Newbie Cider Recipe

[Oldskooler]

I am going to try this simple cider recipe, I am open to any suggestions for improvement and
any ideas on what my finished abv may be? Thank you...

Sweet apple Cider (Hard)
4 Gallons Apple Juice
4 Cans AJ Concentrate
2 lbs. Demerera Sugar
2 lbs. Honey
1 Pack Windsor Dry Yeast

 

[JimRausch]

Number 1- go down to your local homebrew shop and buy a hydrometer, Better yet buy 2- they're cheap and break easily. Trying to figure out your ABV will be a rough guess, but here's my figuring: Assuming this is a 5G batch? The fresh cider/apple juice will give you a starting SG of around 1.040. Then you added the fajc- you probably added another 160 points as a wild ass guess. Then the 2 lbs sugar and 2 lb honey will give you another 160 points. So you may be making rocket fuel with a OG of around 1.096? The limit may be how much attenuation you can get out of your 1 packet of yeast. If everything goes well cider usually ferments down to 1.000. So you may be looking at 11% ABV.
This is mostly just a guess. A hydrometer will tell you exactly what you are starting at and also tell you when you are done.

 

[JimRausch]

You also asked for suggestions: Drop the fajc, or save 1 can for bottling time. Drop the sugar, and cut back on the honey to 1 lb. This would give you a much more drinkable hard cider with an ABV of around 6% that you could actually start to enjoy in 6 weeks or so. With your recipe, you would have to age it for 6 months- 1 year before it would be drinkable.

 

[Drewed]

Agreed! Your original recipe is for a cyser, and a boozy one at that.

 

[Oldskooler]

Number 1- go down to your local homebrew shop and buy a hydrometer, Better yet buy 2- they're cheap and break easily. Trying to figure out your ABV will be a rough guess, but here's my figuring: Assuming this is a 5G batch? The fresh cider/apple juice will give you a starting SG of around 1.040. Then you added the fajc- you probably added another 160 points as a wild ass guess. Then the 2 lbs sugar and 2 lb honey will give you another 160 points. So you may be making rocket fuel with a OG of around 1.096? The limit may be how much attenuation you can get out of your 1 packet of yeast. If everything goes well cider usually ferments down to 1.000. So you may be looking at 11% ABV.
This is mostly just a guess. A hydrometer will tell you exactly what you are starting at and also tell you when you are done.

Thank you for your quick response I really appreciate your input.

 

[Oldskooler]

You also asked for suggestions: Drop the fajc, or save 1 can for bottling time. Drop the sugar, and cut back on the honey to 1 lb. This would give you a much more drinkable hard cider with an ABV of around 6% that you could actually start to enjoy in 6 weeks or so. With your recipe, you would have to age it for 6 months- 1 year before it would be drinkable.

Great idea, I like the 6% and much shorter aging. Thank you for your input

 

[z-bob]

I am going to try this simple cider recipe, I am open to any suggestions for improvement and
any ideas on what my finished abv may be? Thank you...

Sweet apple Cider (Hard)
4 Gallons Apple Juice
4 Cans AJ Concentrate
2 lbs. Demerera Sugar
2 lbs. Honey
1 Pack Windsor Dry Yeast

That's too much sugar! It will take forever to finish and you won't like the taste -- and I don't know if Windsor will be able to handle it. For 4 gallons of juice, add 1 pound of sugar (your choice what kind of sugar) and a little yeast nutrient. AJ concentrate to prime the bottles might be nice; I've always just primed with white sugar.

My favorite yeasts so far have been Cote des Blanc and Vinter's Harvest AW4. But my latest batch using S-33 slurry is very nice. Smells like apples when I open a bottle. The S-33 fermented fast but took much longer to carbonate than the wine yeasts.

 

[Oldskooler]

That's too much sugar! It will take forever to finish and you won't like the taste -- and I don't know if Windsor will be able to handle it. For 4 gallons of juice, add 1 pound of sugar (your choice what kind of sugar) and a little yeast nutrient. AJ concentrate to prime the bottles might be nice; I've always just primed with white sugar.

My favorite yeasts so far have been Cote des Blanc and Vinter's Harvest AW4. But my latest batch using S-33 slurry is very nice. Smells like apples when I open a bottle. The S-33 fermented fast but took much longer to carbonate than the wine yeasts.

Thank you for the input all ideas are welcome.