How do you like your cider?

[bracconiere]

I just the thread 'Anyone Brewing Brüt IPA?', again.....

i've been drinking dry, spiked cider (4lb's sucrose, into a 10gal batch) more recently....makes brew day easier.

So how do you like your fermented apple juice? Dry, or Sweet? or hell what about spicy?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Light to medium carbonation, off-dry, lots of apple, light to medium body, low tannins, some fruity Brettanomyces funk, moderate to high acidity, and a touch of oak. Some acetic acid is acceptable.
No sulfide, no VDK, no oxidation, no THP.

 

[MarkKF]

2.5 vols CO2, 1.004-1.007 f.g. & just apple flavor!

 

[bracconiere]

Light to medium carbonation, off-dry, lots of apple, light to medium body, low tannins, some fruity Brettanomyces funk, moderate to high acidity, and a touch of oak. Some acetic acid is acceptable.
No sulfide, no VDK, no oxidation, no THP.

didn't even think about oak...i just so happen to have some light toast oak chips. and i was just coming here to add the 10 gals of apple juice and yeast i dumped in a bucket to the (albeit small) tally for how many gallons of cider made.....Thanks, i'll throw some oak chips in the bucket too!

 

[CKuhns]

What RPH Guy said.

 

[Blacksmith1]

None of your answers apply. Semi-dry with cherry (so far) I havent tried spicy as SWMBO can't do hot other than very lightly.

 

[bracconiere]

None of your answers apply. Semi-dry with cherry (so far) I havent tried spicy as SWMBO can't do hot other than very lightly.

i was referring to cloves, allspice, cinnamon spicy...not Chile peppers....

edit: i'll have to dig tomorrow for your posts that say how you get cherry juice.....or now that i think of it canned cherries....?

 

[dmtaylor]

I find that a good cider has a slight cinnamon flavor on its own, no added cinnamon. But I would not call it "spicy" unless there is a lot of tannin like from crabapples. No added spices for me. Keep it simple. But I do add a small amount of xylitol to take the dry edge off a bit.

Cheers all.

 

[applescrap]

I have two recipes for "daddys juice" posted. One is cider backsweetwned with organic black cherry juice, the other is back sweetened with organic pomegranate juice. They are both killer. I have oaked and cinnamon etc, meh. Although, this newest batch I am drinking dry and carbed. Oak with a little orange zest? maybe sounds great. Dry seems great. Less calories. What you made is essentially edwort apfelwein. I know because I was reading that thread last night. It is 5g juice with 2 pounds sucrose. I have never and I mean never added sugar. Yet seems most do, so guess I am in the minority there. Dont understand the point other than to add abv. I think that's why everyone seems so up on aging. Less aging with no sugar for sure. Chemicals will need added with back sweet or it will just ferment again. It's fun stuff cant wait to see what you come up with. Some of these guys above encouraged me to try dry and it is good imo.

 

[Maylar]

2.5 vols CO2, 1.004-1.007 f.g. & just apple flavor!

Same here.

 

[Blacksmith1]

i'll have to dig tomorrow for your posts that say how you get cherry juice.

Mott's apple/cherry. No additional juice required.

 

[bracconiere]

Mott's apple/cherry. No additional juice required.

thanks! i'll try that for my next batch....

 

[Blacksmith1]

I did do a freeze concentrate for mine. From my notes:

1.5 gallons Mott's apple cherry.
One gallon freeze concentrated to 1/2 gallon.
Yeast starter US-05 in half must half water pinch of nute.
1/2tsp nute.
1/2tsp pectic enzyme.
Hand full of raisins hit with immersion blender in must.
Let sit 24 hrs then pitch.

4/15/19 nice and clear. A bit of dried krausen in neck.

Racked 5-16-19 SG ?

Bottled 6/15/19 added campden/sorbate 1 wildberry zinger, 1 red rose steeped in brew. Topped gallon with cran/blackberry. Light backsweeten with cane sugar. Half cap lemon juice

 

[bracconiere]

I did do a freeze concentrate for mine. From my notes:

1.5 gallons Mott's apple cherry.
One gallon freeze concentrated to 1/2 gallon.
Yeast starter US-05 in half must half water pinch of nute.
1/2tsp nute.
1/2tsp pectic enzyme.
Hand full of raisins hit with immersion blender in must.
Let sit 24 hrs then pitch.

4/15/19 nice and clear. A bit of dried krausen in neck.

Racked 5-16-19 SG ?

Bottled 6/15/19 added campden/sorbate 1 wildberry zinger, 1 red rose steeped in brew. Topped gallon with cran/blackberry. Light backsweeten with cane sugar. Half cap lemon juice

sounds cute....lol, i'm thinking more along the lines of 20 of these though... (64oz jugs)

https://www.motts.com/products/100-...3Er5vwgVb9QQ8KcuAbxoChjwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Blacksmith1]

That is what I did for the first one, and it was the best cider I've made so far. As soon as I can I'm scaling up to 5 or 6 gallons.

 

[madscientist451]

Off dry wasn't a choice so I chose dry.
I'm still in pursuit of the best blend of apples that suit my taste.

 

[bracconiere]

i just tried to edit it, to change spicy to spiced...couldn't....but i thought i'd try and clear it up.

 

[applescrap]

You could make tinctures and go nuts. I said I would but, havent gone to wild yet. Ginger and cinnamon could spice it up a little, but hard to drink all night. Red hots would be super good, I have to try that. My mom used to make cider on Halloween with cinnamon sticks and red hots iirc. Thinking out loud probably enough sugar in red hots so sorbate and sulfite?

 

[bracconiere]

My mom used to make cider on Halloween with cinnamon sticks and red hots iirc.

was that cider or cider? or for Halloween or thanksgiving?

 

[Miraculix]

Light to medium carbonation, off-dry, lots of apple, light to medium body, low tannins, some fruity Brettanomyces funk, moderate to high acidity, and a touch of oak. Some acetic acid is acceptable.
No sulfide, no VDK, no oxidation, no THP.

Uh, Sounds how i like it! Although I don't fancy Oak in cider too much but like myself some tannins in it.

The best cider I had so far for my taste was caple rd cider, followed by hennys dry cider.

Both are excellent and dry

 

[Quaker]

I like it dry with firm tannins and light carbonation. I think my cider tap is set to about 1.8 volumes CO2. Never liked my initial batches due to acidity of dessert fruit. Last year I finally got bitter-sweet fruit from my trees and I’m thrilled now. When someone prefers it a little sweeter, I simply dose with a little apple juice, honey, or simple syrup in the glass.

I like funky beers, but not funky, musty cider. I’ve been happiest with some wine yeasts, but not champagne yeast. No other fruits or adjuncts other than pears which can add sweetness if significant percentage.