Get ready for the rebirth of cider in America.

[CvilleKevin]

GF - yep, I've heard of using using Honeycrisp for cider. Its supposed to be pretty good. Around here they are an early season apple. I tried to get some at the beginning of the season but no one had any #2's and the regular bushel price was too steep

 

[warispeace]

I read that article when it first came out. It's what inspired me to start brewing cider.

 

[mtlcafan79]

Speaking of readily available commercial cider, is Harpoon's any good? I see it all the time, but never pull the trigger.

I was at their brewery in October. From the little bit of brain picking I did I got out of them that they use an ale yeast for their cider. It's similar to Original Sin, maybe a little sweeter. Not bad, but nothing amazing.

 

[LightningInABottle]

I just had a bottle of this the Solstice Cider made by http://organicscrumpy.com/index.html
and it was like having a slice of apple pie! A little too sweet for my tastes, but good enough that have to go back and try the regular farmhouse scrumpy. I read a review and it said it was not sweet and not over dry. It sounds like it is just what I like!

If I ever won the lottery I would buy or start an orchard and would make cider/mead full time =) We all must have our dreams!

Now back to making my apple/pear graff

 

[LightningInABottle]

Kevin: Have you, or have you heard of anyone making cider from Honeycrisp apples? I'm curious as to the results. Regards, GF.

I made some graff and a cyser from some cider that had honeycrisp in the blend. It came out a bit more tart than (more bite) than the later season graffs I did. They also had less sugar so the ABV was lower. I plan on making a straight cider with them next year. I also made a cyser using them. That is currently stuck. I have to get a gallon starter going to unstick it.

 

[SFBEER]

Now if western Canada could do the same... what gets called cider in BC isn't cider at all, usually.

If you're talking about that Grower's suger water than yup not even close to cider. Makes me feel ill ever time I drink it. TOO much sugar.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

I made some graff and a cyser from some cider that had honeycrisp in the blend. It came out a bit more tart than (more bite) than the later season graffs I did. They also had less sugar so the ABV was lower. I plan on making a straight cider with them next year. I also made a cyser using them. That is currently stuck. I have to get a gallon starter going to unstick it.

Interesting. I had some concerns that Honeycrisp juice might ferment out too tart, as 1 of it's parents is MacIntosh. I have GOT to find some real cider apple juice.

 

[CvilleKevin]

GF - here's a listing of some Montana orchards. Dont know if any are near you
http://www.allaboutapples.com/orchard/mt.htm

 

[CandleWineProject]

Old Time Cider (Dave) posted on Facebook/twittered today about another article. See his comments first at http://www.easportsactive.com/product.action, which has a link to the article.

 

[LightningInABottle]

Post the link to the article not the EA boards or what ever. My firewall won't let me through to game boards.

 

[CandleWineProject]

Darn - it was facebook. I was wanting to give Old Time Cider (Dave) credit...

He posted, "They misspell Aspall (Aspinall) but some great words about craft cider and it's potential in resaurants from the National Restaurant News: http://www.nrn.com/Article.aspx?id=378410"

Let me know if that link doesn't work for you still.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

GF - here's a listing of some Montana orchards. Dont know if any are near you
http://www.allaboutapples.com/orchard/mt.htm

Thanks for the link Kevin, I'll have to give a couple of those orchards a call & see if they have any true cider apples. I talked with a couple of orchards down in Hamilton about true cider apples, even mentioned a few varieties & they had no clue as to what I was talking about. Unless I get lucky, I think I'm going to have to source cider apple juices from WA orchards. Regards, GF.

 

[CvilleKevin]

GF - dont limit yourself to just the traditional cider apples. There are at least 4 fairly common varieties that I know of that make a good base cider by themselves and are really good when mixed with one or two other flavor apples: Stayman, Pink Lady, Cameo and Northern Spy. Can you get any of these?

Macs are great to add to any of these for flavor as are Rome, York, Fuji, Winesap, Johnathan, Cortland, Empire, Granny smith, etc. If you dont have one of these first four apple types, then you can still get a good mix, but it will take more types of apples to build up the flavor. My guess is Honeycrisp would be good in a mix, but probably not by itself.

When you call the orchard, ask them what blend they recommend for making hard cider. In my experience, most presses have someone who works there or who knows someone who makes hard cider. If they dont, you probably dont want to deal with them. If they do, maybe you can get in on the next hard cider pressing.

LIAB - My first batch of the season was on Sept 14. Cortland, McIntosh, Gala and Jonathan. It had a lot of citric acid and not much sugar. It sounds similar to the juice you got, It fermented out well and has a lot of flavor. Just dont let it get to dry or you will be waiting a while for the acid to mellow. It needs the apple sugar for balance. 1.004 is probably the lowest I would go intentionally on an early season cider

 

[CandleWineProject]

Another story: http://palatepress.com/2010/01/cider-another-round/

 

[LightningInABottle]

Just found a link from here http://www.michiganhardcider.org/hardciderforum/index.php
to
http://www.vandermill.com/
It looks like they will be opening in Feb due to strong demand! ROAD TRIP:rockin:
The blueberry cider looks awsome!!!