thoughts on hard cider?

[devilsbeltbrewing]

I know this is a far out thought but hey its fermentable and hopefully comes out nice. I was thinking the other day about making an apple wine but somewhere along my thoughts i came up with this ...

Juice up about 45-50 pounds of apples and add juice to boil kettle. in kettle i was going to boil in all sorts of cider spices, cinnamon sticks , all spice all the good stuff. Also i have a container of this cider spice for making cider in a slow cooker, its mainly just a sugar base so i figured i would add that as well to boost up my potential ABV%. depending on my SG i will either add a wine yeast or Ale yeas,t i want it to still have a bit of sweetness but pack a punch. i can always back sweeten and sorbate once fermented. age for about 2 months or untill it is somewhat clear and carbonate in keg.

just curious on some feedback before i attempt to juice 50 pounds of apples

 

[Paps]

Pic or it didn't happen!

 

[JoshuaW]

Be careful about adding spice. It is easy to add more later, but impossible to take it out. Im a little confused, are you adding this to a beer, or are you making it like cider? If you are making it like cider, dont bother boiling it or anything, get it all in the fermentor. Apples will juice out somewhere around 1.050. It might be a little higher or lower. I would wait on the spice. I personally like ale yeast, Nottingham is a favorite of mine for cider.

 

[bucketnative]

I would suggest you check out the Cider forum here, and read the Cider for Beginners thread. Lots of useful information.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=508303

 

[devilsbeltbrewing]

Be careful about adding spice. It is easy to add more later, but impossible to take it out. Im a little confused, are you adding this to a beer, or are you making it like cider? If you are making it like cider, dont bother boiling it or anything, get it all in the fermentor. Apples will juice out somewhere around 1.050. It might be a little higher or lower. I would wait on the spice. I personally like ale yeast, Nottingham is a favorite of mine for cider.

Thanks for the tip, it is not going into a beer just a hard cider i was trying to get a abv of around 10-12% but i think slowly adding the mix to my unfermented cider till i reach my target is a good idea.

 

[pumpkinman2012]

Why are you boiling the cider? You could end up with pectic haze. I've been making hard cider for a few years and I never boiled it. I agree with going easy on the spice, a little goes a long way.

 

[Mismost]

Thanks for the tip, it is not going into a beer just a hard cider i was trying to get a abv of around 10-12% but i think slowly adding the mix to my unfermented cider till i reach my target is a good idea.

Use a wine yeast to get to 10-12% because that is wine country, not cider. Let it go dry then sweeten and keg. I think the spices will come through, the apple flavor, not so much...back sweeten with frozen apple juice concentrate to taste, by keg carbing you'll be fine