Noob here, brewing my first batch (cider)...

[jpar345]

Hello all, seems like a good community to shoot the shat about beer, drinking, cleaning up messes and sweet sweet inebriation. I picked up some equipment Saturday and yesterday started my first batch. I decided on cider both since fall is coming and I wanted to try something easy for my first go around just to get the hang of the process and the equipment. I got a simple recipe using 18 cans of frozen apple juice concentrate, 3 1/2 gallons of water and I'm using Windsor yeast (mainly because there were so many types of yeast and I was too much of a chicken**** to ask I just picked one). It's currently in the fermenter and when I checked this morning there were a few big bubbles here and there so I guess I didn't screw things up too badly (yet). Anyway, I'll update this thread with my results and thought I'd check in, so... hello!

:fro:

 

[collinsDPT]

Awesome, let us know how it goes! I am looking for an easy Cider recipe for an upcoming brew

 

[TopherM]

Don't forget that your cider is NOT going to have any sweetness unless you backsweeten, cold crash before fermentation is complete, or sweeten with fermentables. Your apple juice concentrate will just ferment dry, and your cider will taste more like a cheap dry white wine.

I've done quite a few ciders, and I think backsweetening produces the best results. Unfermentables, like splenda, just don't taste right, and cold crashing to maintain sweetness is a very inexact science and sometimes difficult to get right. If you need more info on backsweetening, let me know.

 

[jpar345]

Don't forget that your cider is NOT going to have any sweetness unless you backsweeten, cold crash before fermentation is complete, or sweeten with fermentables. Your apple juice concentrate will just ferment dry, and your cider will taste more like a cheap dry white wine.

I've done quite a few ciders, and I think backsweetening produces the best results. Unfermentables, like splenda, just don't taste right, and cold crashing to maintain sweetness is a very inexact science and sometimes difficult to get right. If you need more info on backsweetening, let me know.

I need more info on backsweetening.

 

[BrewinBigD]

Don't forget that your cider is NOT going to have any sweetness unless you backsweeten, cold crash before fermentation is complete, or sweeten with fermentables. Your apple juice concentrate will just ferment dry, and your cider will taste more like a cheap dry white wine.

I've done quite a few ciders, and I think backsweetening produces the best results. Unfermentables, like splenda, just don't taste right, and cold crashing to maintain sweetness is a very inexact science and sometimes difficult to get right. If you need more info on backsweetening, let me know.

i just started a batch of apfelwien on sunday, and im thinking about back sweeteing it when i prime, is it ok to add the lactose AND dextrose at the same time? was gonna do about 5 oz dextrose for carbing and a lb of lactose for sweetening.

 

[TopherM]

jpar345....are you going to bottle or keg?

BrewinBigD: Lactose is unfermentable, so you adding it at the same time as your dextrose is fine. The best way is if you have a bottling bucket to just rack on top of it to effectively mix it without oxidizing it.

 

[jpar345]

jpar345....are you going to bottle or keg?

Bottling.

 

[TopherM]

Backsweetening bottled is a bit trickier than in a keg, but is still pretty easy. Check this thread out. It has pictures and easy instructions. The only thing different that I do is instead of stopping the active fermentation at a point where it is still sweet, I let it ferment dry then add 1/2 gallon of new apple juice per 5 gallons to the bottling bucket before bottling. Then follow the bottle carbing and pastuerization procedure to stop the fermentation. Good luck!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/easy-stove-top-pasteurizing-pics-193295/

 

[jpar345]

Backsweetening bottled is a bit trickier than in a keg, but is still pretty easy. Check this thread out. It has pictures and easy instructions. The only thing different that I do is instead of stopping the active fermentation at a point where it is still sweet, I let it ferment dry then add 1/2 gallon of new apple juice per 5 gallons to the bottling bucket before bottling. Then follow the bottle carbing and pastuerization procedure to stop the fermentation. Good luck!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/easy-stove-top-pasteurizing-pics-193295/

I only have a 6.5 gallon bucket and 5 gallon glass carboy, so would I have to transfer it to the secondary then back to the bucket for bottling, or could I toss the concentrate in the secondary and bottle it from there? It would seem easier with bottling from a bucket though.

 

[TopherM]

Use whatever technique you normally do, but just make sure you put the liquidized concentrate into the bottling vessel then rack on top of it. If you are using concentrate straight out of the can, you'll want to dissolve it in some water first, as it won't dissolve evenly without some stirring. Just use as little water as it takes, and you'll be fine. It is a whole lot easier just to go get a 1/2 gallon tin of apple juice for $0.99 at the store that is already liquid and add that. Doesn't have to be the same brand you used for the cider in the first place, it is just going to add an appley sweetness.

 

[jpar345]

Use whatever technique you normally do, but just make sure you put the liquidized concentrate into the bottling vessel then rack on top of it. If you are using concentrate straight out of the can, you'll want to dissolve it in some water first, as it won't dissolve evenly without some stirring. Just use as little water as it takes, and you'll be fine. It is a whole lot easier just to go get a 1/2 gallon tin of apple juice for $0.99 at the store that is already liquid and add that. Doesn't have to be the same brand you used for the cider in the first place, it is just going to add an appley sweetness.

This is the first thing I've ever brewed so I have no normal methods yet. Since I only have a bucket and a glass carboy I'm assuming it'll be easier on me to just go get another bucket for bottling?

 

[motleybrews]

I only have a 6.5 gallon bucket and 5 gallon glass carboy, so would I have to transfer it to the secondary then back to the bucket for bottling, or could I toss the concentrate in the secondary and bottle it from there? It would seem easier with bottling from a bucket though.

Get a bottling bucket (with spigot) and a bottle filler. Reevy has a great write up on bottling. I'm on my phone or I would find the link. Although I think it is stickied somewhere. The spigot keeps you from having to maintain a siphon while bottling.

 

[jpar345]

So it's been 8 days in the primary, how long should I keep the cider in the primary before racking to the carboy or should I just leave it in the primary for the remainder? Fermentation isn't nearly as active the last three days.

 

[TopherM]

Leave it in there for at least 14 days. You'll get the added benefit of the yeast cleaning up after themselves, which will add clarity to your final cider, if you leave it in there at least 21 days.

You don't really need to secondary. 3-4 weeks in primary and the cold crash you are going to do later will give you the same benefits as a secondary.

 

[jpar345]

So I popped the lid to take gravity measurement tonight. Looks like cider anyway, still cloudy but nothing gross on the top. I tasted it and it's kinda dry and sparkling, definitely will need to backsweeten. Thing is, I don't really want it any more carbonated so I guess adding more concentrate is out of the question, I'll just have to throw in some Splenda at bottling. I measured the gravity at 1.004 down from the OG of 1.066... that comes out to what, 8% ABV? Strange. I'll leave it in there a few more weeks and see what happens.

 

[GUZ808]

Hello everyone new here and this is my first post.

I am also doing a apple cider as I just started it yesterday. My plan for this batch would be to keep it in the primary for 2-3 weeks then rack to a secondary which I will add a little honey(about 1/2 cup) to get away from the dry finish. Thinking about also adding a little apple juice. what are your thoughts and any suggestions.

Also would cold crashing the cider be a good idea?

Thanks

 

[jpar345]

Anybody? The gravity seemed a bit off, and I'm trying to think of ways to add more apple flavor without adding fermentable sugar to make it any more carbonated.

 

[TopherM]

If you don't want to carbonate, then there is a much simpler way to finish this one off than the way I previously mentioned. Instead of pastuerizing to kill the yeast, you can just backsweeten with the additional juice then immediately put your bottles in the fridge at about 33-36 degrees. Yeast hybernate at this temp, so you won't get any additional carbonation. If you can fit your whole batch in the fridge, this is the easiest way to go.

 

[TopherM]

GUZ, honey is VERY fermentable, so adding it to your mix isn't going to do anything except raise your alcohol content. The honey will ferment out dry just like the sugar from the apple juice did. Read through this thread, especially the link I provided on pastuerization. If you want to backsweeten with anything, you have to get the yeast out of commission first. You could cold crash, but then you are not going to have any carbonation.

 

[jpar345]

So it's pretty much done fermenting, any advantage to leaving it sit for another week or bottle it as planned this Sunday? I figured I'll mix in some apple juice concentrate to boost both flavor and sweetness when I rack to the bottling bucket and call it a day.

 

[johnnyspade]

Note that there is sugar in concentrate and the yeast is going to ferment this in your bottles. The result may not be the sweetness you're looking for, instead it will serve to carbonate the cider. I don't use concentrate so have no idea how much sugar is in there but you'll want to check it to ensure you're not adding too much sugar.

In my opinion, adding concentrate only really works if you're kegging and drinking relatively quickly. If you're wanting to carbonate in bottles and add some sweetness, you'll want to look at at unfermentable sweetener, like wine conditioner. Others will suggest an artificial sweetener like Sucralose or Aspartame but I'm not a fan of those. They just don't taste right.

Nothing wrong with leaving it for awhile, provided your fermenter is sealed. In fact, I think cider gets better the longer you leave it. Some of the apple flavour starts to come back over time, particularly in high gravity ciders.

 

[jpar345]

I was thinking maybe campden tablets to kill off the yeast then sweeten with concentrate instead of splenda or the like. I think it's already carbonated enough the way it is.

 

[jpar345]

Bottled the cider last night after a month in the primary. Final gravity was extremely low, something like 1.002. The cider was very dry so I backsweetened with a cup and a half of Splenda. The only thing I didn't understand was that a lot of yeast was still suspended, the cider is very cloudy and I didn't end up bottling the last gallon because of how much yeast the siphon was kicking up and thus sucking into the bottling bucket. What do I use to settle the yeast, and is there a faster way to rack than the auto-siphon I'm using (or does it always take that long)?