How do I improve my cider?

[ten80]

Rhone 4600 and QA23 sound really interesting! I'm going to have to track them down and compare to my favorites in a split-batch test with either D47 or 71B.

 

[jiMithing83]

How long do you leave in the cinnamon?

The entire fermentation, usually about 6 weeks.

Sorry for the delayed response, notifications don't seem to be working for me.

 

[jiMithing83]

Double post

 

[CKuhns]

Looks like uou have a pretty darned good recipe - Do have a couple suggestions you could try.

For a 5 Gallon Batch and easily scaleable to 1 gallon
- I use S-04 Yeast and it almost always ends up just off dry at 1.004 to 1.008.
- Steep 10 black tea bags in 1/2 Gallon apple juice for 15 minutes. (Add to AJ in Primary) Brings Tannens that help round out the flavor.
- Add FAJC to raise Gravity to 1.060 - 1.065 - Brings sugar and additional apple flavor
- Place in your brew area Target 62 – 64 Deg F.
Secondary
- Add 1/2 to 1 oz Med toast Oak Cubes, 2-3 cinnamon sticks, 1-2 Clove and 1-2 split vanilla beans is not over powering in 5 gallons if allowed to age a bit.
OR
- Add 3-4 pounds fruit & ½ - 1 oz med toast Oak Cubes to a sanitized paint strainer bag and place in BMB - In my opinion a light fruit flavor does some amazing things to Cider. Blackberries and Blueberries are my favorites.
AND
- 7 - 8 Days after adding the spices or fruit remove them and rack off lees.
- Add ½ tsp Acid Blend. (Optional, i like the "bite" but depends on your apples)
- Allow lees to settle out and Rack as needed then age.

 

[MarkKF]

What I've been doing for a couple of years now is freeze 1/2 gal. of the fresh pressed juice when I start a batch. After my cider is done & clear I stabilize it and add the frozen concentrate back it. I put the container upside down over a clean corny or bucket and the concentrated juice will drip in and leave the water ice behind. It adds favor, sweetness and complexity. I bottle either still or force carb.

 

[Drewed]

What pretty much everybody missed here is that every one of us is using a different technique with different source apples / cider. What works great for fermenter 'A' might not work with fermenter 'B's' cider. Or there is a temp difference, or nutrient difference, or you like a different flavor profile, or, or....

What I suggest is try a different thing, but only one at a time. Make 3 or 4 one gallon batches and use a different yeast in each. But only yeast, don't go adding nutrients to one and not the other. See which you like best. They try a different adjustment, say colder ferment temp. Eventually you will zero in on what works best for you and what you like to drink the best. Then throw it all away next year as the cider will be different! lol!