Today I completed my first successful cider. This was not my first cider, but the first one that was drinkable.
About every four years I get the itch to try some home brewing. My first go round was in college and it ended up producing the worst bear I have ever tasted.
Second go round I accidentally brewed a room temperature lager that ended up tasting like garbage as well as Edwort's apfelwine that turned into some kind of vinegar.
This time I kept it real simple. I bought some local cider (5 Gallons) put it in a food grade bucket from home depot, pitched some nottingham yeast, added some nutrient, and let it sit for a week.
I then racked it to secondary for a week to let the yeast fall out, and tonight I bottled it.
It was drinkable. I was surprised. It tasted like apple cider with all the sugar removed. It wasn't dry, but it wasn't sweet. I don't know how to describe it - it is it's own thing.
To make it more palatable I back sweetened the batch with 1 cup of brown sugar and 6 cans of apple juice concentrate. I started with a 400ml sample and added a tsp at a time until I got it to the taste I like. I then extrapolated that out to the measurements that I would need for 4 1/2 gallons.
At this point I have had quite a bit, it tastes good to me. It isn't harsh at all. it has a good taste and goes down smooth.
I used potassium metabisulfite and campden tablets to stop the yeast and bottled to wine bottles and a few grolsch. I'm going to keep an eye on the bottles and make sure there is no carbing - I have a beer bottle that I corked so I can keep an eye on them more easily.
If this stuff improves any with time it is going to turn out something nice.
About every four years I get the itch to try some home brewing. My first go round was in college and it ended up producing the worst bear I have ever tasted.
Second go round I accidentally brewed a room temperature lager that ended up tasting like garbage as well as Edwort's apfelwine that turned into some kind of vinegar.
This time I kept it real simple. I bought some local cider (5 Gallons) put it in a food grade bucket from home depot, pitched some nottingham yeast, added some nutrient, and let it sit for a week.
I then racked it to secondary for a week to let the yeast fall out, and tonight I bottled it.
It was drinkable. I was surprised. It tasted like apple cider with all the sugar removed. It wasn't dry, but it wasn't sweet. I don't know how to describe it - it is it's own thing.
To make it more palatable I back sweetened the batch with 1 cup of brown sugar and 6 cans of apple juice concentrate. I started with a 400ml sample and added a tsp at a time until I got it to the taste I like. I then extrapolated that out to the measurements that I would need for 4 1/2 gallons.
At this point I have had quite a bit, it tastes good to me. It isn't harsh at all. it has a good taste and goes down smooth.
I used potassium metabisulfite and campden tablets to stop the yeast and bottled to wine bottles and a few grolsch. I'm going to keep an eye on the bottles and make sure there is no carbing - I have a beer bottle that I corked so I can keep an eye on them more easily.
If this stuff improves any with time it is going to turn out something nice.
