Pappy`s Pub Cider - Award Winner!

[uzziah0]

Initial 1.070 and when I moved to secondary 1.021.
I added more frozen concentrate apple juice so it would finish fermenting to get to the 9% that the yeast I used would get to, and still have some sweetness.
I am borrowing a friends keg and CO2 to use to bottle and carbonate, so I have not checked it in a couple of weeks. I hope to get the equipment and check it this week, and get it into bottles.
I'm thinking it is lower than 1.021 now, somewhere closer to 1.000 so that would be able the 9% I'm looking for.
The difficulty I had with this first batch we getting it fermented out so I can add more sweetener so I have a sweet and not too dry drink AND have it carbonated.

 

[GT944]

Thanks for all the additional info, all. I'll keep digging and post my results as they come. I feel good knowing that, in the end, it will be good strong cider - even if it's flat or has to have sugar added to be drinkable!

 

[RedF]

So batch #2 is under way, with cinnamon.

Batch #3 will be started soon. I'm gonna need a little advice on this one. I plan on bottling this whole batch (for a friend), so I need to figure out how to (safely) carbonate and bottle this stuff. I anticipate going primary only for two months, @23 degrees Celsius until all activity has ceased (then drop the temp to 16 degrees Celsius for the remainder of the time), then kegging and force carbonating, then bottling.

-Do I need to pasturize before or after bottling, or at all? I really don't want to give bottle bombs as a gift! (the gift that keeps on giving).

 

[Paps]

Sometimes i will bottle from the keg. I don't have a beergun or any of that so it's just straight from the tap to a bottle. I don't pasturize but i give the cider plenty of time for the yeast to crap out. Ssuming that wasn't a typo and you did mean 2 MONTHS and not weeks in primary (and are following the original recipe) then i doubt you will have any bottle bomb issues. However just to be `sure` you could counter top / dishwasher pasturize the bottles as an extra precationary measure.

 

[CavemanDom]

FWIW, my only gallon of this that I have completed so far (second is in primary) choked the yeast out, I bottled 2 PET bottles and the rest glass, giving them a little squeeze at capping. Another batch of cider bottled in the same session swelled up, but this didn't budge. Any carbonation it had, it got from the ferment. Just my single cent.


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[RedF]

Sometimes i will bottle from the keg. I don't have a beergun or any of that so it's just straight from the tap to a bottle. I don't pasturize but i give the cider plenty of time for the yeast to crap out. Ssuming that wasn't a typo and you did mean 2 MONTHS and not weeks in primary (and are following the original recipe) then i doubt you will have any bottle bomb issues. However just to be `sure` you could counter top / dishwasher pasturize the bottles as an extra precationary measure.

Yes, 2 months primary, no secondary. I'm looking to setup a basic counterpressure filling wand, as the few bottles I've filled with just a hose has foamed and made quite a mess ( I have the carbonation rather high).

I have one 1 litre bottle sitting on my countertop from the original batch (wouldn't fit in the keg), and have been saving it to see if it naturally carbonates.

It sounds like I don't have much to worry about. Thanks!

 

[Paps]

I could be mistaken but the tubing that fits over a bottling wand also fits over the picnic/cobra style taps. You could fill bottles that way i'm sure.
I'm forced to just pour straight from tap to inside the bottles but i run a nitrogen system so i get super foamy pours all the time normally. I just let the foam settle and top off the bottles, allthough the cider doesn't stay foamy as long as the beer does.
Hope this helps.

 

[Paps]

Started another batch of this today using 5 gallons of tree top `cider`
somebody i think asked for a gravity reading BEFORE adding the sugar to it.
That reading today was 1.045 which would yield just under % 6 ABV if taken to 1.0
If i remember right on the math that amount of sugar added would get % 13 ABV if all consumed so a total of about % 19 abv potential which i beleive is the upper limits of this particular yeast strain.

 

[tjons11]

If I wanted to add cinnamon sticks to secondary, do I need to sanitize them first or will the 19% abv take care of that?


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[Paps]

I just plopped mine into the carboy for secondary.
As they are made for baking/consumption i'd say they are pretty clean as is.
I've not had any problems yet.

 

[acarr160]

RedF try this. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=24678

 

[GT944]

Just racked to secondary today. Took a reading at 1.022 - seems about right, based on feedback from all. I had a taste as well - wow! Strong, strong alcohol taste at this point (yeah, that's the point of this brew, I know). I'm hoping that some mellowness comes with age!


-GT

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[Paps]

It's very `rocket-fuely` when young.
Age does this wonders. It will mellow.
Cinnamon sticks in secondary seem to speed up the mellowing.
The batch i have going now i intend on doing my secondary in this 10-gallon
used oak whiskey barrel i bought from a poster/shop on here (these forums)
Just as a warning the 1rst time you drink this stuff in quantity.....you might want to drink it from a shot glass to keep it in perspective. I've had to cut people off before whom were trying to drink it by the pint.(not newby beerdrinkers/lightweights either)

 

[TripleJBrewery]

Lol, I can't wait!

Hey Paps, I'm bottling on Friday. How do I go about using this KC Superkleer?

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[Paps]

The package should have 2 pouches.
It says something about mixing with a cup of warm water but i'm lazy and just dump it right into the cider. Then you wait for at least an hour to dump the second pouch in.
I usually do the 1rst pouch in the evening then wait till morning to do the second pouch. Litterally a day after that your cider will be very clear and ready to rack into keg.

 

[TripleJBrewery]

Awesome, thanks! Should I still cold crash this if I'm going to bottle then pasteurize them?

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[Paps]

Give the K.C.-Super Kleer 24 hours to do it's thing.
If it works for you how it does for me,
You'll find it wont need to be cold crashed.
The K.C. is `that good`
I assume you are carbing in the bottle.
So let it carb up for maybe a week and then pasturise.
If going for a still cider then just pasturise asap.
I keg so bottling isn't my area of expertise.
I do find carbing this (i use nitro....hmmm cider nitro)
seems to help with the rocket fuelyness and is just my prefference anyways.
-cheers

 

[mindiB]

Bottle carbing is surprisingly easy I just bottle carbed a 3 gal batch of cider two weeks ago and it came out great I used 750ml swing top bottles and one soda bottle to check carbonation then I put them all in my dishwasher on sanitize/ heated dry for 30 minutes or so. I think it took 3 days but it really depends on how bubbly you want it so I just kept checking my soda bottle

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[mindiB]

Swing tops eliminate bottle bombs

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[TripleJBrewery]

Bottling today. Final reading is...1.11?! Something doesn't make sense...

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[RedF]

Swing tops eliminate bottle bombs

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How so?

 

[Sapper]

Ok I'm about to bottle this from my secondary. I'd like some carb in it, my local brew shop said to add my priming sugar(3/4#). Then another packet of champagne yeast. Then bottle??? It's been sitting in the secondary for a month. I also put the cinnamon sticks in as well. Any advice would help!!!


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[Paps]

Adding priming sugar and more yeast really wont help much with this recipe.The yeast is allready reached it's threshold for conversion. I would suggest you gek if at all possible. It is good `still` as well.

 

[CavemanDom]

I know this has "bad idea" written all over it, but for my second 1G batch, when I moved it to secondary, I put the screw cap on, instead of an air lock. The continuing ferment did force some CO2 into the mix. After another month, I bottled. It isn't very carbonated, but it isn't completely still either. I hope to be able to keg someday soon.


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[GT944]

Update! I am sitting on 5 gallons that have been in secondary for 3 months now. My question for the group is... To back sweeten to gain carbonation, or not? I have yet to take a gravity reading to see where I'm at, but I want it to be slightly sweet with some light carbonation in some 1/2 gallon jugs or something similar.

Any thoughts?


-GT

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[CavemanDom]

Well, if you followed the original recipe, then adding sugar won't get you any bottle carb. The yeast has choked out at this point. Your best bet, in my opinion, is to bottle before fermentation completes, or to cap your secondary rather than airlock. This will at least get you light carb. Guessing on bottling an incomplete ferment can be dangerous. But there are smarter minds than mine that can offer a solution for early bottling.


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[frankjones]

going to throw this together need to know tho what are other yeast options the lhbs here is weak with choices.

 

[Paps]

Lalvin EC-1118 is actually pretty common in LHBS but if they don't carry that you could probably use any "champagne yeast" with similar results.

 

[wayned10]

I'm attempting my first batch of cider with this recipe, I scaled it down to a 1 gallon batch with a cinnamon stick and a half gallon batch without. Should I shake to introduce oxygen for the first week like Mead or let it be? I couldn't find the tree top apple juice but I found a good quality fresh pressed apple juice that has a really great flavor. And as for the yeast, I love this type since I've used it for Mead, if your LHBS doesn't carry it then try Amazon (really cheap and in bulk if you want).

 

[Paps]

When i fill my glass carboy (6 & 1/2 gal) i pour the juice into a funnel set atop the glass. This get ALOT of air into the mixture. (it bubbles a good bit) So with that, once i pitch the yeast, i leave it alone. Sometimes fermentation gets to where i have to clean out the airlock but i just leave it alone until fermentation slows down a good bit. Then, if there is still a layer of sugar on the bottom of the carboy i will rock/swirl the glass carboy to adgetate the yeast back into action. Will do that for 2-6 days as needed.

If the store doesn't have tree top, motts works as well, tbh i think the motts plays better with the cinnamon than the tree top but that's all subjective.

 

[wayned10]

I heated up 32oz of the apple juice with 4 and a half cups of sugar (2lbs) until it melted, poured that in using a funnel and cooled with a bath before adding the yeast and remaining juice. I shook it like hell for a couple minutes then preped the airlock, already seeing some activity.

The juice I picked seems really nice, so hopefully it turns out well. The OG was 1.135 before adding the yeast.

 

[Paps]

Just for anybody interested the lat batch i kegged tonight turned out at 1.040 FG
It seemed a good deal sweeter than it normally turns out ( I rushed this batch for a local HBComp coming up soon ) so you'll want to shoot for that # or lower on attenuation.

 

[wayned10]

I bottled mine on October 1st, it made it down to 1.032, so I have 4 wine bottles at 13% and 2 bottles at 15% abv. This stuff tastes pretty hot, but a good flavor so far, definitely should be ready to enjoy for the holidays. I'm also in the experimental stage of a pumpkin cyser, I used the leftover yeast cake from the cider and washed it to use in this recipe, it has been bubbling for a week and already at 10% abv.

 

[Paps]

I took a batch of this and placed it in a used bourbon barrel i bought from a HBT sponsor (thank you farmhouse brewing supply) and took it to a local homebrew/chili contest. Giving out tiny samples the barrel kicked in about 4.5 hours. Had several people return for 2nds/3rds/ect, about 5 people asked me `how much for a bottle` and 2 veteran homebrewers came over to finish it off before it ws gone. I HIGHLY recommend oaking of this on bourbon.

 

[CheerfulHeart]

I personally let it sit in primary for at least a month. If i could edit the 1rst post i would change primary time to 30+ days. I keg nowadays but this will carb up in bottles. It allready has a pretty hefty amount of sugar so no need to add anymore for priming. Bottle bombs are a concern so don't rush things. Room temp fermentation is just fine for this however if you have the means to and choose to ferment cooler then feel free to do so. Yes the basic principles are the same as with beer just let the yeast do their thing. "Tree Top" is sold at wal-marts but if you can't find it try the "Motts" namebrand of juice.(Target sells it)
-Cheers

My batch has been in primary for about 5 weeks and still has a bubble in the airlock once in a while. I was beginning to think I might have botched it somehow. After reading this post, though, I'm feeling more confident. I'll just let it set until there's no blips in the airlock then rack it to secondary and let it age for a couple of months. This brewing hobby is definitely teaching me patience. BTW, tried a sip just for fun and rocket fuel indeed! LOL This is going to be good drinking!

 

[Lighthoof]

Made this with probably a pound more sugar (accidentally, I swear!) and then put 4 sticks of cinnamon, 5 cloves, and a teaspoon and a half of nutmeg all in for secondary. It was one of the most delicious things I've ever had! Everyone I know agreed, and about half a dozen people were practically begging me to make it again!

 

[bubba_drums]

Semi-dumb question. I don't have a 6.5 gallon carboy, but my fermentation buckets are 6.5 gallon. Will that work instead so I can run the full 5 gallons?

 

[Paps]

Buckets wok fine.
Just can't see the magic as it happens.

 

[RedF]

Made this with probably a pound more sugar (accidentally, I swear!) and then put 4 sticks of cinnamon, 5 cloves, and a teaspoon and a half of nutmeg all in for secondary. It was one of the most delicious things I've ever had! Everyone I know agreed, and about half a dozen people were practically begging me to make it again!

I'm gonna give this version a go. Thanks!

-----------------------------

Also, I'd like to make a hopped version of this (the regular kind) cider. I picked up some hops at a local HBS that I thought seemed suitable for the flavor I'm looking for, but I just don't know when to add it, how much and for how long. Ideas?

 

[Paps]

I'd like to make a hopped version of this (the regular kind) cider. I picked up some hops at a local HBS that I thought seemed suitable for the flavor I'm looking for, but I just don't know when to add it, how much and for how long. Ideas?

Definately add hops to secondary if you plan to use them.
How much? I would suggest between 1-3 ounces depending on which hop variety and the IBU`s you may be after.
How long? Probably 3-14 days. Basically you taste test daily until you hit the aroma/flavor you are after.
If you were to say specifically you planned on leaving the hops in for 1 week exact, I suggest you wait until your 3rd week in secondary is over and hop it on the 4th week. (I primary and secondary this for 4 weeks usually)
I also suggest hitting the cider with a blanket of CO2 each time you pop the airlock off just as a precautionary measure to avoid infection.

BTW which hop/hops are you going with?
I imagine Amarillo would make a rather interesting cider.
-cheers-