im new to cider

[Dinglelord]

Good morning people. Im new to cider making but I'm very interested in starting. ive read the beginners to cider post but im still wondering how to make cider like Wyndridge Cider? Its super clear, almost like champagne. id like to make more then just apple but id like it that super clear type if possible. guidance is wicked appreciated

 

[bucketnative]

Super clear cider can be achieved in a couple of different ways... commercially, it is filtered. On the home-scale, I have good luck with time and multiple rackings. Use pectinase if you are starting with cider/unfiltered must. Then allow enough time after primary fermentation is complete for most of the yeast to settle out. Rack to a secondary vessel for further clarification and aging. With enough time, the cider will be crystal clear.

 

[Chalkyt]

Yep, as above. However unless you are force carbonating, if you are looking to make a slightly carbonated cider (bottle carbonated) you will get a small amount of sediment from the expired yeast that produced the CO2. I find that my ciders are usually quite clear after a month or so in secondary (or time in the bottle) and the first pour is perfect. Unless you are very careful and leave a some in the bottom of the bottle, the second pour can pick up a bit of sediment and so be slightly cloudy, but still tastes the same.

You will get a nice Perlant or Petillant carbonation from adding priming sugar once fermentation is complete or bottling just before this. I find that about 0.002 - 0.004 SG drop in the bottle is just about right.

 

[bucketnative]

Unless you are very careful and leave a some in the bottom of the bottle, the second pour can pick up a bit of sediment and so be slightly cloudy, but still tastes the same.

That's why I always give guests the first glass out of a bomber, and I take the second.

 

[teddyearp]

<--- As you can see that's all I like to make is a clear somewhat sparkling cider. For me, I usually bottle carbonate after about two weeks in primary, by that time it is clear to almost clear. After bottle conditioning for a week or so, and then cold crash it is definitely clear. About 4 weeks or so total.

But it is all about the first pour. I use flip tops and then pour into that glass carefully watching the bottom of the bottle. It's an art. Once I see the sediment starting to head towards the top of the bottle and the glass, I stop leaving maybe 1/4" in the bottle to rinse out.

Good luck!

 

[Dinglelord]

<--- As you can see that's all I like to make is a clear somewhat sparkling cider. For me, I usually bottle carbonate after about two weeks in primary, by that time it is clear to almost clear. After bottle conditioning for a week or so, and then cold crash it is definitely clear. About 4 weeks or so total.

But it is all about the first pour. I use flip tops and then pour into that glass carefully watching the bottom of the bottle. It's an art. Once I see the sediment starting to head towards the top of the bottle and the glass, I stop leaving maybe 1/4" in the bottle to rinse out.

Good luck!

i will be messaging you soon. i want to know all the secrets!

 

[teddyearp]

i will be messaging you soon. i want to know all the secrets!

I pretty much spelled it out, but feel free to ask anything you like.

 

[GeneDaniels1963]

Clear is wonderful optics, but sometimes a cloudy cider is to die for.

By mistake I cooked some crab apples I was wanting to juice last fall. The resultant malt cider is very cloudy, but amazing!

I once read that the benefit of a cloudy cider or wine is that the particles in suspension also carry flavor, so when we strive for ultimate clarity we sacrifice a small degree of flavor.

 

[teddyearp]

I know you're right, but right now I'm just using the real cheap stuff for my juice and for some reason when it is cloudy, all I taste/smell in it is yeast.

 

[bucketnative]

I know you're right, but right now I'm just using the real cheap stuff for my juice and for some reason when it is cloudy, all I taste/smell in it is yeast.

That's because all of that store bought juice is filtered, so the only thing to make it cloudy is... yeast. With fresh pressed juice there's a lot more there in suspension.