Fantastic Hard Cider Recipe with Instructions (and fall spice / cherry variations)

[jak1010]

Definitely going to use this thread for future cider batches.

 

[krk]

First attempt at hard cider. Followed recipe exactly. Used Bergman Orchards Cider(Port Clinton OH) which UV pasteurizes and has been making excellent cider for years. No chemicals. Made 10 gals. Bottled almost 4 cases of 12 oz bottles. Bottle pasteurized at 3 days without incident. It was not fully carbonated. I was scared of pasteurizing horror stories. Wife and I tried first sample last night. We waited 2-1/2 weeks after pasteurizing. Smooth, smooth, smooth! Tasted great, slightly sweet, no alcohol overtones, although it finished at over 7% ABV. Couldn't stop reaching for the glass We finished 2 bottles each. Nice kick to it. What a pleasant evening. I don't think I made enough to last the winter. Would be nice with non-hard cider ice cubes or a Honey Crisp or Gala apple slice on rim of glass.

Hats off to danbrewtan, thank you for sharing!

 

[danbrewtan]

Glad you enjoyed it! Did you use the Motrachet yeast?

 

[krk]

Yes, I used Red Star Motrachet yeast, sprinkled on top and stirred in with nutrients.

I used 5 tsp of LD Carlson yeast nutrient. Label said use 1 tsp per gallon. I made 2 batches 1 week apart. When I put the first batch in the secondary, I started the next batch.

It looks just like your first picture in your original post. Straw colored and lightly clouded.

I did not use any of the optional steps except racking to secondary for 2nd week.

Fermented in basement which is a constant 66 degrees F.

 

[designguy78]

I just tried this recipe last night. It's currently bubbling away nicely. I hope it turns out as well as yours OP, and thanks for the awesome recipe, incredibly clear and full of all the answers before I could ask them!

 

[BeastMaster]

Kegging this later today with cinnamon and nutmeg. Swmbo is excited. Any comparison to commercial ciders?

 

[danbrewtan]

I'll have to ask the SWMBO because she's the cider expert, but I'd say the non-cherry one was a lot like Crispen dry cider. Not too dry or harsh. Nice and smooth. I'm much better at describing beers LOL

 

[Nazgul07]

I brewed this a few weeks back... turned out perfectly for a first attempt! Tart with a clean taste and a hint of sweetness.

 

[MindenMan]

I use ESB 1968. It clears nicely, and attenuates 70-72% , and leaves a small amount of sweetness. I have started making cider to specifically make Apple Jack from it. I always add a little sugar at the beginning of fermentation, or I add AJC for both sweetness and flavor. It took me 3 or 4 batches to get good cider. I had to keep it cool just like beer, otherwise I had the smell of nail polish remover. Oh, well it only happened once.

 

[AustinFromTexas]

Just attempted a 2.5 gal batch of this recipe last night to appease the gf. The LHBS didn't have the Montrechet yeast (or any of the cider yeasts mentioned) so I went with the Red Star Premier Curvee at the employee's suggestion. He said it would turn out a bit drier than the Montrechet which I am OK with. The store bought cider I used was already spiced and had an OG of 1.040, which seems a bit low but meh. As long as my gf likes it I'll be happy

Since I'm planning on doing the fall spice version of this will the original spices in the cider suffice or should I still add the cinnamon and nutmeg later? Also I'm planning on kegging this and would Iike to avoid using the Camden tabs if possible. I'm thinking of transferring to my keg, adding the additional cider to back sweeten, cold crashing after 3 days and then adjusting the co2 to preference if needed. What do you guys think?

 

[BeastMaster]

Did a batch of this and tasted today finally. I was afraid it wouldnt be good because I didnt add yeast nutrients and during fermentation it smelled pretty nasty, luckily no off flavors. I made my 5 gallon batch and mixed with two cinnamon sticks and 1t of nutmeg boiled in 1 cup of water. To me it tasted a little dry with just enough nutmeg/cinnamon flavor. The real taste test was done by SWMBO, as this was for her. She said it was on the sweeter end of cider spectrum, which is what she prefers. I used lalvin EC-1118 Wine yeast. Definitely making this again. Next round will be a split batch with one half getting black cherry back sweetened and the other getting an apple cider/brown sugar/water mixture. Thanks OP, this recipe is just what I needed as an excuse to buy a few more kegs!

 

[JSahrle]

Making this recipe. 7 days in. Used yeast nutrient, pectin, and fresh apple cider. Its very yellow. It looks more like orange juice than anything else. Still bubbling away.

Will the color mellow within the next 7 days?

 

[jak1010]

Yup, very typical for it to turn the color of OJ. Once the vigorous fermentation is done, it'll settle and clear.



Here's mine on the 5th day of fermentation.

 

[krk]

First attempt at hard cider. Followed recipe exactly. Used Bergman Orchards Cider(Port Clinton OH) which UV pasteurizes and has been making excellent cider for years. No chemicals. Made 10 gals. Bottled almost 4 cases of 12 oz bottles. Bottle pasteurized at 3 days without incident. It was not fully carbonated. I was scared of pasteurizing horror stories. Wife and I tried first sample last night. We waited 2-1/2 weeks after pasteurizing. Smooth, smooth, smooth! Tasted great, slightly sweet, no alcohol overtones, although it finished at over 7% ABV. Couldn't stop reaching for the glass We finished 2 bottles each. Nice kick to it. What a pleasant evening. I don't think I made enough to last the winter. Would be nice with non-hard cider ice cubes or a Honey Crisp or Gala apple slice on rim of glass.

Hats off to danbrewtan, thank you for sharing!

My daughter tried this last weekend and loved it! She wants me to make 6 cases, about 15 gallons, for her fall themed wedding in sept 2014. I'd be happy too. But if I make it next year when Bergmans Orchards starts pressing, the hard cider won' be done in time. If I make it now, Nov 2013, will it keep in bottles that long? I'd hate to use anything but Bergmans because their cider is so good.

 

[Filch]

How different would this be if I were to use Apple Juice versus Apple Cider?

 

[rel322]

How different would this be if I were to use Apple Juice versus Apple Cider?

To go off this, are these terms being used interchangeably?

 

[WhackedBear]

Great thread. Doing a Cider Batch tonight based off your stuff. Going for a Mulled recipe.

 

[Filch]

To go off this, are these terms being used interchangeably?

I can't find apple cider around me. Cider to me means raw, unfiltered apple juice (solids in juice)

So I guess my question may be better phrased at how different might I expect this recipe to turn out if I'm using filtered (no solids), apple juice, if there's any difference at all.

Please don't harm the noob.

 

[WhackedBear]

Well technically only here in the US where there is a difference between apple juice and cider. Pretty much everywhere else if it is cider it is "Hard Cider". You can use juice. Do you have a Whole Foods? Their 365 brand of juice will work great it even comes in a glass jar(can pitch the yeast and let it go). You are looking for pure juice (100%), nothing with preservatives (polysorbate or sulfides). Just look around your grocery store and look for 100% juice or frozen concentrate.

To put simply all you need to find is something that has apple juice or cider as the first ingredient and no preservatives afterwords and you should be fine.

 

[TrustyOlJohnson]

My daughter tried this last weekend and loved it! She wants me to make 6 cases, about 15 gallons, for her fall themed wedding in sept 2014. I'd be happy too. But if I make it next year when Bergmans Orchards starts pressing, the hard cider won' be done in time. If I make it now, Nov 2013, will it keep in bottles that long? I'd hate to use anything but Bergmans because their cider is so good.

Ive been making batches of the Caramel Apple Hard Cider from another thread. Batches 1,2 and 4 were made with Walmart Great Value apple juice. Batch 3 was made with Whole Foods 365 Organic cider (because I wanted the 5 one gallon glass jugs). With all sincerety, I found absolutely NO change in flavor at the end of the fermentation prior to backsweetening. All ended with a FG right at 1.000. I use Nottingham yeast. So it does seem to me that the choice of cider or juice going intofermentation has little affect on flavor, but all the flavor comes from the backsweetening.

 

[danbrewtan]

Apple juice and a fancy cider will both work and make a great hard cider. I always try to find a good quality cider to use because I think it does make a difference. Just depends how picky you are

 

[harry_the_face]

Cider is more cloudy and will finish more cloudy. No difference other than that.

 

[JSahrle]

Kegged this tonight. Tasted it before the addition of the gallon of cider. It was very mild in apple flavor. After adding the gallon of cider it was delicious. I could have drank all 5 gallons right then!

 

[Filch]

How soon and active did the fermentation start for some of you. I just pitched the Montrachet and yeast last night and I checked it this morning. There's just a hint of some foam at the surface right now.

I'm storing it in my keezer at about 64F. Is it possible that my yeast is too old? I've had it for a few years, but it's been refrigerated during that time.

 

[LandoAllen]

You should have thrown that yeast away a long time ago. Only time will tell if the yeast is still alive...

 

[HopSong]

Tried to find this out in a different location..

I'm about 4 weeks into my first batch of 2+ gallons. Used half filtered and half unfiltered AJ/C. Didn't know about measuring pH with cider and didn't add nutrients. Later found this yeast (M2) loves nutrients. On racking a week ago, the SG was 10.. down from 60. It's very cloudy.. same as when I pitched.

Also didn't know about Pectic Enzyme. So.. aside from that first paragraph.. Is it too late to pitch PE? I'd like mine to clarify.. at least somewhat. What about fining with gelatin? That works with beer.. but, I'd bet that what clouds the cider is different what clouds beer??

 

[Filch]

Thanks, Lando.

I was afraid of that. I'll stop by the local brew shop and pick up some more today.

 

[danbrewtan]

I haven't experimented with the enzyme or gelatin so I'm not sure if they'll work for cider. I'm fine with my cider being cloudy. Wish I could help!

 

[Boins]

Tag

 

[WhackedBear]

I pitched some PE when I did my first batch about 3 weeks go. I added it to primary. It is the secondary now almost ready for bottling. Mine is still pretty cloudy. I don't know if I should of added more when I went to secondary but giving this my first batch I am not sure if it helped at all.

I don't think it will hurt if you add it in but I am not sure how much good it will do since you will not be able to mix it thoroughly.

I added the PE to the primary then I poured my cider pretty rough and fast so that I could get some aeration. I forgot to get the yeast nutrient so I figured I better give the yeast some air!