# Cider from Fuji apples



## djsmi4 (18/3/16)

So the in-laws have a buttload of apples growing on their trees at the moment, and I was between brews at home. You can see where this is heading...

I picked up two eskies' worth of Fujis and their juicer last night, & took advantage of a day off today to make a batch of cider.

Here were the ingredients used:
* approx 350 Fuji apples of varying ripeness & size (yes I know cider apples are meant to fall from the tree rather than be picked)
* SN9 wine yeast
* 1kg dex
* 1L water to dissolve the dex in.

The two eskies' worth of Fujis were soaking in a sanitiser solution immediately prior to juicing, & prior to adding to the juicer I'd rinse them under the tap, remove the stem, and chuck them in the juicer.

3.5 hours later I had 19L of juice, ~2L of which was sediment. There was a lot of foam on top which I got rid of, and carefully cleaned the residue off the upper parts of the fermenter prior to adding the dissolved dex in 1L of hot water, then taking a hydrometer reading, then adding the yeast.

Total contents: 20L
OG: 1068 @ 24*C
Yeast added @ 24*C

I chucked this in the brew fridge set to 20*C, I'll bump it up to 22*C first thing in the morning (SN9 sachet stated 22-26*C range).

Hopefully it comes out ok! If not it's only cost 5 hours and $10, and it made an otherwise crappy day fun.

Please feel free to add your 2c on anything I may have improved on or what I could change from now. My main two concerns are the apples possibly not being ripe enough, and the 3.5hrs at room temperature to obtain 19L of juice.

Pics:







^^^ Parked out in the rain last night - soggy cardboard made life difficult...


























^^^ Getting there! Note the distinct foam / juice / sediment colours











^^^ Foam removed, fementer sides not cleaned yet.






^^^ FINALLY there. Note cloudiness of everything stirred up.






^^^ I could've squeezed more juice out of this if I had a bag, but I was working against time here. The birds will love this when I toss it out!

Thanks for reading 

-Dave-


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## TimT (18/3/16)

It'll be fine, wouldn't bother with the dextrose personally though.


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## TimT (18/3/16)

Doubtless you could have done a wild cider and not bothered with a commercial yeast too. I haven't heard of Fuji apple cider - I suppose they have some tannin in their skin - but you could supplement that if you wish with oak chips in secondary.


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## AJS2154 (18/3/16)

I hope it goes well for you mate. I have 2 granny smith tress in our backyard and intend to have a go at apple cider next season. 

Please let us know how it goes and what you woukd change next time....why reinvent the wheel?


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## djsmi4 (18/3/16)

TimT - Interesting points on the dex & yeast - I suppose I'd best see how this one turns out. The in-laws still have a similar amount of Fujis to get rid of, I've asked them to store them for me in the meantime, so I'll likely be doing a second cider in a month or so.

AJS2154 - I've read that grannies would make for some fairly tart cider, but why not give it a go & see what it tastes like! You could always supplement it with a sweetener when it comes to drinking it if need be...


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## dug (18/3/16)

Ha I've been making cider with that exact same juicer for the past few years!

One thing I have found useful is to juice straight into a cube, (gaffa tape a pipe onto the juicer outlet), then let that settle for 24 on a campden tablet. you can then decant the good mostly clear juice from the bottom sludge and the brown foam on the top.

I think it will go well.


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## Blind Dog (18/3/16)

havent tried a Fuji apple cider cos the only one I've seen is a flavoured alcopop type obscenity. Anyway, 'real' cider makers (to distinguish from the flavoured industrial alcohol brigade) tend to use a reasonably complex mix of varieties as very few apples make a decent cider by themselves. Even those that do like redstreak or Katy are a bit one dimensional, IMO. I know it's a matter of personal taste, but I'd be looking at adding at least 1 more variety to the mix - Granny Smith being a pretty good choice to add to sweeter dessert apples.


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## djsmi4 (19/3/16)

dug - given I didn't decant / am just using the one vessel, I'll see how this cider goes with the sediment. If it's fairly ordinary I'll likely get a cube like you've done, or a 2nd fermenter.

Blind Dog - Well I also happen to have a bag of Red Delicious and a bag of Grannies here, these could probably go into the next cider


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## djsmi4 (6/4/16)

So I bottled this yesterday.

OG: 1068
FG: umm... 1000

It turns out the apples weren't ripe enough for fermenting as the rocket fuel had a very tart flavour. You certainly get hit with the alcohol warmth, different to the dry taste the Black Rock tinned stuff had when I bottled that. It's not poison but it will be interesting to see how it goes once it's done conditioning. Also I think the wine yeast has given it a "sherry" factor. (and sherry/port "warmth").

I decided not to add anything else to it (essence, schnapps, etc) upon bottling, I'll just see how it goes as-is once carbonated.

I have a mate whose uncle's name is Dick Diepen. (pronounced "Deepin") - I think I'll name this cider after him hehe


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## manticle (6/4/16)

Uncle Richard?

Give it some conditioning time.


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## djsmi4 (20/4/16)

I cracked open the first longneck last night:






Tastes like a sparkling chardy cross with Granny Smiths. Smells sweet like Fuji apple though. Knocks your socks off.

A 2nd Fuji cider was made over the weekend at the in-laws' - although they juiced 24hrs prior into a cube & decanted into the fermenter on the brew day, so it's 11ty x clearer. No additional sugar added this time, & it has an OG of 1048. I think this one will turn out a bit more civilised.


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## Blind Dog (20/4/16)

Sounds like it could end up as a really nice cider if its tasting that way young. Real cider (as opposed to the industrial s**t that bears the name 'cider') usually needs a bit of time to mellow and for the flavours to fully develop. I know Thatchers uses large oak vats and mature for a minimum 6 weeks post fermentation, often longer. As you're maturing in the bottle, without oak and started with sugar 'enhanced' rocket fuel, it may take a little longer to really hit its straps, but those tasting notes are encouraging. I wouldn't touch it for at least another month, probably longer, until I tried it again.


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## indica86 (20/4/16)

SN9 is a great yeast. Dry as a nuns but leaves some very good flavour.

I did a bargain bin cider with bags of shit woolies apples and pears a while back.

Make sure you don't drink it too fast, the flavour can mature very well given time.


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## manticle (20/4/16)

djsmi4 said:


> ..... it's 11ty x clearer.


Twelfty.
The correct number is twelfty.

One, two, six, twelfty then infinity.


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## djsmi4 (20/4/16)

Cheers guys!

Yeah, I knew I was testing it too early but I couldn't help myself - for each brew I've done a taste-test a few weeks after bottling just to see how it's going - I do like noting the changes as a brew matures. I should probably have specific taste-test-stubbies for that purpose rather than "waste" an entire longneck early-on.

Twelfty - is that Welsh? I like it.


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## Blind Dog (20/4/16)

I think it's twellftyllangogogoch in Welsh


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## manticle (20/4/16)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BNJgy6j9gas


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## djsmi4 (7/5/16)

> A 2nd Fuji cider was made over the weekend at the in-laws' - although they juiced 24hrs prior into a cube & decanted into the fermenter on the brew day, so it's 11ty x clearer. No additional sugar added this time, & it has an OG of 1048. I think this one will turn out a bit more civilised.


So this has just been bottled. OG 1048, FG 1000. 24 longnecks & a lone stubby. Should be around 6.9%, a more reasonable drop. Looking forward to getting my brew fridge back, it's not the same when you're brewing at another house!


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## AJS2154 (7/5/16)

djsmi4 said:


> ...........it's not the same when you're brewing at another house!


Yes, but if I read your posts correctly, you are brewing at the in-laws!!

Sounds like you are trying to get in the good books with the mother in-law!! Give it up buddy. It will take more than a couple of cases of cider for her to learn to love you. Brew at home, get pissed on your own cider and relax.....scratch your nuts, burp and watch the footie.

Great posts by the way, thanks for keeping us informed. My turn next season. Anthony


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## Ducatiboy stu (7/5/16)

manticle said:


> Twelfty.
> The correct number is twelfty.
> 
> One, two, six, twelfty then infinity.


No, the correct number is eleventeen


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## djsmi4 (9/5/16)

AJS2154 said:


> Yes, but if I read your posts correctly, you are brewing at the in-laws!!
> 
> Sounds like you are trying to get in the good books with the mother in-law!! Give it up buddy. It will take more than a couple of cases of cider for her to learn to love you. Brew at home, get pissed on your own cider and relax.....scratch your nuts, burp and watch the footie.
> 
> Great posts by the way, thanks for keeping us informed. My turn next season. Anthony


Cheers!

Nah it's been good making cider with the in-laws, they're good value. But I am keen to get the brewing gear back to my own place again.

I went to a messy bonfire party on the weekend & took my range of beers & ciders along, which a few people had some glasses of. I've had a few "orders placed" so to speak (they give me craft beer, I give them home brew), so I've had the wife's blessing to grab a second brew setup so I can brew for myself & for others simultaneously. Pretty happy with that as I can mix & match & have a ton of different beers & ciders at any given time, rather than just the 5 I have now.

-Dave-


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## AJS2154 (9/5/16)

Sounds like the way most successful businesses start. Good luck mate, hope it works.


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