Thread: Hard Cider

Im thinking that I hit the alcohol tolerance. Through the airlock I can smell the alcohol.. in the same way you can smell it in a glass of wine.

Another question would be how long should I wait to rack and bottle? Do I let it clear out or just let it clear in the bottles?

Originally Posted by EmsMonkey

I'm thinking that I hit the alcohol tolerance. Through the airlock I can smell the alcohol.. in the same way you can smell it in a glass of wine.

Another question would be how long should I wait to rack and bottle? Do I let it clear out or just let it clear in the bottles?

I'll let mine sit till it's clear, about 1-2 weeks... Then I use a a piece of aquarium air line with a coffee filter rubber banded to the end... That will take out a lot of the sediment... Then I let it sit a second time and do it again...

I've been using pint mason jars for my liquid... Kind of a Old School Look...

I must confess that i'm a Cider drinker, and the UK does make the best Cider in the world, I dont like cider with yeast added but naturally introduced through the apple skins, like some west country cider makers do in the UK, i.m from Wales and dont like any Ciders under 6% vol, my two favourtie Ciders are a Welsh Cider called gwynt y Draig, which translated from Welsh means Black Dragon cider Vol 6.8%, another favourite of mine made by Gaymers called Newtons vale I think it's 6.5% Vol, there are many small artisan Cider makers in the UK, probably the oldest brew in the World. I think some of you guys in the States need to put in a small order of the Gwynt y Draig, you will not be dissapointed.

Jamie.

Ok... Here are pictures of my first batch... And maybe last batch... I guess I have grown accustom to store bought cider...

I'm not saying that I don't enjoy this, but it's just not as "CRISP"... Maybe if I were to chill it...

Originally Posted by NoseWarmer

but it's just not as "CRISP"... Maybe if I were to chill it...

I just pulled some of mine and im thinking the same thing! I may experiment with it in bottling to try and get that crispness. Tho im hoping that it will happen naturally with age.

So plan for the day
1: Go to pet store and get air hose
2:Use air host and coffee filter method as nose explained to rack to a second carboy.
3:Wash first carboy
4:Rack back into first carboy because i dont trust the second to not throw off plastic flavors.
5:While racking back to carboy #1 add my bentonite clay slurry for a fast clarification and to hopefully pull out some of the "muddier" flavors. Its funny to think that my mud mix will remove muddy flavors...

Also would like to point out that your cider is a bit darker than mine. Could this be due to the fact you didnt use filtered juice?

Originally Posted by EmsMonkey

I just pulled some of mine and I'm thinking the same thing! I may experiment with it in bottling to try and get that crispness. Tho I'm hoping that it will happen naturally with age.

Also would like to point out that your cider is a bit darker than mine. Could this be due to the fact you didn't use filtered juice?

I think mine is because of the Brown Sugar I used... I added extra the second time around...

OK... Second Taste test...

I've had about a half pint in the refrigerator so it's nice and cool... MUCH better since the "first nip"... The aroma is yeasty, but you can pick the apple out...

Upon the first sip, the boldness of fermentation is there but passes quickly and then a semi-dry apple flavor. AGAIN, not for the faint at heart...

A sniffer or a rocks glass (4 oz) would be plenty in one evening...

Originally Posted by EmsMonkey

So this being my first batch and everything. Is this normal... My cider was started on 5/22 it is now 5/29 it doesnt smell sweet anymore and the closest thing I can equate it to is white wine. Also the airlock is bubbling once every 10 seconds or so. Is this normal or should I be worried about a stall? My mead has been going almost a week longer and has a bubble every second or less still. Tho AJ is comprised of monosaccharide where honey (if im not mistaken) is comprised of polysaccharides so it will take longer to break down and there fore have a longer fermentation process.
Any who... Is my cider on track?

Hydrometer... a hydrometer will tell you a lot.
Lacking a hydrometer you can resort to a farmers trick
of adding small amounts of simple sugar syrup. When
adding a little bit of sugar fails to wake up the yeast
you are about alcohol limited.
Since we do not know the temperature, initial sugar load,
yeast type, etc. there is no way to know where you are
or are going.

Still the airlock will tell you that the yeast is still active
within limits. As long as the lock is not broken you are
still good to go. As long as the brew is working you can
push an ounce of syrup into the jug so you can max
out the alcohol to the tolerance of your yeast.

There are many brewing books and brewing web sites
where brewmaster is used the way we use honemaster.
Avail yourself....

So after racking I added about 2 cups of brown sugar to the mix and let it sit. It started bubbling again. Not nearly as fast as before but it defiantly picked up speed. It has sat again and the bubbling is down to once every 35 seconds. Im going to do another tasting today and then maybe start thinking about bottles.

Will be going to its new home tomorrow. 750ml wine bottles. It has sat in the fridge in the bottling bucket for the past few days. Had some today and it was good. Could use some aging to better harmonize the flavor.