Topic: November 8th 2008 Hard Cider

[UnCrash]

Below is my recipie and initial readings for this years hard cider.   My first attempt at culturing wild apple yeast up enough to get a good initial fermentation.  Additionally I'm not using any sugar this year.  I boied down 4 gallons of cider to 3/4 of a gallon and added that back.  I should have a final alcohol percentage just above 7.

Previous years I've used Champagne yeast and have had very mixed results with the cider ending up too wine like...

Cider is a slow process so my progress reports won't come very often....

My fingers are crossed and all signs are good.

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October 28th 1 gallon unpasteurized cider purchased from Thompson’s Orchard
   Gallon sits unopened in refrigerator until the morning of Nov. 8th.

Half gallon yeast starter made:
A little more than the top half of the Thompson’s unpasteurized gallon is boiled down to syrup.   The remainder of the bottom of the gallon is put in a 1 gallon glass bottle.  The apple syrup is added back along with 1 tsp yeast nutrient, and air-lock put on bottle.

Within 30 minutes fermentation is noticeable.   Airlock bubbles increase throughout the day to a rate of 1 every 7 seconds.

6 gallon batch prepared:
4 gallons UV treated Thompson’s cider boiled down to ¾ of a gallon, this is then poured into the carboy
5 gallons cider poured into carboy – first ½ of the gallon poured from high, then lid screwed on and gallon shaken vigorously to aerate.  Remainder is then added to carboy.
OG = 1.060
Potential Alcohol = 7.5%
½ gallon yeast starter pitched

[333]

I'll be interested in the final product, and how it tastes.  Is it like cider, but with a kick?  Or is it like some of the "ciders" available in stores?

It does sound like a lot of work, compared to my Dad's recipe.  His was just a gallon(unpasteurized), a pound of sugar, and a pound of raisins.  Keep in a cool dark place.  After about 30 days, strain off any solids(raisins) and keep it cool and dark.  He used a clay jug like what would be used in a jug band(? Best description I can think of).  In time, I think the alcohol level was on par with hard liquor.  He was diabetic, so he didn't imbibe too often, but every now and then, he'd go downstairs with a paper cup, and come back upstairs giggling.

[UnCrash]

This should come out like a much stronger version of the storebought hard cider.

The raisins give cider a wine like quality and the fruit esters would have made the alcohol content taste a little higher than it was.  I've done similar batches and ended up with a final product with about 10% alcohol. 

It does have a kick, and will put a smile on your face : )

What really turns the notch up a little is to take the cider outside on a really cold  late winter day and let the water freeze.  Scoop off water all day until you end up with a slurry that doesn't want to freeze. Now you're talking ICED CIDER!   Watch out, it will make you act stupid in a real hurry.

[754]

HA..HA  !!...I am drinkng 7% allpe cyder as i tyipe......

[tramp]

HA..HA  !!...I am drinkng 7% allpe cyder as i tyipe......

glad to see it's not having any effect

[Dusthawk]

Have you ever tried using a Mead yeast? Once we switched from champagne yeast to Mead yeast, our Meads started coming out much better and some even resulted in slight carbonation. Also, consider using a Jack LaLanne juicer and adding a couple of teaspoons of honey to keep it from going vinegar.