Double Cider And Juicy Cider

[nathan_madness]

So I got my fermentation fridge sorted today. Temp controller in a F&P C340 it can hold 3 23L fermenters. Looks pretty sweet. Decided to do a bit of a test run so I brewed up a couple of batches one I named "Double Cider" and the other "Juicy Cider". I have never used Cider kits before but thought that I would give it a go and see what I could produce.

Double Cider
2 x Black Rock Cider
900g Dextrose
Boiled with 2L of R/O water for 10 min. Added to fermenter and topped to 23L with cool R/O water SG 1.058. Pitched SN9 at 31deg.

Juicy Cider
1 x Black Rock Cider
3L Preservative Free Apple Juice (Woolworths)
Boiled for 10 min. Added to fermenter with 18L of Woolworths juice SG 1.068. Pitched SN9 at 31 deg.

Has any one done anything like this before? What were your outcomes?

 

[brettprevans]

sry but read the cider.threads in this section.

 

[bum]

SG 1.068

Bloody hell. Assuming a FG of 1.000 (further assuming your yeast can even manage it after such a high pitch temp) you're looking at a 9.6% cider (assuming bottle conditioned).

Why so high a pitch temp? Don't the manufacturers of SN9 recommend a little over 20c?

 

[pk.sax]

Back to the age of rocket fuel!

 

[nathan_madness]

I have used SN9 lots of times and have always pitched it in the low 30s always kicks it in to life very quickly. Both fermenters are now in the fridge at 15deg and bubbling away very nicely.

I am planning on cold crashing at 1.012 to leave a nice sweet cider which will leave the 1.058 at around 6.04% and the 1.068 around the 7.35% marks. Then i'm going to pasteurize it and keg it.

Just because I had some room left in the fridge I also put on a 23L batch of Apple and Pear SG 1.048 (no added sugar) and pitched the SN9 at 30deg. Only pitched 45min ago and it is already bubbling.

 

[whatwhat]

Let us know how the cider experiments go? i find the sn9 tastes a bit to much like apple wine if it gets to much sugar to work with
.

 

[nathan_madness]

I kegged the Apple and Pear yesterday it had finished at .998 so that would make it around 6.5%. I added 3L of Apple and Pear juice to it and pasturised it then kegged. Chilled it and the FG is now 1.014 it has the same kind of taste as the Kelly Brothers cider. Can't wait till I can get it on the taps!!!!

I am going to be doing the "Juicy Cider" this afternoon hopefully if the kid sleep long enough.

 

[nathan_madness]

Finally kegged the Juicy Cider it had finished at 1.000 which is 7.6% then I added 6L of apple juice and 20ml of sugarless (something new I am trying) that brought it back to 1.012 and a very nice sweet apple taste should be close to 6%. Pasturised and kegged as normal.
I had a taste of the Apple and Pear that I kegged the other day and all I have to say is WOW!!!! forced carbonation is the way to go.

 

[Diggles]

Finally kegged the Juicy Cider it had finished at 1.000 which is 7.6% then I added 6L of apple juice and 20ml of sugarless (something new I am trying) that brought it back to 1.012 and a very nice sweet apple taste should be close to 6%. Pasturised and kegged as normal.
I had a taste of the Apple and Pear that I kegged the other day and all I have to say is WOW!!!! forced carbonation is the way to go.

Mate,
Just sipping a black rock at the moment, 30 deg pitch is going to give most yeast a tough time and most probably won't allow them time to clean things up. I find, don't try too hard on brewing for alcohol, go for taste and you're bound to drink more of the stuff = same end result but the road is more enjoyable. There's a few good recipes in the DP for cider. FG should be 1.008 - 1.010 by me experience. Cider seems to be in-between an ale and a lager when comparing fermentation time. I do mine at 19-20deg to stop it stalling, but patience is definitely the key. I keg, leave for min 2 weeks before tucking in.

Diggles

 

[whatwhat]

nice work

 

[mestoth]

What was your method of pasteurization?

 

[nathan_madness]

Finally got around to trying the "Juicy Cider" dang it is awesome if you like sweet cider. It has the tang about it and the sweetness in the initial taste.

Pasteurisation - rack the cider in to the 70L batch mixing pot add any extra sugers (juice, dex etc.) bring to 65deg for 10 min dump in to kegs.
If you bottle no carb just fill bottles and place in boiling water till the liquid in the bottles reach 70 seal bottles and cool. If you want to have bottled and carbed bottle with your batch then leave them to carb up and then put them in the dishwasher on the heavy cycle.

30 deg pitch has always worked out and has never let me down. I am trying a lower pitch temp in the batch I just put on as well as using S04 to see what flavors it produces.

I must say if I can reproduce the Apple & Pear and Juicy Apple exactly I would both have been awesome. The Apple and Pear that I kegged on the 12th all 19L has already gone it is that good.

 

[nathan_madness]

I really don't know what is in those Black Rock kits. It has been 6 weeks and the Double Cider is still bubbling along strong and not showing any sign of stopping soon. I really want to try this before I finish off the other 2 so that I can make a good comparison.

 

[bum]

I really don't know what is in those Black Rock kits. It has been 6 weeks and the Double Cider is still bubbling along strong and not showing any sign of stopping soon.

I can tell you what is in it. CO2.

Take a hydrometer reading. Ignore your airlock.

If the hydrometer reading isn't low enough to conclude the beer is done I'd be thinking about racking to secondary - 6 weeks is a long time to be sitting on the old yeast.

 

[nathan_madness]

Finally got around to having a taste of the "Double Cider" not very impressed. It is to watery and there is no real apple bite at all.

So to sum it all up if you are looking for a easy to make and nice to drink cider just use juice! And yeast of course.