Something like Angry Orchard?

[Homercidal]

My wife has been getting into Cider lately. Angry Orchard is her go-to right now. (I think it's the Crisp Apple variety).

I'd like to put some cider on tap in a 2.5 gallon keg for her, but I don't know where to start with the juice.

Would I buy juice from the store and add something? Do I wait until harvest season and press/buy my own cider?

I've made apfelwein, and this cider is not close. She likes it a bit tart and a bit sweet, and highly carbed.

 

[HumulusHead]

Subscribed.

We share a boat I see

 

[MindenMan]

Store bought apple juice, a grated Granny Smith apple, a touch of acid blend, and then back sweeten at kegging.

 

[javalin]

My basic recipe for an angry orchard clone
One gallon of apple juice (no preservatives, but doesn't have to be organic)
Add sugar to get a S.G. of about 1.08 (10% ABV) I'll switch between brown sugar, dex, and table sugar
ferment and allow to clear
pasteurize by heating to 150F for about 10 minutes
cool and mix with one gallon of apple juice
force carb
bottle, chill, and enjoy

 

[Homercidal]

Seems reasonable. I like the idea of grating a tart apple to give the juice a little more apple flavor.

I have a 2.5 gallon SS fire extinguisher that's ready to be a keg again. This will make a nice experiment to put in it.

 

[j1n]

back sweeten with apple juice concentrate for more apple flavor and sweetness.

 

[brottman]

My basic recipe for an angry orchard clone
One gallon of apple juice (no preservatives, but doesn't have to be organic)
Add sugar to get a S.G. of about 1.08 (10% ABV) I'll switch between brown sugar, dex, and table sugar
ferment and allow to clear
pasteurize by heating to 150F for about 10 minutes
cool and mix with one gallon of apple juice
force carb
bottle, chill, and enjoy

How do you force carb and then bottle? I would love to be able to do that.

 

[andrewmaixner]

How do you force carb and then bottle? I would love to be able to do that.

With a CO2 and keg setup -- search for "keggerator" or "keezer". It isn't cheep, but it really opens up your options. And it gives you beer on tap, with is nice.

 

[javalin]

How do you force carb and then bottle? I would love to be able to do that.

This is what I've been doing for the last little while
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=24678

Before I got a keg and the right taps and stuff I would use a carbonation cap to carbonate my cider in a 2L PET bottle to 40 PSI and pour into chilled bottles. You lose some carbonation to foaming in the bottle, but that's why I crank it up to 40.