Cider

[Central PA Cowboy]

Anyone here make their own hard cider?

 

[oscar]

Yep. Not like we used to when everyone's kids were little, and picking and pressing was a fun-filled weekend, but we still make it. Just get carboys filled these days. (On a smoking related note, it's great in a spritz, with a bottle or two reserved).

 

[Central PA Cowboy]

Yep. Not like we used to when everyone's kids were little, and picking and pressing was a fun-filled weekend, but we still make it. Just get carboys filled these days. (On a smoking related note, it's great in a spritz, with a bottle or two reserved).

You use apple juice? What yeast?

 

[oscar]

We use the sweet cider the local orchard presses, but we're in and out the back door, as they're not supposed to sell unpasteurized. We'll do some with just natural yeast, but more often than not kill that off and use champagne or other dried yeast. (The old timers snubbed there noses and called this wine....partly correct.)

 

[Murdy]

I've done it a few time, but not too recently. One batch I got unpasteurized cider from a local orchard, exposed it to air for a little while, and put an airlock on it. The other I boiled and added champagne yeast. They both came out pretty good.

 

[oscar]

Cowboy, the book we used, and still do if we want a refresher, is by Annie Proulx. Don't recall the exact title, but it's certainly got the word "Cider" in it. The whole process is fun, and just like smoking, you can get by with a minimum of equipment, or have a gadget for everything.

As for yeasts, another go-to is cote de blanc. We played around with ale yeasts, but the results were mixed.

 

[zwiller]

If you are aiming for commercial stuff like say Strongbow you have to keg and backsweeten. Most use frozen AJ concentrate to do it. From memory 1 can was about just right for 5G/1 corny. Cider and fruit beers require more "black magic" than people think.

 

[Brokenhandle]

I just want to tag along for this one...have you filled the Quality Control position yet lol?

Ryan

 

[Central PA Cowboy]

I just want to tag along for this one...have you filled the Quality Control position yet lol?

Ryan

If my cider comes out like my beer, you may mot want to be QC lol. Wasn’t bad, but you could buy much better stuff.

 

[oscar]

Another project associated with this is making one's own vinegar. This is THE best vinegar for Cornell chicken sauce. (See Pops' posts on this.)

It's not what you're after if making cider, but is a byproduct of your buddies drawing pitchers off the barrel and introducing air. (One reason we went to carboys years ago. Nothing funny about a 50 gallon barrel of vinegar).

 

[zwiller]

If my cider comes out like my beer, you may mot want to be QC lol. Wasn’t bad, but you could buy much better stuff.

I am hiatus as of late but started brewing in early 90s. Certified judge too. Cool part about cider is it's actually more forgiving than brewing. From memory cider is basically:
Get 5g decent stuff +1/2 crushed campden tablet wait 24hrs.
Pitch yeast. Back when I played around L71B was very popular.
Give it a week or 2 then 1/2 campden tablet to kill yeast 24hrs.
Rack into keg and add 1 can frozen concentrate and force carb.

 

[Central PA Cowboy]

I am hiatus as of late but started brewing in early 90s. Certified judge too. Cool part about cider is it's actually more forgiving than brewing. From memory cider is basically:
Get 5g decent stuff +1/2 crushed campden tablet wait 24hrs.
Pitch yeast. Back when I played around L71B was very popular.
Give it a week or 2 then 1/2 campden tablet to kill yeast 24hrs.
Rack into keg and add 1 can frozen concentrate and force carb.

How was it? Looking for something similar to English ciders.

 

[zwiller]

How was it? Looking for something similar to English ciders.

It's good but the above is more of an American style. Very adaptable recipe. The key is the frozen concentrate. For traditional English, do not add the concentrate and simply keg or bottle. You'll want some age on it most say 6-8mos min.

 

[ddow229]

I did two different five gallon batches last fall. i used a champagne yeast with one and it dried it out more than I thought it would so we added Citric Acid and pulled some flavor out of it. The other one I used a regular cider use and let it sit for about four months before bottling and it is just a great cider. I didn't want to back sweeten but it is a nice evenly flavored drink. Last year I did one with a cider yeast and added mulled spices and that was good.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

Don't do cider but been doing flavored moonshine. Just made some peach that is pretty incredible.