Ice cider without the work

[Blacksmith1]

Ok I see the disconect. I thought you meant it cost you $2100 to make. You are saying it would cost you that to buy.

So what did it cost to make?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Yes, retail price of the finished product.

Roughly $80-90 for the ingredients including corks.
I chuckle when people say they don't save money by homebrewing. The lambic/wild beers I love are also super expensive and hard to find just like this.

Sorry for the confusion.

 

[GrogNerd]

Wait...what!?!
That seems a bit excessive.

someone on HBT a bit excessive? are ya new?

 

[bmd2k1]

Ok I see the disconect. I thought you meant it cost you $2100 to make. You are saying it would cost you that to buy.

So what did it cost to make?

Check out Eden's ice ciders....top shelf stuff [emoji57]

https://www.edenciders.com/store/eden-ice-ciders/

 

[bmd2k1]

Gotta small American Oak barrel for my bday -- gonna toss some of my D47 faux ice cider in it for 6months of aging. [emoji111]

 

[bmd2k1]

Small change of plans re aging - after doing some additional research - 80days in a 2L barrel is like 1year in the standard 53gal barrel - so 80days it is! My D47 14% faux ice cider got barreled on 3/31 -- see ya in mid-June for sampling [emoji111]

 

[bmd2k1]

OG is 1.128.

My 1 gal pilot batch was amazing so I'm sticking with the same yeast.
However I'm using a different pitch rate and rehydration/nutrient protocol for this 7 gal batch.
I lowered the OG so it won't be quite so sweet.
It's going to ferment at 50°F.

$2100 worth of ice cider!

Have you ever carbonated one of your ice ciders -- kinda like an Apple Asti Spumonte! So far mine have all been still - which I know is the traditional approach...but I'm putting this on my radar to try.

Cheers!

 

[RPh_Guy]

Have you ever carbonated one of your ice ciders -- kinda like an Apple Asti Spumonte! So far mine have all been still - which I know is the traditional approach...but I'm putting this on my radar to try.

Cheers!

No. I let it ferment 'til it's done and I don't have a way to force carb.

 

[bmd2k1]

My next faux ice cider project will be to create an asti/champagne version using D47 -- cold crash at 13% -- then bottle & leave at basement temps for 1month -- then return to refrigeration. Probably won't get to start it until June.

 

[bmd2k1]

Bottled my ice cider after aging in 2L barrel for 40days - which equates to 6months in standard 53gal barrel. In the fridge chilling for a taste test compared to the non-barreled....on mother's day [emoji111]

 

[bmd2k1]

Bottled my ice cider after aging in 2L barrel for 40days - which equates to 6months in standard 53gal barrel. In the fridge chilling for a taste test compared to the non-barreled....on mother's day [emoji111]

Wow...the 40days barrel aged ice cider is ALOT more like a tasty bourbon...Big complex transformation! Again used a 2L barrel. [emoji57]

[emoji111]

 

[RPh_Guy]

View attachment 619293
View attachment 619294

It's on!

6 months later... I bottled it a few days ago with 70ppm sulfite. I used 375mL bottles, natural corks, and silver sleeves with pull tab.
It's really good. The sweetness is right where I was aiming. It dropped from 1.128 to 1.038. Not quite so dessert-like.
Brilliantly clear.

 

[bmd2k1]

6 months later... I bottled it a few days ago with 70ppm sulfite. I used 375mL bottles, natural corks, and silver sleeves with pull tab.
It's really good. The sweetness is right where I was aiming. It dropped from 1.128 to 1.038. Not quite so dessert-like.
Brilliantly clear.

View attachment 644342

Looks great! Enjoy [emoji41]

Cheers [emoji111]

 

[ten80]

Does anyone have guidance for how much nutrient to use and when to add it?

I have fermaid k on hand, planning a one gallon batch with r-hst yeast.

You can use a TOSNA nutrient addition calculator, but take into account that apples do have some (low amounts) of nitrogen and other nutrients, whereas honey has essentially no nutrients. Based on that, I would reduce the recommended nutrient dose by 25-50%. EC1118 is a low-nitrogen requirement yeast but can stall in the presence of high gravity cider and/or insufficient pitch rates.
https://www.meadmaderight.com/tosna.html or https://www.meadmakr.com/batch-buildr/

 

[ten80]

Also curious what yeasts folks are using for their ice ciders - I currently have S04, S05 & WLP775 in the fridge...wondering if any of those would be good candidates or should I get something else? Thx & Cheers!

You run the risk of hydrogen sulfide aromas using beer yeasts for high gravity cider, unless you add nutrients. See my post above.

Personally, I would use a wine yeast because many of them are able to release aromatics from thiol precursor compounds in the apple juice, which most beer yeasts cannot do.

 

[bmd2k1]

You run the risk of hydrogen sulfide aromas using beer yeasts for high gravity cider, unless you add nutrients. See my post above.

Personally, I would use a wine yeast because many of them are able to release aromatics from thiol precursor compounds in the apple juice, which most beer yeasts cannot do.

Yep...that was an old post 4 moi way back when -- I use D47 for all my ice ciders these days [emoji111]

Cheers [emoji41]

 

[RPh_Guy]

You can use a TOSNA nutrient addition calculator

Me from a year and a half ago thanks you for the advice, but also didn't use any nutrient...

That was one of the most delicious wines I've ever had.

 

[ten80]

Me from a year and a half ago thanks you for the advice, but also didn't use any nutrient... .

I realize that I missed the post date, oops. I didn't say you had to use nutrient, but the TOSNA calculators are a good resource for those worried about stalled fermentations.

I have also used D47 for high-gravity cysers without nutrient and it works nicely without off-flavors. 71B is my go-to for high-gravity ice ciders (1.150+) as it is a strong fermenter and it reduces acidity a little bit.

Barrel-aging is an awesome idea for ice ciders. A little oxidation is beneficial to flavor development and some oak tannins (and booze!) help contrast with the sweetness.

 

[bmd2k1]

I realize that I missed the post date, oops. I didn't say you had to use nutrient, but the TOSNA calculators are a good resource for those worried about stalled fermentations.

I have also used D47 for high-gravity cysers without nutrient and it works nicely without off-flavors. 71B is my go-to for high-gravity ice ciders (1.150+) as it is a strong fermenter and it reduces acidity a little bit.

Barrel-aging is an awesome idea for ice ciders. A little oxidation is beneficial to flavor development and some oak tannins (and booze!) help contrast with the sweetness.

Barrel aged some of my spring batch of ice cider....tastes like a low alcohol bourbon....fantastic! [emoji111] Will be repeating again in late 2019 or early 2020.

Cheers! [emoji16]

 

[BrewCapsWhere?]

Excellent! Haven't used 4184 to this point -- how long of a ferment is it? how are the lees? do you cold crash? I've yet to start/finish at those high of gravity points Best of Luck in your upcoming contest -- keep us posted --- Cheers!

Where do I buy Pat Mack's Homebrewing caps or similiar?