beer Simple Fortified Dry Cider Fermentation

CaneDog

CaneDog

eXtreme
I used to brew beer from time to time, but it's been a while. Decided the other day I'd knock out a simple fortified dry cider. No 8+ hour day cleaning, sanitizing, mashing, etc., just some Star San in a carboy then a few minutes of shaking and mixing.

I started with 28 ounces = 800 grams of dextrose and Montrachet wine yeast added it to three 3/4 gallon containers = 8.5 liters of store apple juice. I found a fourth jug of apple juice during primary and topped it off to 2-2/3 to 2-3/4 gallons = 10 - 10.5 liters. I figure that OG was in the 1.075 - 1.08 range and that the Montrachet will bring it down close to a 1.00 FG. That suggests a 9.5% - 10.5% ABV range as a ballpark. I'm just winging this one so the refractometer stayed in the cupboard.

For dry ciders, this method works pretty well. There are some local orchards north of me where I can get fresh squeezed cider if I want to make a sweeter cider or get a better balance, but I like dry cider and these turn out pretty good when given some time in a cool secondary.

Anyhow, here's the pics.

Bag o' dextrose.
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The Montrachet packet was a little past its use date, but stepped up like a champ.
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Primary, at around 24 hours.
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All cloudy with yeasts doing their thing.
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Now that the yeast has settled, I'll let it chill a while before I keg it up :)
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That is too funny brother, I was thinking the same thing, bought this little kit a few weeks ago, because I was going to be "indoors" for a spell.

We have this place up here called Carrizozo, NM, which has the best cherry juice, ive ever taste. I want to do a batch with that juice, but I haven't been able to find it this year. Carrizozo is kinda like your Yakima valley (aka Salsalady Territory) Hopefully it turns out alright. I will keep you posted!

P.S. the yeast is called fruity ale, and is also a bit dated but that's OK.

Cheers!

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Sweet! That's a great little kit. They even give you a racking cane and tubing. I've never done anything with cherry juice, though I made an American style cherry porter once putting actual cherries into the secondary. So, are you going forward with an apple cider now then instead of holding out to find the cherry juice?
 
Well, I still have a little time left to look, if I cant find it, then for sure, apple juice. I attached the little pamphlet in the kit, and says what type of apple juice to look for:

I guess I cant be choosy when I come a bumming.

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Hopefully you can find the cherry juice. If you go with apple, Whole Foods unfiltered in a one gallon glass jug is one of the better ones you can find commonly available. Plus you can use the 1g glass jug for future batches. Pretty much any apple juice works though, as few of them have the preservatives that will interfere with fermentation. I just used a cheap one this time, but the Montrachet yeast really dries out the cider and the more dry it is the less concerned I am with the quality of the juice I'm using.
 
CaneDog said:
I used to brew beer from time to time, but it's been a while. Decided the other day I'd knock out a simple fortified dry cider. No 8+ hour day cleaning, sanitizing, mashing, etc., just some Star San in a carboy then a few minutes of shaking and mixing.
Click to expand...

Haha, I could have written this myself! We vary a little on the recipe, but the end result is the same. I make 6 gallons at a time (the Mrs. likes her hard cider, lol). I use brown sugar and Cider House Select Premium yeast. Finishes at about 6% ABV. I kill it, them back sweeten a tad. We're not super dry fans. Once it clears, I jug it and store it in the basement (60F). Good stuff!
 
@Downriver Yep, it's still surprisingly easy and I bet those taste great. I find most people prefer it a little sweeter and with the different yeasts and backsweetening it sure gives you a lot of options.

BTW, I don't think I responded to your post in my glog, but I hope you do decide to keep a glog this year. It would be cool to see what you're up to.
 
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Same here. I used Wyeast from time to time and some others occasionally, but I went through a lot of those WLP vials. I see that they have a Funky Cider WLP616 that's a blend of two Saccharomyces strains combined with some Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus. That sounds kind of unusual and interesting. I'm not a big fan of bringing Brett inside, but that's not such a concern if I'm not brewing regularly. I may have to give that one a try once I've moved the current one to cold storage.
 
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The one thing i did like about the wyeast was the test tube shipping containers lol. 616 looks like a fast yeast, maybe offset the funky with sweeter apples? Can always strain off the pond scum. I can see what you mean if the temps rise though.
 
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Definitely! I've taken these up to 12% and change with the Montrachet finishing them and I'm sure it could go higher. Backsweetening is an option, but for anything other than a very dry sparling cider I'd generally use a different yeast. I don't mind them dry though and it's a simple method for getting my feet wet again.
 
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