my first cider

[WatereeBrew]

ok, i've read about 50 threads and I made my first cider. I used:
7 jugs of "simply apple" juice, roughly 3 1/2 gallons.
3.3 lbs. muntons wheat malt extract
24 oz. organic brown sugar
12 oz. south carolina honey
safe-ale 04 yeast
my O.G. was 1.070 so i'm expecting around 8% abv.
i'm thinking of adding peaches to secondary.
any thioughts?

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

Any reason for the malt extract? It's not usually something put into ciders.

 

[jcobbs]

The reason for the malt extract is to make this so tasty you'll have to find a way to extract your head from the carboy Seriously, malted cider is awesome--I'd either do two batches or split it and do some with and some without the fruit. This sounds like a delicious recipe!

 

[Brandon O]

Any reason for the malt extract? It's not usually something put into ciders.

If it is not something you are putting into ciders you should start.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f81/graff-malty-slightly-hopped-cider-117117/


It's really really good. Everything I thought apple cider should taste like and more.

 

[Brandon O]

ok, i've read about 50 threads and I made my first cider. I used:
7 jugs of "simply apple" juice, roughly 3 1/2 gallons.
3.3 lbs. muntons wheat malt extract
24 oz. organic brown sugar
12 oz. south carolina honey
safe-ale 04 yeast
my O.G. was 1.070 so i'm expecting around 8% abv.
i'm thinking of adding peaches to secondary.
any thioughts?

I would leave out the peaches, this is one hell of a good base recipe. I tell you what man, with the extra sugar and honey in there it will definitely pack a punch. You should post back and report on the alcohol hotness, if there is any. Would be nice to have a real strong sipper read for the winter, could concentrate it if it tastes real good.

 

[jcobbs]

I agree, this is gonna be a good'un. I don't have all the setup to do grains, but I've done a malted cider very similar to this one and it was fantastic. Planning to do an extract version of Graff very soon, to have something to sip for the winter. This might be what I'm looking for. Keep us posted on the taste tests!

 

[FireNightFly]

Was there any cooking involved? Or does a new guy like me just take it that it was all added in the fermintor and mixed?

 

[jcobbs]

I just added a pound of dry malt extract and a cup & a half of sugar to a gallon of apple juice & shook it up really well. Then I pitched a package of Munton's ale yeast into that, swirled it around a little, & put on an airlock. No heating or boiling. I know there are benefits to boiling the malt extract (don't boil the juice or the pectins will set and it won't clear), but mine was delicious and it could hardly have been any simpler. Leave yourself some headspace in the fermenter--with all those sugars, those yeasts are gonna get excited. I've started reserving some of the juice in the fridge and adding it back after the kreusen has settled a bit.