Strongbow Gold Clone recipe challenge

[JoeLowPro]

I'm a cider fan, fairly new to homebrewing but I've made and enjoyed a few batches. I've been trying every new cider I see for some time now. Last night I tried Strongbow Golden Apple. http://www.strongbowgold.com/

Apparently, Heiniken has bought Strongbow and has changed the flagship product recipe and is trying to rework the brand image.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/strongbow-hard-apple-cider-launches-two-refreshing-new-flavors-and-updated-look-251026081.html

Personally, I like the new sweeter version better than the drier original recipe. That being said, I think Heiniken is blowing it by discontinuing the original recipe and alienating their existing base, but there's probably some legal issues behind that business decision.

Some say this is an Angry Orchard knock off but I disagree. I like Angry Orchard but find the Strongbow Gold smoother a little less sweet and with a totally different flavor profile. This was crafted to have strong Golden Delicious apple flavor. This is my favorite type of apple for eating so probably why I like this cider so much.

Now for the challenge... How to clone this at home?

First problem will be sourcing Golden Delicious apple juice.

- JoeLowPro
____________
On Tap: Figueroa Mountain Brew Co. Hoppy Poppy
Primary: Upstate Mike's Caramel Apple Cider
Secondary: Branden O's Graf
Keg Conditioning: Traditional English Apple Cider with a Blueberry twist.

 

[JoeLowPro]

Crickets?


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[W0GWT]

Crickets?


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Not a cider expert, but I'd guess you'd want to buy an apple press to get your juice, pasteurize the juice, then filter it for clarity. I don't really remember ever seeing single varietal apple juice.
Good luck!

 

[Tw0fish]

Read this book if you want to do some science.

Truth is that variety in apple flavor goes all the way back down to the soil and the rain that the trees get. Then what gets picked, and how it gets treated.. There are tweaks the whole way through, from blending varieties and adding crabapples to adjusting acidity and tannins with lime juice and tea.

And then so far as reverse engineering goes, you can buy supplies to test for residual sugars and their types, tannins and acids, then just reproduce those numbers..

As for I and my house.. well I've always thought that Graham's English Cider tasted a heck of a lot like strongbow when properly backsweetened. Heck, add some more sugar and you might end up with your SB Gold.

 

[Texconsinite]

As far as getting Golden Delicious apple flavor in to the cider, maybe theres an easier way than "trying to source the Golden delicious apples" Using regular store apple juice, throw 1-2 golden delicious apples in food processor and add to primary for that flavor kick. You could also freeze the Golden's first and then put them in a mesh bag in primary so they'll break down better

I've found storebought juice to be quite sufficient for creating cider that tastes better than many commercial offerings, and you can always backsweeten with some golden delicious for that special flavor.

 

[phug]

Apparently, Heiniken has bought Strongbow and has changed the flagship product recipe and is trying to rework the brand image.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/strongbow-hard-apple-cider-launches-two-refreshing-new-flavors-and-updated-look-251026081.html
That being said, I think Heiniken is blowing it by discontinuing the original recipe and alienating their existing base, but there's probably some legal issues behind that business decision.

For those who still want the original, it hasn't been discontinued in Canada. It's just the US market where they did that. So head north of the border and stock up if you want.

 

[oljimmy]

As someone who's done a decent amount of reading on the topic and made my share of home-cider, I'd suggest the following method for cloning Strongbow Gold:

1. Eat 150 Apples.
2. Drink 3 gallons of water.
3. Collect the resulting piss in a large bucket.
4. Dump 4 cups of white sugar into the bucket, stir.
5. Add 750ml "Russian Prince" vodka
5. Keg and carbonate to 8 billion units of CO2

Chill, drink, start crying, text your boyfriend telling him that he doesn't respect you, pass out.

HTH!

 

[hopfanatic]

As someone who's done a decent amount of reading on the topic and made my share of home-cider, I'd suggest the following method for cloning Strongbow Gold:

1. Eat 150 Apples.
2. Drink 3 gallons of water.
3. Collect the resulting piss in a large bucket.
4. Dump 4 cups of white sugar into the bucket, stir.
5. Add 750ml "Russian Prince" vodka
5. Keg and carbonate to 8 billion units of CO2

Chill, drink, start crying, text your boyfriend telling him that he doesn't respect you, pass out.

HTH!

Hmm. Methinks there mayhap be some residual bitterness and not in the apples?

 

[JoeLowPro]

As someone who's done a decent amount of reading on the topic and made my share of home-cider, I'd suggest the following method for cloning Strongbow Gold:

1. Eat 150 Apples.
2. Drink 3 gallons of water.
3. Collect the resulting piss in a large bucket.
4. Dump 4 cups of white sugar into the bucket, stir.
5. Add 750ml "Russian Prince" vodka
5. Keg and carbonate to 8 billion units of CO2

Chill, drink, start crying, text your boyfriend telling him that he doesn't respect you, pass out.

HTH!

Oh, I get it. That was like humor... only different!

 

[hopfanatic]

Oh, I get it. That was like humor... only different!

Yeah. Something like that.

 

[rocketsan]

As someone who's done a decent amount of reading on the topic and made my share of home-cider, I'd suggest the following method for cloning Strongbow Gold:

1. Eat 150 Apples.
2. Drink 3 gallons of water.
3. Collect the resulting piss in a large bucket.
4. Dump 4 cups of white sugar into the bucket, stir.
5. Add 750ml "Russian Prince" vodka
5. Keg and carbonate to 8 billion units of CO2

Chill, drink, start crying, text your boyfriend telling him that he doesn't respect you, pass out.

HTH!

This community needs less of you...


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[oljimmy]

This community needs less of you...

I'll try EVER so hard to keep that in mind.

 

[cheyneco]

As someone who's done a decent amount of reading on the topic and made my share of home-cider, I'd suggest the following method for cloning Strongbow Gold:

1. Eat 150 Apples.
2. Drink 3 gallons of water.
3. Collect the resulting piss in a large bucket.
4. Dump 4 cups of white sugar into the bucket, stir.
5. Add 750ml "Russian Prince" vodka
5. Keg and carbonate to 8 billion units of CO2

Chill, drink, start crying, text your boyfriend telling him that he doesn't respect you, pass out.

HTH!

Stumbled onto this old thread and had to bump it for this hilarious post. I'm pretty sure I've made a few batches of cider that tasted like I used this recipe.