Learning...

[blasterooni]

I know that its written all over the place that the apples make the cider what it is, that is, getting the right blend of apples to get the right balance of sweet, tart, acid and tannin. I recently did a batch of straight store bought juice, tree top was the brand. I put nothing in it accept yeast, and nutes. When it was done, it was like alcoholic water with some light flavor to it. There was nothing left, like a tree stripped of all its fruit except for those few fruits that were left behind, worm ridden or half eaten by birds. I expected the result, but I wanted the direct experience. Having done a taste test on some juice that I bought from an orchard, while it had no perceptible tartness, etc at first, those flavors are starting to peek out a bit as fermentation progresses. Its one thing to read something, but for me, its quite different when I gain knowledge through experience.

I hope that I can find a source of apples that I can blend to make cider in the near future, in the meantime, I'll still use store bought and take tasting notes and be a little more meticulous in note taking, both tasting and procedural.

Even though that experimental batch was barely drinkable, I ended up dry hopping and adding FAJC to give it some flavor. That worked pretty well, but...

 

[MarkKF]

If you don’t mind paying for it get the simply apple juice in the refrigerated section of the supermarket. Better yet find local pressed cider without preservatives.

 

[AzOr]

I would also add...next year check out trees in your neighborhood. Lots of people plant crab apples. Or check farmers markets for crabs or other interesting apples.
You can add a gallon or so of cider apples to your store juice to liven it up. For that amount you can use a juicer to get your juice.
The farmers markets will be outrageously expensive but for a gallon you would need about 12-15lbs.

Also poke around to see if you have any cider or brew clubs. There are people who plant cider trees, it’s just a matter of finding them.

With store juice- malic acid and tannins are your best friends. Although I can’t prove it, but I think adding a bit of both prior to fermentation to bland juice helps more than adjusting afterwards. Just don’t over do it.

 

[bmd2k1]

The yeast you use plays a Big role too!

You didn't mention your choice...


Cheers [emoji111]

 

[blasterooni]

The yeast you use plays a Big role too!

You didn't mention your choice...


Cheers [emoji111]

The yeast I used in the experimental batch was Nottinghams...But I'm mostly on the Kveik train now

 

[blasterooni]

I would also add...next year check out trees in your neighborhood. Lots of people plant crab apples. Or check farmers markets for crabs or other interesting apples.
You can add a gallon or so of cider apples to your store juice to liven it up. For that amount you can use a juicer to get your juice.
The farmers markets will be outrageously expensive but for a gallon you would need about 12-15lbs.

Also poke around to see if you have any cider or brew clubs. There are people who plant cider trees, it’s just a matter of finding them.

With store juice- malic acid and tannins are your best friends. Although I can’t prove it, but I think adding a bit of both prior to fermentation to bland juice helps more than adjusting afterwards. Just don’t over do it.

Bought a juicer to juice the apples I foraged in the neighborhood, not the best thats for sure, hopefully i can inexpensively get a proper grinder and press after apple season is over on CL. I have been mapping out the p,aces I have found crabs as I drive around town, sure arent many of them here in the Oakland/Berkeley area, but I am finding them and picking if there are any. I am doing a batch of store bought this week and Im adding those crabs to it. The fermwrap should be arriving tomorrow; going with top cropped opshaug kveik for this next batch (I might blend some Voss that I bottomed cropped with the top cropped Opshaug; feeling experimental lately