a little bit sweet while the yeast eat up the sugars. It will go slower if you’re keeping it cold. It may even save you some(not much) co2 from your tank while you dispense.

It MAY go cloudy on you again if the yeast kick up too much.

 

[Techy]

Go for it. It’ll stay a little bit sweet while the yeast eat up the sugars. It will go slower if you’re keeping it cold. It may even save you some(not much) co2 from your tank while you dispense.

It MAY go cloudy on you again if the yeast kick up too much.

@phug Thanks a lot for the response...appreciate it! I've already keg'd it last night and it is just sitting there so your saying it "should" be ok to open the keg back up and add in some more AJC to get it to the sweetness that I want and then pop it right in the kegerator?

I just don't want the keg to blow up or anything like it would do if bottling because of adding so much AJC and it being over carb'd....?

I am thinking that by keeping it cold and drinking it within a week or so maybe it won't build up that much pressure will it will create a keg bomb or something....lol I don't know...I am just a beginner at this stuff

Thoughts?

 

[phug]

@phug Thanks a lot for the response...appreciate it! I've already keg'd it last night and it is just sitting there so your saying it "should" be ok to open the keg back up and add in some more AJC to get it to the sweetness that I want and then pop it right in the kegerator?

I just don't want the keg to blow up or anything like it would do if bottling because of adding so much AJC and it being over carb'd....?

I am thinking that by keeping it cold and drinking it within a week or so maybe it won't build up that much pressure will it will create a keg bomb or something....lol I don't know...I am just a beginner at this stuff

Thoughts?

Kegs can handle much higher pressure than bottles. 60 psi easy. Just drink some everyday. You’ll see the serving pressure go way up and your cider hit champagne levels of carb long before you risk anything damage from high pressure. Worst case scenario bleed off some pressure using the pressure relief valve. Which would also prevent your keg from exploding

 

[Meadmom]

Some people will say thet EC1118 is a beast of a yeast that will strip all the flavour out of any cider.

I've come back to this cider 4 times now, and there's always a good segment of my friends and neighbors who like it. The upside is that it is simple, cheap, and pretty darn hard to mess up.

For a 5 gallon batch, purchase 19 litres / 5 gallons of storebrand/whatever is cheapest filtered, pasteurized apple juice with vit c added. Avoid the low acid juices.

Pour vigorously into your primary fermenter, and pitch one sachet of Lalvin EC-1118 yeast. Allow to ferment for 4 weeks or until clear. For priming use 55ml per 3.75litres/gallon of storebrand frozen Apple Juice Concentrate, thawed and added to the bottling bucket before racking your cider to the bottling bucket. I cheat and use the entire can for 5 gallon batches, I believe the can of concentrate is 283 ml.

Bottle, allow to condition for 3-4 weeks. Chill and Enjoy.

This is the simplest cider in my recipe book, and it always has fans. Approx 6% ABV but will vary by your juice. Don't worry about the OG, don't bother to boost it, just start with your apple juice and let it ride.

Trying this now... Only one gallon with 1/5 packet of Red Star Premier Blanc. Started slow, but bubbling along fine after about 30 hours... Will see

 

[Scientific hippie]

As I stated in another forum, I recently tasted the cider I made with this recipe using Montrachet yeast and it was wonderful! It just took some time to develop. I used a different, but similar, recipe to make sweet cider from Vermont juice with Wyeast Sweet Cider and Mead yeast. It came out delicious, too.

 

[Meadmom]

Trying this now... Only one gallon with 1/5 packet of Red Star Premier Blanc. Started slow, but bubbling along fine after about 30 hours... Will see

So... 1 month in and no longer fermenting and still in primary, but it has a strange milky look to it. Not at all attractive. Nothing indicating infection, but looks like i mixed apple cider with milk. Is this normal? Will it clear after racking to secondary?

 

[z-bob]

So... 1 month in and no longer fermenting and still in primary, but it has a strange milky look to it. Not at all attractive. Nothing indicating infection, but looks like i mixed apple cider with milk. Is this normal? Will it clear after racking to secondary?

I've not used Premier Blanc, but that's what my ciders often look like at 2 or 3 weeks -- especially if I used ale yeast plus yeast nutrients. Then they start to clear.

 

[Blacksmith1]

Nothing indicating infection, but looks like i mixed apple cider with milk. Is this normal? Will it clear after racking to secondary?

It's yeast in suspension. When you rack into secondary, some of the CO2 will escape and it will start falling to the bottom of your carboy. It is normal and will clear. Degasing sped up the process for me.

 

[Localhopper]

Hey, so it’s been over 4ish years since this recipe came out and seems like a total hit. Any tips/recommendations to someone who wants to brew this, or an updated version of this recipe if there has been any tweaking? If not then stoked to follow the op.

 

[Scientific hippie]

If it doesn't taste good, just wait. My stuff was supposedly ready on Thanksgiving, but didn't taste good till April.