This is an ongoing process, please feel free to comment, I am still learning so much. I just want to share.
I started out with a simple home brew setup of a carboy, a secondary, and some bottles and enthusiasm.
1) I advertised on a local classified site asking for anyone that wanted to "share" apples. I was willing to make the cider, and would share, but don't expect anything.
My response was, I needed to take my add down after 3 days as I had 450lbs of apples and didn't even have a way of making juice yet.
2) I needed a way to make juice.
a) I built my own grinder and crusher. There are many designs online, I was rushed as I had 450lbs of apples and they were starting to go bad.
b) I have rebuilt my press/grinder 3 times in the past 4 years. I believe, if you want to do this. Buy a 5+ ton press and a manual grinder and a .5+ HP electric motor. (this will cost about $500) Work from there. Building from scratch will cost you more, trust me.
c) Watch youtube and read whatever you can. There is too much to learn here to write it down.
3) Sterilize everything. If it is going to touch the juice it better be sterile. Star-San is cheap compared to throwing away some evil smelling post fermented junk.
4) Read everything. I learned so much. What was I trying to accomplish? My dad (RIP) used to make cider from the apples that grew on our farm. I think my primary goal was to connect with him. He made terrible cider. He knew it, the family knew it, but he drank it anyways and refused to admit it.
a) So, my goal was to make cider better than what he made. After 4 years, my goals have been refined to try to make it better than what I can buy in the store, but that takes time.
5) OK, so now you have a grinder, a press, a carboy and a bunch of apples. Good to go!
a) If you just grind, press, and make juice, you can make cider. It will taste about the same as my father made, and you dont want to taste that. Trust me.
b) Wild Yeasts. Ive never gone there, seems really unreliable, so if you want that, go read about it. If you want to get rid of wild yeast. I know of 3 options:
i) Cook to 165 degrees to pasteurize. Be aware, this does not sterilize. If you want to sterilize read about it, cant explain. This is the primary approach I have used in the past. Works fine, and is quite reliable and I havent noticed a big issue with flavor problems.
ii) Metabisulfites/Sorbates Campden tables are easiest, but read up on this. Dont get too enthusiastic, you can effect flavor if you put too much in. Sulfites AND Sorbates are required.
iii) Filtering If you have this ability, good on you, but I dont think it is worth it in a PRE-fermentation process.
There could be more, I dont know of them.
6) Maybe you have your own apples. I was lucky enough to meet somebody with 6 apple trees and 3 pear trees that was willing to share. This may happen to you if you are eager and keep advertising. Now, when are the apples ripe? Good question! Get a refractometer. DO NOT PICK YOUR APPLES EARLY! You end up with sour, bitter crap that will never taste good. Go out every few days and read that sugar content. You will know when your apples are as ripe as they are going to get. Record that reading. Depending on the apple, it should be around 1.065 or so.
7) OK, so you have ground your apples, you have pressed your apples, you have removed the wild yeast from your apples. Now, fermentation. This is a really important step. What kind of yeast should I use?
a) I have used about 6 different yeasts in my time. The one most commonly suggested is Champagne yeast. I dont like it. I find it removes almost all flavor. My favorite so far is S-05. Safale ale yeast. Keeps way more of the fruit flavor than any other yeasts that I have tried so far.
b) Play around here, this is why you are doing this. I have a couple of smaller carboys, you can even use some 1 gallon bottles here. Play around, find out what you like.
8) Ferment at a consistent temperature. I now have a fridge and a temperature controller, but if you dont have that, you better have a place where the temperature stays consistently under 21(71F). This is important.
9) OK, I have this dry, odd tasting sorta tastes like cider if I could only make it sweeter. Now what?
a) This requires the most commitment in my opinion. I started out attempting to back sweeten with Xylitol and other un-natural sweeteners. This is completely a taste consideration. (Although too much Xylitol can cause the runs, so look out)
b) One thing I learned about is apple juice concentrate. This works well, but is limited, if you put in too much, you can create a bottle bomb.
c) After 3 years I bought a kegging system. If you want carbonated cider, this is a must. Dont bother with carbonating via yeast. The lack of back sweetening/flavoring just makes all the work disappointing. If you want the good stuff, get the keg.
d) Flavoring. There are absolutely no limitations here. Obviously, wait until you have consistency and a cider that you like. Then go nuts. Ginger, Black Cherry, Hops, Oh God, you have to try Hops!, etc.
10) Bottling Well, more than that. Aging. If you have gone through all this work, you are going to be very eager to try it. Wait 2 months at least until you call it as good as it will get. It needs to age, or you end up with a sour aftertaste that if you are sharing, isnt going to impress.
a) Bottling using Yeast - 1 half cup of brown sugar to 5 gallons of cider. (Honey or normal sugar works here too)
b) Bottling from a keg I have a Blichmann Bottling Gun. Make darned sure you over-carbonate by at least half a pound. You are going to lose CO2 during this process. Make sure you control the temperatures(Get your cider as cold as you can) and follow the charts. Temperature during carbonation is the key.
c) Next year I am going to try to filter my cider. I have read that if you have a 1 micron filter and a kegging system you can filter it from one keg to the other and remove even the yeast without affecting the flavor. I have bought what I need, just waiting on next years apples! If anyone has tried this and has advice, please! Share!
Thanks for reading. Please add your opinions, experience, or advice. We are all in this together.
I started out with a simple home brew setup of a carboy, a secondary, and some bottles and enthusiasm.
1) I advertised on a local classified site asking for anyone that wanted to "share" apples. I was willing to make the cider, and would share, but don't expect anything.
My response was, I needed to take my add down after 3 days as I had 450lbs of apples and didn't even have a way of making juice yet.
2) I needed a way to make juice.
a) I built my own grinder and crusher. There are many designs online, I was rushed as I had 450lbs of apples and they were starting to go bad.
b) I have rebuilt my press/grinder 3 times in the past 4 years. I believe, if you want to do this. Buy a 5+ ton press and a manual grinder and a .5+ HP electric motor. (this will cost about $500) Work from there. Building from scratch will cost you more, trust me.
c) Watch youtube and read whatever you can. There is too much to learn here to write it down.
3) Sterilize everything. If it is going to touch the juice it better be sterile. Star-San is cheap compared to throwing away some evil smelling post fermented junk.
4) Read everything. I learned so much. What was I trying to accomplish? My dad (RIP) used to make cider from the apples that grew on our farm. I think my primary goal was to connect with him. He made terrible cider. He knew it, the family knew it, but he drank it anyways and refused to admit it.
a) So, my goal was to make cider better than what he made. After 4 years, my goals have been refined to try to make it better than what I can buy in the store, but that takes time.
5) OK, so now you have a grinder, a press, a carboy and a bunch of apples. Good to go!
a) If you just grind, press, and make juice, you can make cider. It will taste about the same as my father made, and you dont want to taste that. Trust me.
b) Wild Yeasts. Ive never gone there, seems really unreliable, so if you want that, go read about it. If you want to get rid of wild yeast. I know of 3 options:
i) Cook to 165 degrees to pasteurize. Be aware, this does not sterilize. If you want to sterilize read about it, cant explain. This is the primary approach I have used in the past. Works fine, and is quite reliable and I havent noticed a big issue with flavor problems.
ii) Metabisulfites/Sorbates Campden tables are easiest, but read up on this. Dont get too enthusiastic, you can effect flavor if you put too much in. Sulfites AND Sorbates are required.
iii) Filtering If you have this ability, good on you, but I dont think it is worth it in a PRE-fermentation process.
There could be more, I dont know of them.
6) Maybe you have your own apples. I was lucky enough to meet somebody with 6 apple trees and 3 pear trees that was willing to share. This may happen to you if you are eager and keep advertising. Now, when are the apples ripe? Good question! Get a refractometer. DO NOT PICK YOUR APPLES EARLY! You end up with sour, bitter crap that will never taste good. Go out every few days and read that sugar content. You will know when your apples are as ripe as they are going to get. Record that reading. Depending on the apple, it should be around 1.065 or so.
7) OK, so you have ground your apples, you have pressed your apples, you have removed the wild yeast from your apples. Now, fermentation. This is a really important step. What kind of yeast should I use?
a) I have used about 6 different yeasts in my time. The one most commonly suggested is Champagne yeast. I dont like it. I find it removes almost all flavor. My favorite so far is S-05. Safale ale yeast. Keeps way more of the fruit flavor than any other yeasts that I have tried so far.
b) Play around here, this is why you are doing this. I have a couple of smaller carboys, you can even use some 1 gallon bottles here. Play around, find out what you like.
8) Ferment at a consistent temperature. I now have a fridge and a temperature controller, but if you dont have that, you better have a place where the temperature stays consistently under 21(71F). This is important.
9) OK, I have this dry, odd tasting sorta tastes like cider if I could only make it sweeter. Now what?
a) This requires the most commitment in my opinion. I started out attempting to back sweeten with Xylitol and other un-natural sweeteners. This is completely a taste consideration. (Although too much Xylitol can cause the runs, so look out)
b) One thing I learned about is apple juice concentrate. This works well, but is limited, if you put in too much, you can create a bottle bomb.
c) After 3 years I bought a kegging system. If you want carbonated cider, this is a must. Dont bother with carbonating via yeast. The lack of back sweetening/flavoring just makes all the work disappointing. If you want the good stuff, get the keg.
d) Flavoring. There are absolutely no limitations here. Obviously, wait until you have consistency and a cider that you like. Then go nuts. Ginger, Black Cherry, Hops, Oh God, you have to try Hops!, etc.
10) Bottling Well, more than that. Aging. If you have gone through all this work, you are going to be very eager to try it. Wait 2 months at least until you call it as good as it will get. It needs to age, or you end up with a sour aftertaste that if you are sharing, isnt going to impress.
a) Bottling using Yeast - 1 half cup of brown sugar to 5 gallons of cider. (Honey or normal sugar works here too)
b) Bottling from a keg I have a Blichmann Bottling Gun. Make darned sure you over-carbonate by at least half a pound. You are going to lose CO2 during this process. Make sure you control the temperatures(Get your cider as cold as you can) and follow the charts. Temperature during carbonation is the key.
c) Next year I am going to try to filter my cider. I have read that if you have a 1 micron filter and a kegging system you can filter it from one keg to the other and remove even the yeast without affecting the flavor. I have bought what I need, just waiting on next years apples! If anyone has tried this and has advice, please! Share!
Thanks for reading. Please add your opinions, experience, or advice. We are all in this together.