I guess we'll wait n see

[gunnuts]

I just started my first batch of apple cider.

5 gals of on sale juice and bag plain ol sugar and one pack of rehydrated nottinghame ale yeast...

Into to temp control running about 62-64.

I didn't fuss w/ anything... just cleaned, sanitised everything and poured it in the bucket.

In a month, I'll move it over to my secondary for another month...

hoping it turns out... it will make nice Christmas gifts

 

[gunnuts]

So it is percolating right along.

I noticed alot of sugar settled to the bottom.
It has me wondering if the yeast can convert it down there or not. If it doesn't I'll just rack it off of there in about 3 weeks anyway.

I considered warming the sugar to make sure it dissolved but decided not to worry about it. Even with the sugar that didn't dissolve I have a 1.069 OG.

I decided to try cider because I dont need a chiller to make it and I had to try my new fermentation chamber...

 

[thelema5]

Whenever I'm making a cider recipe which uses granulated sugar I dissolve it in twice its volume of apple juice juice, which I gently heat over a low flame before adding it to the carboy- this ensures that the sugar is dispersed evenly in the must.

In my experience 5 pounds of white sugar in a 5 gallon batch will thin out the cider and dilute the apple flavor when fermented at a relatively warm 68 degrees, somewhat like a dry white wine. I'm curious to see how it does with proper temperature control. Good luck with your cider, and let us know how it comes out!

 

[gunnuts]

I'm excited to see how it turns out myself. Dry and a little strong is what I am going for.
When I was a youngster my grandfather made a lot of cider and it was a family hit. This is being made to be ready at about Christmas time.
I hope to get a little more apple character back with a little age.


Last night I bumped the temp up two degrees and the wonderful smell of cider finally got into the air.

 

[gunnuts]

I know allot of people complain about the smell of cider fermenting.

I understand there is a sulfer smell people don't like.
After a week and a half mine has a distinct smell of green apples. If I close my eyes this smells like the crab apples we used to have.

Granted, the first smell was pile of old apples. You know the smell if you've ever dug through apples looking for the soft one.
Then as the fermentation sped up that changed into a fresher smell.


The sugar at the bottom of the bucket is being used up. You can see the change in it. I'm also getting some thin foamy layer on top.

 

[gunnuts]

I am just a couple days short of 3 weeks fermenting in the primary.
Still bubblin nice n steady. I have not opened the lid to check the SG as of yet.
I have the temps up to 64-66 on the nottingham ale yeast.

Still smells fantastic... cant wait to try making beer.


I plan to give this another week or so then rack it onto a secondary.
I'll probably leave it in the secondary another month or so.

 

[gunnuts]

So I put my cider in secondary yesterday.
I now know I do not have to mix in sugar for yeast to work it over.
There was not a speck of sugar in the bottom of this bucket.

 

[gunnuts]

My current SG is 1.010 after a month.

I plan to let it sit another month, then bottle. I don't think I can ferment much if any more. There is a distinct wine smell that is tempting the hell out of me.


It's a little like when I'm smoking a pork shoulder .... it smells so good but I have to wait.

The pic in secondary came out fuzzy. It's already nice and clear.

 

[MindenMan]

With all that sugar it probably is done fermenting... It will not be a dry wine and with all that alcohol you will appreciate the sweetness that is left and it may even taste like apples in a year or so. At 11% ABV or more, it might be drinkable by this Christmas, but it will likely be nice by next Christmas.

 

[gunnuts]

I smelled apples right up till I moved it.
The fermenting smell was apples.
Like super ripe apples.

Then I poked my head into the fermenter bucket... Smelled like white wine.

Should be interesting. The nice thing about it taking a year or more is I'll have to make beer to drink while I wait.
I'm thinking about making the exact same thing w/ no extra sugar to age them back to back.

11% ?
I'm going to have to do that math again

 

[gunnuts]

I re did my math and I came to just under 8%.

I suppose it could be a little higher because all the sugar wasn't in solution.

My target audience will like it a touch on the sweet side. I'll like it if it is strong.

 

[Furore]

I do 5 gallons of on sale apple juice, 2 lbs of light brown sugar (which i find gives better flavor), some yeast nutrient, and champagne yeast. One month primary, then off the yeast cake and one month or two in secondary and its ready to rock and into the keg it goes. Comes out 8-8.5% nice and dry with the slightest champagne taste in the background. It isn't too sweet but the apple taste is definitely there though. You could also consider trying a purpose-built cider yeast strain.

As easy and cheap as this kind of cider is, its hard to go wrong with experimenting.

 

[gunnuts]

I am interested in trying it with brown sugar as well but a plain batch is in order.

 

[gunnuts]

I had my obligatory wtf is that moment last night.

I spotted a small raft of white stuff on top of my cider. And like every nub I thought... I did something to it.

Today I looked again and sure enough there was white stuff. I got some light going and kinda swirled the carboy to get a better look... it was bubbles.

Time to go back to sleep till I have to clean my bottles.

 

[gunnuts]

I got myself 35 22oz. bottles washed up. I know it's more than I need but all these bottles need to be cleaned some time.


I want to bottle this on Memorial Day Weekend.

Holy cow this stuff smells so good.

 

[gunnuts]

When I put my cider in the secondary it looked really clear.
It was a real surprise to see how much more it cleared up.

This stuff smells like apples but tastes like wine.
I got it all into 29 22 oz bomber bottles. I suspect these are going to carb up a little on their own as it was bubbly when I was bottling it.

 

[bucketnative]

I suspect these are going to carb up a little on their own as it was bubbly when I was bottling it.

Did you add priming sugar? If not, I wouldn't suspect that they would be any more carbonated than the cider was going into bottles. There needs to be a sugar source for the yeast to produce CO2, assuming that fermentation of the sugars present in the original juice was complete prior to bottling.

 

[gunnuts]

I did a few hydrometer tests and I was bottomed out at 1.01 for a few weeks.

I did not add priming sugar... I doubted my yeasts ability to take this any further. I might try to carbonate in another batch but I want to see what this one will do as is. I had bubbles when I moved the cider if it was the end of the bubbles, so be it.
I started making hand made labels so in a year I will know what it is.

I gave away the first two bottles this morning... they aught to give mom a nice buzz

 

[Greghark]

With 5 pounds of sugar I'm guessing you're well over 8%. Like was posted above I'm normally around 8-8.5% if I add 2 pounds.

With that said I do make some stronger batches as well but I don't add priming sugar to those as I prefer the strong batches to be still. I save the carbonation for the regular strength batches. You'll still get a slight pop on opening and a quick cloud of CO2 in the bottle top but it will pour as a still cider.

 

[gunnuts]

I decided to give this Cider a test spin this last week.

It will really warm your belly. It has a fizzy mouth feel but no real bubbles.
It is real nice on ice... I added a little apple juice for my wife and she still thought it was strong.

 

[gunnuts]

Holy Cow!, This cider is REALLY nice!

I still have 7 bottles that I'm hangin on to for another year or so.
The current feedback is:

Wow, you made this... do you have any more?