Hello from Athens, OH! :)

Hey all. I am a 29 year old freelance web developer working from home and, as of late, have been wanting to make my own brews. I had thought about ale or even wine but as I am pursuing the paleo route (a type of diet), I can't really take in grains. I personally love hard cider and the complex recipes I see everyone posting.

The fact that you can choose your choice of apple blend, your yeast, and even additive ingredients that provide additional flavor (spices/sugar sources) make it appealing. I am new to this and haven't even pursued my first batch yet as I need to buy the materials. I have been on here the past couple of days reading up on the fermentation process (yeast converting sugar into ethanol and creating the byproduct CO2) as well as the various terms you guys use. Educating myself as of late on what Tannins are, what gravity is and how to get ABV%.

My first goal is to go to lowes and get a food grade 5 gallon bucket. I would assume that would be good for about 3 gallons of hard cider as I know you need to leave room near the top (about 1/4). I was also getting a tube to ciphon my cider, and an airlock to allow the CO2 to be released without allowing Oxygen to enter thus turning it into vinegar (which is useful in case I need to make my own I guess).

Is there something other than expensive growlers or carboys that I can bottle my stuff in? Also confused on what the secondary fermentation process is for. Why is there a primary and secondary? To get rid of some of the yeast? Trying to do this on a budget right now until I know this is something I really enjoy doing.

Thanks

Welcome! I love making cider, although I just do a very simple, easy to drink version. You can bottle the cider in beer, wine or champagne bottles. Beer or champagne work for sparkling or still cider, the wine bottles are only for still cider. Wine or champagne bottles will require a cork (and corker), beer bottles require caps and a capper. For beer bottles, you will need non-twist-off bottles. I have a pub that will collect bottles for me if I ask them in the morning and stop by on my way home at night.

Have you wandered by the cider making subforum here at HBT? https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/

Also, I wonder if Mead (honey wine) is paleo enough for your diet?

Hey Pappers_, thanks for the info! Definitely helps I live in a college town with a lot of bars so bottles should be easy to find. As for Mead, that should work too! As long as there are no grains or dairy in it Wine, Cider and Mead should do nicely.

Heck, I think there is even a section for all three of those isn't there.

Welcome to the group. I am drinking my first bottle of fully carb'd Ed Wort's Apfelwein, it is awesome. Planning on doing a batch next with some rasberry or dark cherry for 1/4 of the must. I make wine kits too, they are fantastic- while brewing is only marginally cheaper than buying commercial, wine, cider, and mead are a huge savings. Pride adds value, too.

Cyclman said:

Welcome to the group. I am drinking my first bottle of fully carb'd Ed Wort's Apfelwein, it is awesome. Planning on doing a batch next with some rasberry or dark cherry for 1/4 of the must. I make wine kits too, they are fantastic- while brewing is only marginally cheaper than buying commercial, wine, cider, and mead are a huge savings. Pride adds value, too.

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Nice! Guessing you are doing 3/4 apples for the must or it wouldn't be Cider/Apfelwein Right now I am looking for a fast recipe to try it out. I am going down to Lowes tomorrow to pick up the food grade bucket, tubing for syphoning, and the airlock. Still need some yeast though but dont know where they sell any around here.