Cider Recipe - With A Slight Zang

[Bats]

Since I was kindly given a couple of 5 litre demijohns from a mate, I have been experimenting with recipes I would never have even thought of attempting in the past, i.e Meads etc.

I have brewed Apple Ciders before using both purchased apple juice and freshly juiced apples.

I want to experiment with an Apple cider with a bit of spice but can not really find too much on here to help.

I was thinking a little over 4 litres of apple juice, then adding some spices to ferment.

Any ideas guys? I have cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg, all spice, cardoman pods etc.

Shoud I experiment with all, or only some? How much of each?

Cheers,

Bats.

 

[Bats]

I was thinking along the lines of Apple pie.

An apple cider with a bit of seasoning but nothing too overpowering.

I have been known to be heavy handed with spices and don't want to mess this up.

 

[mikec]

Cinnamon and vanilla!

 

[Bats]

Cinnamon and vanilla!

Sounds like a delicious option.

Any tips on how much of each for a little over 4 litres?

 

[GalBrew]

Remember to not go overboard on the spices though. It is always easier to beef them up down the track if you want some more. Also keep in mind that a good way to add spice to a beer or cider os to create a tincture, which is basically extracting the spice oils into an alcohol base such as vodka. This also lets you add spice at the end to taste. There is quite a good episode of the session on the brewing network where they discuss in depth the art of making pumpkin beers that has a lot of spice info in it.

Personally I would make a tincutre as I like to adjust my cider to taste in the keg. :beer:

 

[bum]

In my ginger beers, I'll often use maybe 10 short cinnamon quills, 5 cloves, half a fresh, ground nutmeg...uh...nut(?) and up to 10 cardamom pods (23L batch size). I reckon these would sit way more forward in a cider than a GB and would personally start out with half the amounts shown here thene work from there. I'd also leave the clove out entirely, I think it would be too hard to manage in such a small batch size and you'd end up making an oral anasthetic!

The cinnamon and valilla sounds like a pretty good idea - I just wonder how the vanilla would sit if your cider ends up very dry.

Perhaps try Adam's tincture idea and add some to a commercial cider to get an idea of amounts to use.

 

[mikec]

Sounds like a delicious option.

Any tips on how much of each for a little over 4 litres?

I'd be guessing mate.
I've added vanilla to a finished cider, and next time I'll try cinnamon in the ferment, time after that vanilla in the ferment.
Small batches, small amount of spice, work your way up.
I use the Oztops and I've got a bunch of 2 litre glass juice bottles. Ridiculously easy to make cider this way.

 

[Helles]

Heres mine Link
Tasted it the other week
Touch of cinnamon
And vanilla in the back ground
Although it was made to age for at least a year or two

Edit: going to have a tast now

Edit:Touch of cinnamon on the nose Maybe some vanilla and apples of course
Flavour is apples little cinnamon A bit of honey
Tastes still a bit sweet But FG was at 1002 from memory

To me the spices seem right but not a lot of vanilla
Might add a bit more vanilla next time but will make this again

 

[adamh]

I was thinking along the lines of Apple pie.

An apple cider with a bit of seasoning but nothing too overpowering.

I have been known to be heavy handed with spices and don't want to mess this up.

G'day - I'm very interested in what you go with. Liquid Apple Pie sounds delicious :lol:

Cloves would be my bet to get that apple pie spice. That's what I always put in when I make a pie anyway. And brown sugar - so maybe molasses?

 

[NDH]

I've done a full 23l batch using berri apple juice, vanilla pods and cinnamon quills.

I boiled 1 x 2.4l bottle with 2 split vanilla pods and 1 quill plus some yeast nutrient for about 5-10 mins then poured the lot in the fermenter

The cinnamon ended up overpowering and vanilla only just in the background. It had the apple pie taste I was looking for but just too much cinnamon.

I would suggest either take the quill out after pasturising in the juice or 'dry hop' it later in the ferment. The vanilla may shine through a bit more then.

Cheers

NDH