Cider

[jermzlatitude37]

I want to make cider!! Any awesome easy recipes ? What's a good yeast?? I've looked into it and want great taste good ABV.

 

[krackin]

To start you should go through the threads. You will find a wealth of information.

 

[jermzlatitude37]

Got some good info . Just looking for something that stands out. I don't want to do the college guy brew and not really willing to experiment to much. I brew a lot if beer and want to give a recipe that the wife can make and join in! I was thinking champagne yeast?? Juice to sugar ratio for 5gals

 

[454k30]

Take a look around at these threads and you will see that there are hundreds of cider ideas. You can go super simple with 5 gallons of treetop and a packet of ale yeast, all the way up to making what is essentially meed. Read a lot and have fun!

 

[454k30]

LOL, i was writing while you were! The first cider I made was 5 gallons of store bought, pasturized apple juice. I poured that straight from the bottle into a fermenter and pitched an ale yeast on top of it. I bottled that cider and used priming sugar (same amount I would've used for a beer) to add carbonation. The result was a fizzy and dry cider with about 4% ABV. Cider can be simple or complex it is all up to you.

 

[jermzlatitude37]

I have an extra Cali ale yeast vile and lots of corn sugar and my kids apple juice from Costco?? Did you guys add sugar to your juice to help with fermentation??how long did u ferment??

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

Costco has a nice Kirkland Brand "Fresh Pressed" apple juice. 2 gallons for around $8 or so. 5.5 gallons into a 6.5 gallon carboy/bucket with an ale yeast would be my suggestion. If you ferment dry you'll end up with about 7% abv and you can enjoy it fairly young. I'd go with about 7-10 days in primary and up to a month in secondary. You'll probably want to ferment on the lower end of 60º F, so if it's WLP001, you might need to just pick up some dry yeast.

 

[krackin]

Just be forewarned, making cider can be very habit forming. It is my favorite beverage. I grew up with local fresh pressed in season over 50 years ago. Love it.

 

[buckeyeintexas]

If you like sweet cider you should look at the caramel apple cider by upstate mike. He modified it on pg 42 a little. I would use an ale yeast for your first batches. Champagne yeast can add too much abv and require aging your cider. Also if you like carbonated and sweet like my wife and I, you should read the sticky about stovetop pasteurization or backsweeten with an unfermentable sugar or sugar alcohol called xylitol. I read the website http://www.howtomakehardcider.com/ and followed the basic recipe. From there you can play with your recipe by adding other flavors and more or less sugar.

 

[jermzlatitude37]

Buckeye thanks! That's everything I need! Straight and to the point!! I'm make a lot of beer, and read a chapter on cider and wondered why I haven't made it?? Good looking out I'll get back to you after it hits the glass!! Boom