Newbies first cider

[Mass_Nerder]

Hi all, I have been doing my research on this stuff and it looks like fun for a geek like me. I have never brewed before so I am sure I will have some questions along the way, even though I have done some homework on the topic before starting. I like ciders and plan on starting with UpStateMikes cider recipe that I found here in the next couple days. I like both sweet and dry ciders, the green Woodchuck is probably my favorite. It would be cool to experiment with some other variations like a cranberry cider at some point but for now I am just going to follow some simple instructions. Is there anything special that I need to know to scale it down to a 1 gallon batch, or just use 1/5 of each ingredient?
Thanks in advance!

 

[thirsty4cider]

thats pretty much it! you already know more than I do about all this and I've been brewing a few months now. just realized today that I could mix juices derp. good luck!

 

[WilliamSlayer]

Hi all, I have been doing my research on this stuff and it looks like fun for a geek like me. I have never brewed before so I am sure I will have some questions along the way, even though I have done some homework on the topic before starting. I like ciders and plan on starting with UpStateMikes cider recipe that I found here in the next couple days. I like both sweet and dry ciders, the green Woodchuck is probably my favorite. It would be cool to experiment with some other variations like a cranberry cider at some point but for now I am just going to follow some simple instructions. Is there anything special that I need to know to scale it down to a 1 gallon batch, or just use 1/5 of each ingredient?
Thanks in advance!

Welcome! Good recipe to start with. You guessed correctly, at the level we are brewing at, just using 1/5 of the ingredients will work fine.

 

[Mass_Nerder]

Thanks guys! I got my starter gear today and the smallest carboy they had at my local shop was 3 gallons, so I guess it's gonna be a 2/5 recipe... hope it turns out good lol

I got the easy cap bottles with the rubber stopper and lever that clamps it down, are these strong enough to carb in the bottle like the recipe I referenced above? I was thinking they are re-usable and might save me money over time, and if I mess something up hopefully the cap will go out before I make a bottle bomb

 

[trujunglist]

Those bottles are the best in my opinion. Less overall hassle when it comes to bottling.

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

Congrats on your new gear. You could do a 1 gallon batch in a 3 gallon carboy. It will fill up with CO2 and should be fine. You just won't be able to do secondary fermentation with that much extra space. That said, you might as well just fill it up.

Unfortunately the bail on those bottles is pretty tough...the glass will probably go before that cap pops off.

 

[JeepDiver]

Those bottles are known to leak. I use them for cider buy usually about 25% (and not always the same ones) don't hold pressure. Not a Hugh issue since still cider is still ok. They changed the design a year or two ago to allow them to take a.cap, so if you have those and cap them its not an.issue

 

[Mass_Nerder]

Dang... well I will have to see how they work, worst case I can just get the caps and clamp them like normal bottles (or recycle my woodchuck bottles!). Thanks, that info helps a lot.

I put in my 2 gallons of juice, ~13oz corn sugar, tested (1.060), and added about a half packet of the nottingham yeast so now the waiting begins.....

 

[WilliamSlayer]

I put in my 2 gallons of juice, ~13oz corn sugar, tested (1.060), and added about a half packet of the nottingham yeast so now the waiting begins.....

Lol, I love the smell of yeast in the morning. It smells like... victory.

;-)

Happy brewing!

 

[Mass_Nerder]

OK so I screwed up!

I didn't count out the days until vacation and was left in a big hurry, luckily I am going to see family so I can take the bottles with me to pasteurize later. I leave in the morning.

So I made the syrup on the stovetop and mixed it into my cider after pulling it out from the carboy. I tasted it, it seemed pretty good, not award winning great, but pretty good still. So I bottled it and pasteurized just a few bottles to keep still and let the rest (12 pack) sit to carb up. I FORGOT to add the frozen apple juice concentrate! I am assuming this won't have any significant effect on carbing or anything other than the taste of the final product, am I wrong there? Why or why not?

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

You'll be fine. The concentrate backsweetens and adds a little apple flavor back in. As long as you added the priming sugar you don't really need the concentrate for carbing.

 

[Mass_Nerder]

Sweet, that's what I thought. I'll follow the recipe next time lol

 

[Mass_Nerder]

I added priming sugar only at the very beginning, not before bottling, would that have made a difference? I did add the brown sugar / cinnamon mix right before bottling and thought that would be enough...

I got no carbonation at all. I expected to lose some of the bottles but with 16 of them I can't believe it was totally due to the swing top ezcaps. Could they ALL have leaked?? During pasteurizing they were totally under water and I saw no bubbles.

The brew was still quite tasty anyway and 6.5% so I am real happy with it, but would like to have some carbonation. I may try the standard caps on my next batch. Any ideas?

 

[BrerRabbitBrew]

If I'm understanding you correctly, you added sugar before fermentation but not after fermentation before bottling? During fermentation the yeast are going to convert all the sugars into alcohol/ co2. Priming sugar goes into the cider after fermentation to give the yeast something to convert to co2. For your next batch you probably want to add about 1oz per gallon of cider right before you bottle.

 

[andrewl]

Hello all, this is my first post. I'm new to homebrewing and I am looking to get into ciders too as I am gluten-free. I currently have a GF ale in the fermenter. I was wondering if you could point me to some good resources on ciders as I feel like the stuff I've found is lacking some important details someone like me would need. Thanks!

 

[WilliamSlayer]

Hello all, this is my first post. I'm new to homebrewing and I am looking to get into ciders too as I am gluten-free. I currently have a GF ale in the fermenter. I was wondering if you could point me to some good resources on ciders as I feel like the stuff I've found is lacking some important details someone like me would need. Thanks!

There are lots of good recepies here on the site. If you are looking for specific advise on a particular aspect of the process, or want to mull over a certain type of juice/apple/spice I reccomend starting a thread of your own. Folks are happy to help.

 

[Mass_Nerder]

If I'm understanding you correctly, you added sugar before fermentation but not after fermentation before bottling? During fermentation the yeast are going to convert all the sugars into alcohol/ co2. Priming sugar goes into the cider after fermentation to give the yeast something to convert to co2. For your next batch you probably want to add about 1oz per gallon of cider right before you bottle.

Yes and no. I added corn sugar only before fermenting, but added brown sugar after fermenting and before bottling. I guess I should have used the corn sugar instead of / in addition to the brown?