First time brewing...EVER

[Baycider]

Hello


This is my first ever time brewing anything. So I'm wondering how to get started.

I've been doing a lot of research about different types of ciders and ingredients.
Usually when I buy my cider at the store I buy Turning Point (its a Canadian brand) its a nice sweet and crisp cider.

I am just wondering how I go about replicating the flavour, what ingredients do I use etc.

Any information would be greatly appreciated! TIA

 

[jddevinn]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=508303

 

[Sourz4life]

Well first, if your looking to replicate something you'll want to find out what they use. So probe around their website or even email them and ask what blend of apples they use. You can also check if anyone else has cloned it before. That'll be the most important part if your looking to mimic them as much as possible. Next if possible try to see what yeast they use as that is another crucial part. To be honest though, before your start clone recipes you should get your feet wet so you understand the process and what to expect. Cider is a bit easier to start off with them beer, so you'll just need some cider, which can either be pressed by you or someone else. Next you'll want either a refractometer or a hydrometer which will tell you the gravity of the cider before fermenting. Gravity is just the amount of sugar content if you aren't familiar with it yet. Then you can assume you'll ferment down to 1.000 gravity reading which is the same gravity as water which means all the sugar as been eaten(it will most likely go lower with a wine yeast but just a base to start off with). That'll make for a dry crisper cider, but it depends on the apples for the real taste. You can also do things like add sulfites to the mix after its done fermenting so you can back sweeten with whatever you choose. If your looking to make a sweeter side you'll have to do something like this or the yeast will continue to eat the sugar you add to it, or invest in some other equipment to do the process without using sulfites. Cider can be as simple as taking the cider itself, putting in a carboy or fermenting bottle/buck and pitching yeast right into it. It can also be much more complicated. So start off slow and work your way up to more complex things all while doing research, which this site is great for.

 

[MindenMan]

Welcome to the addiction, we are always willing to help.

 

[Baycider]

Anybody have a small batch recipe that they are willing to share??

 

[MindenMan]

It is not likely you can make an exact clone of the commercial cider you like due to most cideries won't release their recipe specifics, but you might make something very close. I guess the real question is it still, lightly carbonated,very carbonated, or sweet or dry
Not realizing I repeated what somebody wrote earlier I would just start out with a 1 gallon jug of a good organic juice find a yeast that isn't for champagne and follow the practices of the other one gallon brewers. That way you should be out less than $10 and if you love it great, if you don't well hey you're only out ten bucks and you learn what not to do next time.

 

[wlwesq]

You might hunt around via Google for one-gallon or small batch cider kits. That might make for a nice, simple introduction to help you get your feet wet.