HARD APPLE CIDER ... any tips ?

HARD APPLE CIDER ... any brewing tips ?

It's not beer and it's not wine, but making hard apple cider the traditional UK farmers brew ??

I found this recipe [below] and want to give it a shot ! As I have had hard apple cider before and luved it ! I know this is not the traditional way, and I will look to press my own apples in the future !
But for now and to get things started...

My Question is... what is the best vessel to brew in, for someone with NO equipment or knowledge of how to brew beer or wine. ?
And could I double the ingredients and it would still work ?
And WTF is ; affix a fermentation lock atop the carboy ???

Thanx
Ian



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5 gallons of fresh pressed sweet apple juice
5 cups of sugar
1 package of Wyeast liquid lager brewers yeast (available at homebrew supply stores)

Transfer the juice and sugar using a sanitized funnel or food grade plastic hose into a sanitized glass or stainless-steel container at room temperature. Allow the sugar to dissolve and then pitch the lager yeast and affix a fermentation lock atop the carboy It will soon begin to bubble away releasing carbon dioxide as the yeast converts the sugars into alcohol. Allow the cider to ferment and mellow for at least two months before transferring it with your sanitized food grade hose into bottles, a keg, or any vessel you prefer. Then enjoy.
 
Doubling the ingrediants shouldn't be a problem i don't reckon. As for the fermentation lock it's just an air lock that is used when brewing beer, wine or mash so that contaminents can't get in but the carbon dioxode can get out. There are a few designs out there and they are cheap as. The kegs i do my mash in are 25ltr plastic and cost around $40.

Edit: You will probably be looking at around 10% alcohol i would imagine.
 
That sounds easy enough !
Have you brewed this before ?
10%....NICE ! That would be perfect for a all night drink...
Would love to brew it up and do a:
full pig on spit , chilli, Cider Party at my place !

I challenge you NOVA to help me brew some of this stuff for a summer BBQ party & should get Neil and Moyboy to brew some and do a tasteing comp with apple cider !:onfire:

What do you think .... ? ( but I still need your help ;) )LOL


Novacastrian said:
Doubling the ingrediants shouldn't be a problem i don't reckon. As for the fermentation lock it's just an air lock that is used when brewing beer, wine or mash so that contaminents can't get in but the carbon dioxode can get out. There are a few designs out there and they are cheap as. The kegs i do my mash in are 25ltr plastic and cost around $40.

Edit: You will probably be looking at around 10% alcohol i would imagine.
 
HOw about juice with sugar already in it ?? Should I knock off 1 cup of raw sugar as it would probably have more than that anyway ?
 
I have never brewed this stuff before so i am not really sure about using pre-sugared juice, i would think that fresh would be best. One can obtain fresh juice can't one?

Also i was wondering about the amount of sugar used versus the amount of liquid, it seems like a small amount but i suppose that the juice contains plenty of natural sugars. When i do my mash i use 6-8kg of sugar to 21ltr of water.
Also if you want the alcohol content increased use a yeast like "Turbo 48"
or similar, they make this mix with champagne yeast so that it doesn't stop producing alcohol until around 20%, the normal brewing yeast tops out at around 14% i think.

If i can find a cheap vessal to do this in i will def give it a go!
 
Blonde with big t, oops wrong forum!

See if they have any cheap plastic kegs around 25ltr, if they ask for more than $30 tell them that they are dreaming!
 
Wyeast Liquid Yeast 125ml $15.00

I have found 30L plastic frementer vessel thing with all the goodies and themo.


And the cost of the liquid stuff is costly!

$15 per pack - 125ML
Wyeast is a liquid yeast that contains 100 billion cells in a 125ml XL Smack Pack. Wyeast is available in many different varieties. E.g English ales, Belgian Wheat Beers, German Lagers and Czech Pilseners to name a few. www.wyeastlab.com
Or should/ can I use
Ultra Pure Super 6 for ; $7.50 or something ?

BREW SHOP WHERE IM BUYING ALL THIS
OR
the ebay one
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conversion
5 gallon(US Liq) = 18.9270 Ltr metric
Is that right ?

If so I will do 1 and 1/2 quanties of the recipe above !
7.5 gallons - Would fit nicely in a 30LTR vessel
works out to be about:

27ltrs of apple juice -
188ML of the yeast
7 1/2 cups of sugar


Sound right ??

Whats the best sugar to use ?? Can I use a combination ? Brown , white, raw ??
 
OK - made some purchases !

1 x Carboy/Fermenter, 30 litre () = $36.00 --with tap, sediment reducer, airlock, grommet and thermometer
product_thumb.php


2 x Wyeast Liquid Yeast 125ml () = $30.00
a065_1.JPG

& for extra or next batch -

1 x Ultra Pure Super 6 () = $7.50
This is a new generation of yeast for high alcohol fermentations. It has been developed to combine the benefits of the many 'Turbo' style yeasts while also providing the benefit of being urea free. For information about the use of urea, see bulletins Compared with other Yeast's, essencia Super 6 produces higher quality alcohol in greater quantity per kg of sugar. It will tolerate a wide temperature range and, being urea free, provides the user with a healthier option. Quality The Yeast of choice for making ultra pure alcohol. Highest quality. Ultra low volatile production (by-products) Quantity Will ferment 6kg of sugar in a 25lt wash out to around 15%ABV. This is a very high conversion rate. Other Features Urea free. Wide temperature range, 18 - 35 C. Minimal temperature spike Minimal odour throughout fermentation Excellent clearing properties Minimal sediment


heheh.... hopefully here this week !

Ok....found a really good website for brewing cider !
 
Chilli apple cider ...hmmmmm a sparkling wine with a burn ? Will have to give that a shot with small batch too !

First batch will likely be flat, but the aim is to make sparkling cider ! But would also make a good marinade flat ?!

I may try carbonated tablets for first batch see how that goes... rather than brown sugar method... it is my first time brewing ... so want to keep it simple. But will add a bit more brown sugar or honey during fermentation to increase alcohol content.
as per :
On brewing day, pour your cider into the brewpot and simmer it over medium heat for about 45 minutes. This will kill most of the wild yeasts and bacteria in the cider. Bolder cidermakers will forgo this step by pouring the sweet cider directly into a plastic bucket and then pitching in the yeast. If you follow this strategy, wild strains of yeast will still be in the sweet cider when it begins fermenting. This will alter the flavor of the cider. (It may or may not improve it.) If you do heat the cider, don’t let it boil! Boiling causes pectins to set, which creates a permanently hazy beverage. While simmering the cider, you can add the optional 2 pounds of brown sugar or honey. This will boost the fermentable sugar content in your cider and up the alcohol content.



After looking at many websites, I will likely press my own apples if I cant find the right store bought juice.

So any ideas on how I would crush apples ? and recover juice ? was thinking of useing a car jack and a few bits of wood ?
 
Duder, brewing is really eazy! Just be sure to sanitize anything that will come in contact with the brew while it's not boiling, and you're cool!

Hell, I've made hard cider with champagne yeast and a jug of organic cider. Just dumped in the yeast, stuck an airlock on top, and bottled it when the yeast had mostly cleared with a bit more fresh cider to carbonate. Stuff was excellent, but not as high alcohol as you'll make if you brew it up with some sugar.
 
Wicked, I really look forward to it now !

I would like to say I am going to crush apples... but still stumbed on how Im going to do this ! I will probably just use a kitchen juicer.

Ian
 
thats what I mean by kitchen juicer.... But I need 27LTRS ... and you should recover around 30-50 % from the apple weight !

So to get 27ltrs - I need around 60-80KG of apples !

And to put that through a kitchen juicer ! lol..... that will take awhile !
 
How can I do it cheap on mass and ideas ??
I am thinking rigging up a bushy effort ! car jack , cloth bags, wooden boards...


Found another simple recipe..: (thanx fineexampl link was great !)
5 gallons Louisburg apple cider
5 lbs tupelo honey
5 cans Seneca apple juice concentrate
White Labs sweet mead yeast
Mix 4 gallons of cider, the honey, and the concentrate into 5 gallon carboy. Shake or stir well until honey is dissolved. Pitch yeast. OG 1.094. Two weeks later I racked to another carboy...gravity at .996. I added 3 tsp of acid blend at this time. I let it sit for 4 more weeks, hoping it would clear..it didn't. I kegged this batch as I wanted a sparkling, sweet cider. At kegging'>kegging time, I added 2 cups of a brown sugar syrup and the extra gallon of apple cider. It was unbelievably strong, sparkling, and sweet.
I will add the Seneca concentrate to the keg for sweetening on my next batch, instead of the sugar syrup and cider.
 
OK I had a call from the brew shop ... as they were out of the Liquid Wyeast.

Which turns out to be a blessing !
After long chat he advised me on the apple concentrate method. (just add water)
hehhehe - So I changed my order to

Apple cider consentrate, full kit Yeast included.
brewbuddycider.jpg


White Labs English Cider Yeast WL775 - For when I crush my own apples !
yeast-whitelabs.jpg


& tablets for carbonation.

So in the end , I have got enough to around 60ltrs. :)
 
Hmmmmm, cider out of powder hey!? Who woulda thunk it.

Will be good for practice but i can't see it tasting anything like the real deal, hopefully im wrong :P

Keep us updated easy E.
 
Novacastrian said:
Hmmmmm, cider out of powder hey!? Who woulda thunk it.

Will be good for practice but i can't see it tasting anything like the real deal, hopefully im wrong :P

Keep us updated easy E.

Thats what I asked ! Dose it taste the same ? Hes reply was "unless you SORTA know what your doing and have 2 stages... it will taste better than your 1 stage first attempt" !
He had no more dollars to gain...

So I will give it a shot !

I will use also an EXTRA 500grms of brown sugar, and 500 grms of a native honey. With a touch of citric acid to level it out. and the juice from some cooking apples.
and a extra teaspoon of the Pure 6 yeast. To put Alcohol levels up !
 
If you want alcohol levels up it would be a simple matter of mixing a little home made "purified water" into it! A couple of litres of 180 proof should do the trick :hell:
 
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