First Batch of Cider in Mr. Beer

[DGibb]

I just put my little Mr. Beer to good use yesterday evening. I went to Parmenter's Cider Mill in Northville Sunday, and I picked up 2 gallons of the cider. Since it's early in the season, it's still rather tart, made from Dutch Red and Gala apples. This cider is UV pasteurized, but has no chemicals added, including Potassium Sorbate. I also grabbed 2 pounds of raw honey from Metamora, MI.

This, along with some Nottingham Ale yeast, will make my first batch of hard cider!

I brought the cider to room temperature, warmed the honey to make it easier to both mix in to the cider and flow from the jar more easily, and pitched the yeast in 100mL of 80 degree cider to bloom. Once mixed, its Original Gravity reading was 1.074 at 78 degrees. This cider has the potential to reach 10% ABV.

I put it in the basement to ferment for a couple weeks at 72 degrees. I will then rack it in to a 3 gallon carboy to clear and age for another couple weeks before bottling. I am going to prime with honey and then heat pasteurize after a week so I don't make bottle grenades.

This should be ready to drink a few months from bottling. I am planning on cracking them open on my birthday. I think 6 months should be long enough to wait!

Here is my original recipe and the fermentation plan:

2 gallons fresh apple cider - Dutch Red & Gala (UV Pasteurized)
2 pounds raw Michigan honey
1 sachet Nottingham Ale Yeast (Lallemand)

Primary Fermentation: Mr. Beer for 2 weeks @72 degrees F
Secondary Fermentation: 3 gallon glass carboy for 3 weeks @ 72 degrees F
Bottle: bottle in 12oz bottles, backsweetened/carbonated with 1 pound honey
Heat Pasteurize: within 1 week of bottling to arrest carbonation (according to sticky)
Bottle Condition: three to five months (plan on cracking them for my birthday in March)

How does this sound? I haven't thought much of carbonating the bottles, and just assumed 1lb honey. Please help me reach a balance!

 

[Dan]

Sounds tasty! How does the heat pasteurization process work?

 

[DGibb]

It's in the Stickies at the top of the Cider forum. Essentially, heat water to 190 (or was it 150?), submerge bottles off heat, lid, wait 15 minutes, remove, and repeat with other bottles.

 

[Dan]

I didn't think to look there. Thanks. I'll check it out

 

[frydogbrews]

try to get those ferm temps down a little bit, at least for the primary fermentation. use the darkest honey you can find if you actually want honey flavor.
i know everyone is crazy for nottingham yeast, but i still think k1-v1116 works much better, especially for a cyser like you are making. its drinkable and clear much sooner than using nottingham, in my opinion and experience.
good luck!

 

[DGibb]

Thanks for the input. I don't really have a way to decrease temps, unfortunately. I should have looked in to other yeasts, but I am on a fairly tight budget, so I went with what I knew would work for cheap (since it is only 2.25gal total).

I am not in a rush to drink this; I assumed it would take time to mellow. My next batch will be even better now!

 

[frydogbrews]

just get a plastic rubbermaid tub, fill it with cold water and mix in a 1.25$ sack of ice every day. the first 7 days are the most critical. doesn't get much cheaper than that.

 

[DGibb]

I am looking to rack my cider from my Mr. Beer into a small carboy. Since I don't have any carboy, what size should I get? I am expecting to get about 2 gallons post-rack.

Thanks!

 

[TimsfamousCider]

I would get a 2 gal carboy or 2- 1 gal carboys. Alternatively you could put it in something clean that you have temporarily and then put it back in your primary.

 

[frydogbrews]

I am looking to rack my cider from my Mr. Beer into a small carboy. Since I don't have any carboy, what size should I get? I am expecting to get about 2 gallons post-rack.

Thanks!

i don't know anything about the mr beer equipment, but you want very minimal headspace if you are going to secondary it for longer than a few weeks.
i would use a 2 gallon carboy and then top up with water or another cider or something, just get the water level up to the skinny part of the neck.