Greetings from Oklahoma

[teamacacia]

Allow myself to introduce.....myself

I'm a new guy to the forums from Oklahoma. My wife bought me a cider "brew kit" online for Christmas last year after my favorite commercial cider changed recipes and went from dry to terribly sweet. I have attempted three batches so far, all with poor results. That brought me to an Internet search and subsequently here. I'm hoping to glean more information so that I may be able to produce more consistent results.
If anyone has any pointers, here is what I have done so far:
Batch 1: Followed the directions to cleanse all parts, brought apple juice to room temp, pitched yeast, shake, added blow-off tube, and watched as the cider turned into a vigorous "boil" over the next few days while stuck in the dark guest bedroom closet. As the activity slowed over 3-4 days, I switched out blow off tube to the air-lock and let it do its thing for a few weeks. I then racked the cider to a stainless pot, added some honey that was diluted in warm water and then bottled (new flip-tops). Bottles went back in the dark closet for a few weeks and then to the fridge. Once time to drink: product was a bit tart for my liking and carbonation was poor. I made a dozen or so bottles and only had a couple that were very carbonated at all.
Batch 2: Prepped the gear, added room temp cider/juice, pitched yeast, shook it like a salt shaker, and virtually no response. I let it go for a week and then decided to trash it and go again from the beginning because there didn't appear to be much of any fermentation going on.
Batch 3: basically same as batch 2, except fermentation activity seemed decent for about the first 24 hrs and then the bubbling activity basically stopped.

Gear used: 1 gal brew kit from Brooklyn brew shop. Yeast was provided with the kit and was red star premier cuvée yeast all within expiration date.

I welcome any and all suggestions as to how to improve my product. From what I found on a quick reading, it seems like I should get some sulfite tablets, pectin enzyme, and maybe some nutrients for the yeast. Anything else?

-Doc Todd

 

[Brian77095]

Hello and welcome to the board!

You might try the Cider forum to get detailed answers to your questions.

Sounds like you are on the way. Your first batch sounds like it was your best so far. The others sound like you had yeast issues. For your first batch check out the cider section for back sweetening. It is very typical to get to the fermentation complete stage and then you have to work on the taste. Adding things you like, be it flavor, sweet, or what other stuff.

For batch 2 &3
Was the juice you used 100% natural with no preservatives? Check ingredients on the label if it was good to go then yes you might have been better off adding some nutrients or other stuff. I would not have trashed it I think I would have purchased more yeast and pitched again. Also if everything was the exact same as the first batch then I would say it was the yeast. Something happened to them some where either before you got them or in your process.

Don't give up! There are some great recipes here. Also take notes. Also see if there is a brew club in your area. We can give you great advice here but, it is hard to beat someone right there with you.

 

[Fedora]

Howdy from Arkansas.

Can't help with your cider issues but welcome aboard.

 

[Cyclman]

Welcome to the hobby, and the group, from CO

I use Tree Top juice, using Ed Wort's Apfelwein recipe: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=33986

My wife and I like it dry. If you want it sweet, add honey or even simple syrup right in the glass.

 

[teamacacia]

Hello and welcome to the board!

You might try the Cider forum to get detailed answers to your questions.

Sounds like you are on the way. Your first batch sounds like it was your best so far. The others sound like you had yeast issues. For your first batch check out the cider section for back sweetening. It is very typical to get to the fermentation complete stage and then you have to work on the taste. Adding things you like, be it flavor, sweet, or what other stuff.

For batch 2 &3
Was the juice you used 100% natural with no preservatives? Check ingredients on the label if it was good to go then yes you might have been better off adding some nutrients or other stuff. I would not have trashed it I think I would have purchased more yeast and pitched again. Also if everything was the exact same as the first batch then I would say it was the yeast. Something happened to them some where either before you got them or in your process.

Don't give up! There are some great recipes here. Also take notes. Also see if there is a brew club in your area. We can give you great advice here but, it is hard to beat someone right there with you.

Brian, I have used the same juice each time -- Big B's from the local organic store. I think the culprit may have been me using standard dish soap to clean everything prior to sanitizing. I recently picked up BPW wash and starsan sanitizer for the next batch. I'm trying to salvage the last batch right now. I racked it into a secondary carboy this past weekend and am going to let it rest for a couple more weeks before starting a new batch in my extra carboy. That'll give it a good 4 more weeks before bottling.

 

[teamacacia]

Welcome to the hobby, and the group, from CO

I use Tree Top juice, using Ed Wort's Apfelwein recipe: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=33986

My wife and I like it dry. If you want it sweet, add honey or even simple syrup right in the glass.

Thanks Cyclman, I'm more into a drier cider than too sweet for sure. Strongbow was my go-to before they changed the formula and made it sweet. Now, it's Crispin The Saint and Stella Cidré for the most part.