Pappy`s Pub Cider - Award Winner!

[Alligator_Beer]

I don't plan on bottling any time soon, just wanted to ask for when the time comes. Thanks for the help!

 

[chunkychicken]

I added powdered once,ONCE .
It did not go well.........Don't do powder.
The sticks sound like a good addition to 2ndary but i've yet to use them myself.
Perhaps on the batch i start on monday.
I'll post results if i do.

I tried it once without reading much about cinnamon, thinking that's how the brewers get that flavour. Like adding mentos to a bottle of coke!

Then I read this forum and had a bit of a laugh about it.

 

[OriolesMagic]

I only have a one gallon glass carboy and no secondary fermenter are there any suggestions or precautions for adjusting this recipe for a one gallon with only primary?

 

[chunkychicken]

Might be best to brew in a brewers bucket, or a bucket with a lid if you have access to one... or another glass carboy? You could always (dangerous) disinfect and sanitize old juice bottles to transfer into while you clean the primary and put it all back in when it is ready to go.

But I'm pretty new to this.

 

[RobertMT]

I only have a one gallon glass carboy and no secondary fermenter are there any suggestions or precautions for adjusting this recipe for a one gallon with only primary?

If I had no way to get a secondary, I would do one week primary in juice bottles or buy juice in gallon jug, covered with coffee filter and rack to glass carboy and airlock then. You would get rid of most of trub, in primary and just go six weeks in secondary, cold crash, rack and bulk age in sanitized juice bottle. I would cap the juice jugs and burb them, while allowing it to carb in juice bottle. I lager some of my cider, in PET gallon jugs(Arizona Tea) in frig, just burb when it swells too much.

 

[Paps]

Glass is not a requirement for fermentation.
Plastic is fine depending on which type of plastic it is.
Look for a little triangle symbol made out of arrows on the container
( it's usually on the bottom )
If the number inside the triangle is a "1" or a "2", then it is fine for fermenting in.
A bung for a "better bottle" happens to fit the 5 gallon water jugs.
They can be bought at Wal-Mart for $5 -$12 filled with water.
Buy one, drink the water, use as a fermentor.

Anyways as far as scaling the recipe up or down it is simply 2-lbs of table sugar per 1-US gallon juice. If you cannot possibly get a second container to use (you can even ferment in the jug the juice comes in) do 1/2 gallon juice and 1-lb sugar in your 1 gallon container. Due to science it will come out actually more than 1/2 gallon of cider so you will need the room.

Hope this helps.

 

[OriolesMagic]

Thanks for the input. I just brewed my first beer in July so I am very new. I should've also asked is one packet of yeast to much? Do I need to cut that, the yeast nutrient and the KC?

 

[MindenMan]

I have taken powdered cinnamon and put it into a coffee filter and poured a neutral spirit through it. Talk about dangerous!, just the smallest amount of cinnamon will overpower almost anything when washed with vodka.

 

[Paps]

is one packet of yeast to much? Do I need to cut that, the yeast nutrient and the KC?

One packet for only one gallon is a little overkill but EC-1118 is cheap and it really can't hurt. Storing a half used packet in your fridge may or may not be feasable.
Yeast nutrient......i personally use a ****load of it for cider and suggest you do too.
K.C.-Super Kleer. I often skip using it if i have the time to let the cider clear on it's own. It's great if "speed/haste" is your goal. I've been patient lately and cider will clear eventually on its own.
With that being said....K.C. isn't cheap if you blow through a package for just 1 gallon. Either do a larger batch,skip it and be patient, or just not be too concerned as to what the total cost of the finished drink is.
(still cheaper than buying cider from the liqour store)

 

[fathertorque]

Any input/opinions? I use litre swing tops and haven't any issue...though I do store them under refrigeration.

 

[Paps]

Any input/opinions? I use litre swing tops and haven't any issue...though I do store them under refrigeration.

Allthough refridgeration slows down yeast activity it does not stop it.
I suggest that you fill one plastic bottle to guage the carb level of each bottle. If it gets to where you think it might become a bottle bomb situation, "Burp each bottle"

 

[Mueltrain54]

Coming up on 2 weeks in primary, and the smell coming from the airlock has gone from an alcohol liquor type smell to smelling distinctly sour. Any cause for concern?

 

[Paps]

What juice did you use?
Did you use "Star-San" on everything the cider touches?
What did you fill the air-lock with?

 

[Mueltrain54]

Motts for the juice, isopropyl alcohol in the airlock, and yes starsan everywhere. 95% sure my sanitation was solid. It has fermented a little warmer then ideal probably, mid 60's for the first week and a half and sitting in the 68-70 range now.

 

[Mueltrain54]

It's also in a glass carboy and everything visually looks fine. I did also add 3 cinnamon sticks a few days ago without sanitizing them or anything

 

[Paps]

isopropyl alcohol in the airlock, .

Use Star-San in the airlock.
When the temp drops it creates a vacuum and you can get w/e is in the airlock into your brew. Star-San is food grade.
You wouldn't want to drink isopropyl alcohol .
Everything else seems fine....Does it smell like sulphur or like a fart/rotten egg? Unhappy yeast will throw off those smells and cider REALLY needs yeast nutrient added.

 

[Mueltrain54]

Use Star-San in the airlock.
When the temp drops it creates a vacuum and you can get w/e is in the airlock into your brew. Star-San is food grade.
You wouldn't want to drink isopropyl alcohol .
Everything else seems fine....Does it smell like sulphur or like a fart/rotten egg? Unhappy yeast will throw off those smells and cider REALLY needs yeast nutrient added.

Honestly I don't have the greatest since of smell, sour isn't quite right so it could be sulphur-y. I did use some yeast nutrient. Hopefully it's just some stressed yeast. At this point there's nothing I can do but let it ferment out and taste it I suppose. Gonna be taking my new AG set-up for a test drive this week so I'll have something to distract me anyways!

 

[Haf-A-mil]

Hi Guys,

This will be my second time brewing this as the first time I brewed this I took the gravity reading after dumping everything in (except the yeast). I had an OG of 1.112 and a FG of 1.040 leaving me with a 13.39% ABV. Which mellowed out after a while but still tastes great. My question is in the batch that Im going to do shortly, is it correct to take the OG after dumping everything in but before adding the sugar and yeast? Or take it after you've dumped EVERYTHING in but before the yeast? Thanks in advance fellas!

 

[Paps]

There is a formula for x amount of sugar = x amount of extra gravity points.
If i bother taking an OG i do it to the juice before adding anything and use the formula for the sugar. Very consistantly the OG of the juice by itself has been
0.040 for me. It also usually finishes at 0.020 but there has been some variation between some of my batches.

Hope this helps.

 

[chunkychicken]

I found that pear seems to breakdown slower or less than apple. I had 1040~ apple that eventually finished about 1005, but 1065 pear that finished close to 1020. I added sugar to it after the og was approx 1045. It still has that original sweetness with a decent amount of dryness.

 

[BILTIT]

Going to put together this recipe on the weekend!

 

[fathertorque]

Of all the cider/apple wine recipes I've tried and including my own experiments this is by far my favorite and will be a staple in my home from now on.

I followed the recipe through secondary and then had two deviations. I didn't use a clearing agent and on bottling day I added potassium metabisulfite, allowing time for it to do it's magic and gas off. Don't need any explosions in my pantry and I highly doubt the first batch lasts long enough for lack of oxygen to be much issue (I use swing top bottles so there's no cork to allow for breathing.)

Going into this ferment I was honestly expecting to wind up with jet fuel but I am more than pleased with the results. It's a very still, sweet apple wine. Mine came in around 14%


And yes, don't attempt any form of basic mobility or communication after consuming more than a glass. Due to "slippage" I was a liter bottle short on bottling night. So with some ice in a tumbler I plopped down in my recliner to test drive the new concoction....sometime around 6am I woke up and couldn't figure out how to close the chair


Oh, and here's a pic just for fun. Happy fermenting!

 

[globell]

Question - Can I use fresh pressed juice (well its frozen but frozen fresh from our press)? Or any changes if using this juice?

 

[Paps]

Yes.
You might want to use something to kill off any bugs present in it then wait a day before adding the sugar/nutrients/yeast.

 

[globell]

Ok. Perfect. I used 5 campden tablets! ?
I'm in the great white north so we dont have Mott's the juice you mentioned or tree top. Is it just pure clear apple juice or is it cloudy to start like fresh pressed? We have santa cruz which is pressed like (I'm running out of the pressed stuff). Thanks

What about adding some peach flavour? I love peach flavoured cider. Any thoughts and I am new to cider (have 30 gallons currently in primary and secondaries though - was a good apple year)

 

[BILTIT]

globell, where you at?

I have 5 gal of pappys fermenting now but used superstore (no name apple juice, 88 cents/Liter). I will let you know how it turns out.

I also have some cloudy (like fresh pressed) from superstore (presidents choice apple cider) as well that is brewing but only 1gal batches, they will be made into applejack.

My last batch i used sunrype pure apple juice so we will see how it compares.

 

[globell]

I'm in Western Canada and those are all names i recognize! Cool. Waiting to hear! and have you found any apple juice concentrate frozen? I have been looking without success. Thanks BILTIT!

 

[BILTIT]

Western Canada myself, lloydminster ab/sk border.

I haven't looked for any frozen concentrate but you should be able to find some in the frozen can juice section.

 

[Buckshott]

I just got done about a hour ago grinding and pressing 5 gallons of fresh apples... I put 4 gallons in a fermenting bucket and I will be adding the yeast tomrrow on a count I threw 4 tablets in it.... hope it turns out as good as everyone says it is which I'm sure it will!!! I don't think I'm doing the second ferment I'll crash freeze it after I siphon it off .... Thanks for the recipe.. might be one more I keep around for future use!!

 

[globell]

Hey Buckshott...Keep us posted! I've just put a gallon on too and considering putting the final 2 I have in the freezer too