tdexterc
Well-Known Member
Hey everybody, I've been doing a lot of small batch cider experiments lately and this one turned out so good that I thought I should share it! This recipe is for a simple 2 gallon batch, but you can multiply it to any amount easily. I'll be doing this in a 5 gallon batch soon to bring to my wedding in August!
Maple Pecan Cider
-2 gallons of Apple Juice (I used simple Aldi brand 100% juice)
-2 cans of frozen apple juice concentrate
-fermented at 67-68 for 1 week using California Ale Yeast (any clean, not fruity ale yeast will do. Some prefer Nottingham, others use Champagne, I just use whatever I have extra of kicking around!)
-after 1 week, add 6oz chopped candied pecans (recipe down below) and let fermentation finish up for another week.
-during this time, scrape and chop 1 vanilla bean and add to 1/4 cup bourbon. let this soak for 1 week.
-before bottling/kegging, add the vanilla/bourbon tincture and back-sweeten with 7-8oz (by weight) of maple syrup. This seems to be slightly sweet to me and just right, not overpowering. Adjust maple amount to taste.
-Remember that if you bottle this, you must refrigerate or pasteurize this! otherwise... BOOM!
Candied Pecans
-6oz pecans, roughly chopped, 2tsp cinnamon, 1/4c brown sugar
-combine ingredients in a pan on the stove-top and heat on medium until the sugar begins to melt and break down. This takes a while (20 mins?), but you must keep an eye on it. It will go from done to burnt in no time! Heat and stir until the sugar has melted and coated the pecans and turns nice and shiny. once it's sticky and shiny pull it from the heat before it begins to smoke and spread on wax paper.
Maple Pecan Cider
-2 gallons of Apple Juice (I used simple Aldi brand 100% juice)
-2 cans of frozen apple juice concentrate
-fermented at 67-68 for 1 week using California Ale Yeast (any clean, not fruity ale yeast will do. Some prefer Nottingham, others use Champagne, I just use whatever I have extra of kicking around!)
-after 1 week, add 6oz chopped candied pecans (recipe down below) and let fermentation finish up for another week.
-during this time, scrape and chop 1 vanilla bean and add to 1/4 cup bourbon. let this soak for 1 week.
-before bottling/kegging, add the vanilla/bourbon tincture and back-sweeten with 7-8oz (by weight) of maple syrup. This seems to be slightly sweet to me and just right, not overpowering. Adjust maple amount to taste.
-Remember that if you bottle this, you must refrigerate or pasteurize this! otherwise... BOOM!
Candied Pecans
-6oz pecans, roughly chopped, 2tsp cinnamon, 1/4c brown sugar
-combine ingredients in a pan on the stove-top and heat on medium until the sugar begins to melt and break down. This takes a while (20 mins?), but you must keep an eye on it. It will go from done to burnt in no time! Heat and stir until the sugar has melted and coated the pecans and turns nice and shiny. once it's sticky and shiny pull it from the heat before it begins to smoke and spread on wax paper.
