Hard Cider

Alcoholic beverages which are not classified as spirits.

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PTS_35
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Re: Hard Cider

Post by PTS_35 »

swedishbrewer wrote:I don't have any specific resource in english to point you to, just years of experience. 6 grams per liter is what I have always used and it works well. I think anywhere between say 4-9g is fine depending on how much carbonaton you want but if you are afraid of exploding bottles etc then maybe it's better to sacrifice a small amount of carbination and go with less sugar instead of pushing the .
Is that 4 to 9 grams per liter based on pasturizing afterwards or just leaving them and then storing some place cool for aging?
PTS_35
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Re: Hard Cider

Post by PTS_35 »

Is anyone still looking at this thread? I have done something different with the hard cider. Going off a beer site suggestion of adding hops I took 2 can apple juice concentrate and then added enough cider to meet 2 gallon. I then used safale 05 and fermented 3 weeks or so. Then racked for two weeks then added yarrylo hops, .75 oz and dry hopped it for a week. Racked, primed and bottled beer bottle style. Two weeks later the cider tasted 10x better than my first attempt last year, held a head like beer but only for a couple seconds and was totally drinkable. This is the way to go for me. I wanted my cider beer like and think I hit the right spot. Next to to try different appropriate hops. Yarrylo has banana and other notes that supposed to compliment.
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Re: Hard Cider

Post by Jimbo »

hopped cider! I like it. I'll have to give that a try, thanks for the tip.
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PTS_35
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Re: Hard Cider

Post by PTS_35 »

Yes sir Jimbo. And the safale 05...love it. More beer like I think. Really left a profile that ec1118 and nottingham can't touch imo. I may be wrong on the weight though. I think I did a full ouncertain of the yarrylo on the 2 gal then did less on a 1 gal I did. Have to check so I can post accurately. But it's only been bottled for maybe a month now and though it's still a bit young and you can taste that but it's totally drinkable
PTS_35
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Re: Hard Cider

Post by PTS_35 »

.75 ounce yarrylo hops for the 2 gal cider. Dry hopped for a week
Red Barn Distiller
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Re: Hard Cider

Post by Red Barn Distiller »

I made cider for the first time last fall. I sourced Cortland, Dolgo crab, Golden Delicious, and Macintosh apples to make a 10 gallon blend that is hopefully balanced in regard to sweetness, tartness, and tannin. I added some of my maple syrup to boost alcohol content. It fermented dry, and is currently residing in a medium toasted white oak barrel previously used for brandy. I haven't tasted it since I racked it into the barrel. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will have been worth the effort. I can always distill it into brandy. I've planted cider renowned apple trees (Esopus Spitzenburg, Dabinett, Golden Russet, Kingston Black, Wickson Crab) at my camp, but they are still 2-3 years away from production.
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Re: Hard Cider

Post by Red Barn Distiller »

I also inoculated the cider with a malolactic culture to soften and round out the acid, especially since it was fermented dry. Lactic acid metabolizes/converts the harsher malic acid to lactic (milk) acid. The cider will sit on the lees in the barrel until this spring to next fall (unsure yet), when it will be racked and bottled.
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