Snow? Time for cider!

[BuddyWeiser]

I brewed a hard cider for the fall season back on July 2nd. When I woke up to snow falling this morning, I decided I'd better pop a top and raise my cup in toast to the coming season!
Here's to heavy coats and a warm buzz!

 

[Xpertskir]

I started a batch of edworts apfelwein on 7-2 thats really weird. It's still in the carboy though, and I'm not kegging until I move, which is in november or december.

 

[Jayhem]

You started drinking as soon as you woke up for the day? I guess that's how you have to stay warm in MT! I'd go nuts if it were snowing before Thanksgiving! After the 1 or 2 small snowfalls we get in Virginia in Late December or January I've had enough and ready for spring!

 

[ktblunden]

It was 100° here yesterday. I would appreciate some colder weather quite a bit. I just bottled a batch of apfelwein last week, looking forward to those being ready by Halloween.

 

[Xpertskir]

It was 100° here yesterday. I would appreciate some colder weather quite a bit. I just bottled a batch of apfelwein last week, looking forward to those being ready by Halloween.

how many volumes do you carb apfelwien to?

 

[david_42]

It was toasty last weekend, but I've got five gallons of blackberries (and 5 lb of sugar) fermenting in the sink as I type. Might do some apple cider next year, more likely the year after. Deer got the apples this year and damaged both good trees down south. The trees we planted in Oak Grove are too new. Might take a shot at grafting good apple scions into an old junk apple tree at the cabin.

 

[ktblunden]

how many volumes do you carb apfelwien to?

Going with 2.7 volumes.

 

[BuddyWeiser]

Here's my cider recipe. (Does not require you to grow your own apples!)

Ichabod Cider

4 gal preservative free apple cider
1.5 gal cranberry juice cocktail
1 lb light brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean
2 tsp ground cinnamon (added when bottling/kegging)
1-2 packs dry champagne yeast
2 qts water

Add sugar to water and boil for 5 min
At 1 min of boil remaining, add the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean
Cool, remove spices, and add to fermenter
Add apple cider and cranberry juice cocktail to fermenter
Add yeast to fermenter
Aerate well
Ferment at 65 deg F for 3 weeks
When bottling/kegging, add 2 tsp ground cinnamon (along with corn sugar if bottle priming).

My OG = 1.058 / FG = 0.999

Tasting notes: Good enough for breakfast!

 

[BrewinHooligan]

Sounds like a tasty treat! I used to live in Kallispell and still have family there. They sent me a picture of Big Mountain with snow on it today and man did it make me homesick... You should try adding some fresh huckleberry juice to that instead of the cranberry juice cocktail!

 

[GoJo21]

Been searching a bit but haven't clearly found how long should cider be bottle conditioned? And should it condition around 70 Degrees aswell?
Also how much corn sugar at bottling time?

Thanks

 

[BuddyWeiser]

fresh huckleberry juice

YES! :rockin:

how long should cider be bottle conditioned?

Cider can take a long dang time, especially if you add sugar to up the ABV. My first cider had 2 lbs of honey and 2 lbs of brown sugar (approx 12% abv), and it's still improving in the remaining couple bottles. For most ciders, 100 days of bottle conditioning is good IMO.

should it condition around 70 Degrees aswell?

70 deg will help it carbonate by 3-4 weeks. You could condition it at a colder temp if you are willing wait beyond the minimum time for carbonating. The colder it gets, the longer it might take.

Also how much corn sugar at bottling time?

This is based largely on 3 things; how much carbonation you want, the volume of beer/cider you will be bottling, and the temp of the beer/cider when you are bottling (residual C02 level).
Check out this calculator for help.

 

[GoJo21]

Thanks for the tips! Think I will try my hand at it next weekend although it may be a bit out of season once its done