Simplest Recipe?

[AZCoolerBrewer]

Try a dedicated cider yeast next time. Is it possible that smell came from the Nottingham selection? No need to sweeten with a dedicated cider yeast, in my experience.

The first two times I did cider I regretfully used Nottingham as well. Neither came out that well.

Most commercial cider is gross. I liked my dry cider a 100 times better than Angry Orchard. I wasn’t at all displeased with the result and the sulfur smell was completely gone when I bottled. Of the flight pictured, my wife liked the cider best and it isn’t because she doesn’t like beer. She will drink anything from a golden ale to an imperial IPA. She doesn’t prefer stouts as much as I do, but can appreciate certain examples like Uncle Bear’s Peanut Butter Cup Stout. So I think the cider was pretty good. As far as Nottingham, I think it leaves a flavor that I can’t taste. Marshall from Brülosophy was throwing all kinds of shade at Nottingham for an off flavor he gets, so I think it creates some compound that is light or unnoticeable for some and off putting for others. Another example of this phenomenon is citra hops. Some people can’t stand them, but for me they’re quite pleasant. On the other end of the same scale, cascade hops taste insipid to me and a lot of people say they like them very much.

Anyhoo, the reason I am not so into cider is I really enjoy all the drama on brew day with the mash temps and hop additions. Also, I just really like beer a lot. I like martinis or old fashioneds or wine, but 9 out of ten times if I have the choice, I’ll choose beer.

 

[TwistedGray]

^ one in the same

 

[Jako]

you can slightly degass the cider to help with surfer smell. or you can just call it Yellowstone cider lol.

 

[FL_Bill]

I'm back from my vacation and I have to say the cider has completely cleared. I am going to bottled tonight. I already have sugar in my bottles. I think, if I understand correctly, that in 2 weeks I need to refrigerate. Sound right? Thanks!!

 

[TwistedGray]

I'm back from my vacation and I have to say the cider has completely cleared. I am going to bottled tonight. I already have sugar in my bottles. I think, if I understand correctly, that in 2 weeks I need to refrigerate. Sound right? Thanks!!

That should be long enough to carbonate. You can always leave it longer, but it won't benefit from shorter. You also don't need to move all of it into the fridge, but give it two days in the fridge before drinking... Pretty standard for all HB, bottles conditioned beers.

 

[Qhrumphf]

The two best ciders I ever made (the only two I would make again) were simple.

One was Trader Joe's Honeycrisp Cider plus WY1469 and nothing else (apart from a small amount of priming sugar).

One was in a sense even simpler (less ingrdients)- some unpasteurized raw orchard cider, with nothing added but time and luck (ie spontaneous fermentation, but I'm no stranger to sours). And then a little priming sugar and champagne yeast after about 6 mos and a few times racking off lees.

The former was delicious and easily repeatable. The latter was more of a gamble but absolutely sublime.

Getting raw cider can be tougher due to the safery risk for orchards. My LHBS gets (got?) some every now and then, pre-buy it and pick it up immediately. But the TJs stuff seems to be readily available every fall, assuming you have a Trader Joes nearby.

 

[FL_Bill]

I sampled some at it is great. I took readings off it and it is around 1.000 hard to tell because it has bubbles forming on gauge all the time. 1.002 at most.