Is Cider naturally gluten free?

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ncowling

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I am brewing my first hard cider for the holidays. I have a friend with celiac disease, and would love her to be able to enjoy this.

For this recipe, I only used Zeigler's Apple Cider (confirmed with a company spokesperson, the only ingredient is apples, no potassium sorbate) and WL Cider Yeast. No additional sugars during fermentation. I plan on using priming sugar during bottling for carbonation.

Thanks for the feedback.
 
Your cider will have about 2ppm Gluten, well below the standard to be called "Gluten Free", although not actually free of gluten.

She should be fine, but everyone is different. If you want a fully gluten free cider, use a dry yeast. S04 works fantastically.
 
so is the ~2ppm due to the liquid yeast or priming sugar? After second consideration, I think I will be using apple juice concentrate in place of priming sugar, if that makes a difference (about 1 can concentrate per 5 gallons).
 
so is the ~2ppm due to the liquid yeast or priming sugar? After second consideration, I think I will be using apple juice concentrate in place of priming sugar, if that makes a difference (about 1 can concentrate per 5 gallons).

White labs yeast has about 12ppm gluten in the packet that dilutes to about 2ppm gluten in a 5gal batch.

Oh, and you can prime with whatever you like, I suggest the concentrate as well so long as you can measure it to be the same as priming sugar.
 
I know nothing about brewing gluten free, but I do know about S-04, and if you're trying to go gluten free, just use it instead of the liquid yeast.
 
When I've made cider I've used both wine and S04 yeast, both work really well.
I've also primed with apple juice - not concentrate, and it came out fine. You can calculate the amount you need from the label on the juice, most have to declare how much sugar they have in them these days.
 
I use Nottingham for my cider, although that yeast hasn't been very reliable as of late. I have some on draft right now and I can't stop drinking it.
 
i bought a jug of knudsens organic apple juice yesterday to spike the slow way.. i was curious how it would turn out. raised the temp to 110. added 1/2tsp of yeast nutrient. capped it and shook it for 5 minutes (well my girlfriend was cold so i gave her something to do that would warm her up). then pitched a fourth of a pack of champagne yeast. air locked and closeted the sucker. well see what happens... but for 6 bux a jug, to get a glass jug with the hard work done.... im not complaining
 
i bought a jug of knudsens organic apple juice yesterday to spike the slow way.. i was curious how it would turn out. raised the temp to 110. added 1/2tsp of yeast nutrient. capped it and shook it for 5 minutes (well my girlfriend was cold so i gave her something to do that would warm her up). then pitched a fourth of a pack of champagne yeast. air locked and closeted the sucker. well see what happens... but for 6 bux a jug, to get a glass jug with the hard work done.... im not complaining

You put a lot more effort than I do into your cider. Open container, dump into bucket, pitch yeast, come back in 6 months. About $15 for 5gal too.

The glass jug would be nice though and yours will turn out well, I am sure of that.
 
the batch i just made was the first batch ive made.... im not a big fan of apple juice so well see how i like this..
 
I have some oaked, draft cider on tap right now. I can't get enough of the stuff. I backsweetened with concentrate, so it's sweet and apple-ly, but still tart from the cider and the oak adds another level.
 
I am about to embark on a holiday cider, something with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, etc. I will let you guys know when I make it.
 
Mind posting the recipe/process for that, it sounds AWESOME


It's pretty much just this recipe here https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f81/newells-groundhog-cider-woodchuck-amber-clone-85887/


5 gallons of Motts apple juice, fermented with Nottingham
I added medium, french oak to the primary (after fermentation was complete) and after two weeks, I racked to the seconday.
Racked to a secondary for a few weeks.
Racked to a keg and sweetened with 5 cans of concentrate.
 
It's pretty much just this recipe here https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f81/newells-groundhog-cider-woodchuck-amber-clone-85887/


5 gallons of Motts apple juice, fermented with Nottingham
I added medium, french oak to the primary (after fermentation was complete) and after two weeks, I racked to the seconday.
Racked to a secondary for a few weeks.
Racked to a keg and sweetened with 5 cans of concentrate.

Ha! Watch out, Notty might be able to still do some damage at kegerator temps. I love having live yeast and sugar and no fermentation though, makes me feel like I am drinking a currently fermenting beverage.
 
It's pretty much just this recipe here https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f81/newells-groundhog-cider-woodchuck-amber-clone-85887/


5 gallons of Motts apple juice, fermented with Nottingham
I added medium, french oak to the primary (after fermentation was complete) and after two weeks, I racked to the seconday.
Racked to a secondary for a few weeks.
Racked to a keg and sweetened with 5 cans of concentrate.

No, I think I like this one better. Since you kegged it I guess the sweetness came through. I doubt I could add concentrate like that to bottles without them exploding, would probably have to backsweeten. I need to get my hands on a keg and a kegerator and do this.
 
No, I think I like this one better. Since you kegged it I guess the sweetness came through. I doubt I could add concentrate like that to bottles without them exploding, would probably have to backsweeten. I need to get my hands on a keg and a kegerator and do this.

Not to deter the kegerator idea since it is the best idea out there for time savings, but you can also just kill the yeast with some potassium metabisulfite and then put as much sugar as you want in there. You would have to drink it still from the bottles, but it's an idea.
 
No, I think I like this one better. Since you kegged it I guess the sweetness came through. I doubt I could add concentrate like that to bottles without them exploding, would probably have to backsweeten. I need to get my hands on a keg and a kegerator and do this.

If you make your own carbonator caps with a tire stem, you can make it in 2 liter bottles and skip the keg and kegerator.
 

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