Holiday Cider

[cmarshall1087]

I'm hosting family Christmas this year. I totally got sidetracked, and haven't started my batch yet.

I'm trying to do a batch of a cranberry/orange/cinnamon hard cider. Do you think I can use the below recipe (completely untested lol) and get it drinkable by Dec 26th?

3 gallons Motts Apple Juice
2 cans frozen cranberry juice concentrate
2 cans apple juice concentrate
1 tsp orange extract
3 cinnamon sticks

2 packets of Danstar nottingham yeast.

I know with bottle carbing time, its out of the question, so I'll probably keg it, and fill growlers for my sisters.

Thoughts??? am i nuts for trying???

 

[myndflyte]

Since you're overpitching, it's possible it could be done in a week. Drinkable? Maybe. It's cutting it real close though.

 

[bmd2k1]

Get it fermenting I've seen a # of posts from peeps that ferment only 5-7days and are happy with their endgame....you've got 13ish.

Cheers & good luck!

 

[cmarshall1087]

Alright everyone. Chime in here. I did 4 gallons of apple juice (no preservatives), 1 gallon of Cranberry juice concentrate (no preservatives), and 1 oz of Orange extract. I pitched one packet of wyeast 1056 (american ale) after the packet swelled like a sunofabitch, at room temp. its been 48 hours and there is not a damn bubble or sign or fermentation. WTF to do!? Did I add something non-fermentable? Why the hell isn't anything happening?

I went out today to get a bunch of stuff to make a starter in case I need to re pitch, I'm going to overpitch a 2L batch to make this thing fly.

I need it in 11 days!

HELP!~

 

[2CrazyDogs]

I would give it a little bit. I'm doing my first cider. I did five gallons of Indian Summer Cider in a fermenting bucket, and pitched a 1.5L starter I made from some WLP095 Burlington Ale yeast slurry I used in a NEIPA. With a healthy pitch of starter at high krausen it took a little over 24 hours to see airlock activity. Now, that being said, I have had brews that I never got airlock activity (possible a poor lid seal); it still stealthily fermented away. Take a peak and see if you have any krausen, or if you took a OG, see if you're points are dropping. Best of luck, cranberry and orange sounds pretty good!

 

[bernardsmith]

One gallon of cranberry juice concentrate? What was the starting gravity of this must?

 

[cmarshall1087]

One gallon of cranberry juice concentrate? What was the starting gravity of this must?

1.062, nothing crazy.
I made a 1 gallon batch with EC-1118, but used pure cranberry juice and apple juice and it was 1.052.

 

[cmarshall1087]

I would give it a little bit. I'm doing my first cider. I did five gallons of Indian Summer Cider in a fermenting bucket, and pitched a 1.5L starter I made from some WLP095 Burlington Ale yeast slurry I used in a NEIPA. With a healthy pitch of starter at high krausen it took a little over 24 hours to see airlock activity. Now, that being said, I have had brews that I never got airlock activity (possible a poor lid seal); it still stealthily fermented away. Take a peak and see if you have any krausen, or if you took a OG, see if you're points are dropping. Best of luck, cranberry and orange sounds pretty good!

I've noticed a few things:

1. I don't really get a krausen at all with cider.
2. I never get airlock activity (visibly at least) with a 3 piece airlock; but my "S" airlocks bubble like mad.

 

[cmarshall1087]

But I pitch another packet of US-05, and hope for the best. I'm leaving it be till Thursday. I figure by then I 'll check the FG and see where it's at. I think the WYeast I pitched initially may not have been up to the task of handling the cider, so hopefully overpitching with the 05 will help.

I'm definitely moving towards making starters, and I'll try to harvest the slurry from these batches for future use!

 

[cmarshall1087]

So this has come out awesome. FG (using US-05) came to 1.02 and held. I bottled a little prematurely because I wanted it for holiday party. I decided to do this batch as a still cider. First few bottles were ok, lots of stuff in suspension. Its now been 1 week since putting it in the fridge, and my god its delicious!!!

Next time I'll up the cranberry a little bit, but I love how it came out with the US-05.

My test batch with 1118 is still sitting in primary, I'm planning on letting it sit another two weeks, then trying to back sweeten it. Its down at .998.

Thanks for keeping me patient, this is one of my favorite ciders now!!

 

[bmd2k1]

So this has come out awesome. FG (using US-05) came to 1.02 and held. I bottled a little prematurely because I wanted it for holiday party. I decided to do this batch as a still cider. First few bottles were ok, lots of stuff in suspension. Its now been 1 week since putting it in the fridge, and my god its delicious!!!

Next time I'll up the cranberry a little bit, but I love how it came out with the US-05.

My test batch with 1118 is still sitting in primary, I'm planning on letting it sit another two weeks, then trying to back sweeten it. Its down at .998.

Thanks for keeping me patient, this is one of my favorite ciders now!!

Did the cranberry & orange tastes survive the primary fermentation?

 

[cmarshall1087]

Did the cranberry & orange tastes survive the primary fermentation?

Absolutely! Cranberry a little less so than the orange, but it came out amazing!