Question:
On my last visit to my LHB store, the clerk advised that I could whip up a batch of hard cider using simple champaigne yeast and obviously some good sweet cider. I’m still a little skeptical and think that maybe he forgot to mention something additional? Thanks
Response:
that worked for me, i did throw in some campden tablets the day before the yeast went in. give it a shot! — Cheers Jerry Barkley "It’s not a popularity contest, it’s beer!" Mike Dixon
On my last visit to my LHB store, the clerk advised that I could whip up a batch of hard cider using simple champaigne yeast and obviously some good sweet cider. I’m still a little skeptical and think that maybe he forgot to mention something additional? Thanks
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Response:
Campden tablets aren’t even strictly necessary.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – that worked for me, i did throw in some campden tablets the day before the yeast went in. give it a shot! — Cheers Jerry Barkley "It’s not a popularity contest, it’s beer!" Mike Dixon On my last visit to my LHB store, the clerk advised that I could whip up a batch of hard cider using simple champaigne yeast and obviously some good sweet cider. I’m still a little skeptical and think that maybe he forgot to mention something additional? Thanks — Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Response:
I started a batch of cider with nothing more than 6 gallons of local sweet cider (from the orchard) and a package of Wyeast London Ale. My O.G. was 1.050 (with no additional sugar added) and at racking (10 days later) was already down to 1.004 (which seems like a very good fermentation for an Ale yeast). It’s still got the occasional bubble in the airlock, but is clearing very nicely. Not quite crystal clear yet, but darn close. It will only be 1 1/2 months old but I think I’m going to serve some at our annual Halloween party. I plan on starting another batch while cider is still in season. On my last visit to my LHB store, the clerk advised that I could whip up a batch of hard cider using simple champaigne yeast and obviously some good sweet cider. I’m still a little skeptical and think that maybe he forgot to mention something additional? Thanks
– www.frugalbrewer.com Spend money making wine and beer not on pricey frills for your gear
Response:
On my last visit to my LHB store, the clerk advised that I could whip up a batch of hard cider using simple champaigne yeast and obviously some good sweet cider. I’m still a little skeptical and think that maybe he forgot to mention something additional?
Making cider from only sweet apples results in a pretty bland product. If you can, use a combination of sweet and tart.
Response:
Technically speaking, the yeast isn’t necessary either–you could make a good cider by just letting the natural yeast do their thing. It’s riskier, though, as you don’t have anybody doing QC on your wild yeasts. Without the Campden tablets, you’re also increasing the odds of infection and oxidation. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Campden tablets aren’t even strictly necessary. that worked for me, i did throw in some campden tablets the day before the yeast went in. give it a shot! — Cheers Jerry Barkley "It’s not a popularity contest, it’s beer!" Mike Dixon On my last visit to my LHB store, the clerk advised that I could whip up a batch of hard cider using simple champaigne yeast and obviously some good sweet cider. I’m still a little skeptical and think that maybe he forgot to mention something additional? Thanks — Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Response:
On my last visit to my LHB store, the clerk advised that I could whip up a batch of hard cider using simple champaigne yeast and obviously some good sweet cider. I’m still a little skeptical and think that maybe he forgot to mention something additional? Thanks
I’m just now looking into making hard cider and perry myself, but here’s what my research has yielded. You’re right about the advice. It’s equivalent to the instructions on a bad beer kit, IMO. Quick and dirty, but probably not very good in the end. Sadly though, if you live in the US like me, you don’t have much in the way of other options. Apples have a natural yeast in them, which I’d use if I could for a more authentic, distinct cider. But since nearly all of the juice in the US is pasturized, we’re stuck adding some other yeast. Even if you do find unpasturized juice, it will be inappropriatly sweet. True "cider" apples aren’t made for eating or drinking (unfermented, that is). My thought was to go the orchards and find some good cider apples, press them, etc…kind of the "all grain" process for cidering. The bad news is that cider apple orchards are all but non-existent. In short, I am of no help to you at all.
However, I’m in the same boat. I’d like to make some good hard cider myself, but can’t find the right ingredients. I thought about using a mix of store bought apple juice with unpasturized juice from the most acidic apples I could find. Or maybe some chemical additions to fake the tannins and acidity? Cheers, -Ed Evans
Response:
This is totally doable. Use powdered grape tannin to increase the tannin content of your juice and either straight malic acid or acid blend to increase the acid content. That being said, you may not have to adjust acidity at all. Many table apples are high in acid all by themselves. They may not seem that high in acid because they are also high in sugar which tends to balance out the taste sensations. Try a base of Jonathan, Granny Smith, Gravenstein, and or Pippin and you’ll have more than enough acid in most cases.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Or maybe some chemical additions to fake the tannins and acidity?
Response:
I use bentonite when starting to help clarify, as well as pectic enzyme for flavor and clarification. Sometimes honey for flavor and alcohol. If you want my exact directions/recipe, shoot me an email. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -On my last visit to my LHB store, the clerk advised that I could whip up a batch of hard cider using simple champaigne yeast and obviously some good sweet cider. I’m still a little skeptical and think that maybe he forgot to mention something additional? Thanks
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I use bentonite when starting to help clarify, as well as pectic enzyme for flavor and clarification. Sometimes honey for flavor and alcohol. If you want my exact directions/recipe, shoot me an email. On my last visit to my LHB store, the clerk advised that I could whip up a batch of hard cider using simple champaigne yeast and obviously some good sweet cider. I’m still a little skeptical and think that maybe he forgot to mention something additional? Thanks
The first cider I made was made with the best fresh blend of apples I could find (don’t ask I can’t remember what apples were in there). I used champaign yeast. It finished and dropped clear and tasted like cheap wine. I was told that you have to age it. BS. I kegged it and added more juice. Ah! That’s what I wanted. I have since made several ciders with the cheapest juice I could find and will make one tomorrow. Simple recipe: 4 gals Unsorbated juice ( or cider – same stuff). Yeast nutrient. ( commercial crap – I think it’s a blend of urea and DAP) 2 # sugar (white tried brown – no detectable difference except a lighter wallet) 10 g Nottingham Yeast Rehydrate yeast. Put sugar into the fermentor. Pour the juice in. Oxygenate by your favorite method. Pitch. Wait – usually about 2 weeks. It drops pretty clear. Chill. Rack. Chill for another week – now very clear. Rack to keg. Now here is the fun part – add more juice to sweeten to your taste. I like my stuff slightly sweet and highly carbonated. I drink it fairly quickly so I’m not worried about continuing fermentation. It’s fridge temp so any ferm will be slow at best. I usually don’t post recipes or even comment on them. I brew to style – my style. I make what I like. I have made this over and over again for about two years. It’s quick and easy. It’s more about technique which I’m more comfortable with. I hope this helps. If you can keg, you can turn this over and get the proportions to where you like them. Medford, NY swap net.optonline to reply via e-mail
Response:
However, I’m in the same boat. I’d like to make some good hard cider myself, but can’t find the right ingredients. I thought about using a mix of store bought apple juice with unpasturized juice from the most acidic apples I could find. Or maybe some chemical additions to fake the tannins and acidity?
You can also get tannins from oak chips. I tried this with some cider I made, and it was good. — Joseph M. Bay Lamont Sanford Junior University www.stanford.edu/~jmbay/ DO NOT PRESS
Response:
However, I’m in the same boat. I’d like to make some good hard cider myself, but can’t find the right ingredients. I thought about using a mix of store bought apple juice with unpasturized juice from the most acidic apples I could find. Or maybe some chemical additions to fake the tannins and acidity?
I once made cider from Del Monte apple juice. It’s too sweet and not acidic or tannic enough. I added citric acid powder from the LHBS and some winemakers tannin tablets from the same source. It turned out OK, not spectacular but better than it would have been without the acid and tannin. You could use lemon juice and stewed tea – in the UK supermarkets sell budget lines of goods and the tea bags they sell are ideal (Tesco Value, Sainsbury Economy etc) as they are more tannic than the ones you pay more money for. — Andy Davison
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – On my last visit to my LHB store, the clerk advised that I could whip up a batch of hard cider using simple champaigne yeast and obviously some good sweet cider. I’m still a little skeptical and think that maybe he forgot to mention something additional? Thanks I’m just now looking into making hard cider and perry myself, but here’s what my research has yielded. You’re right about the advice. It’s equivalent to the instructions on a bad beer kit, IMO. Quick and dirty, but probably not very good in the end. Sadly though, if you live in the US like me, you don’t have much in the way of other options. Apples have a natural yeast in them, which I’d use if I could for a more authentic, distinct cider. But since nearly all of the juice in the US is pasturized, we’re stuck adding some other yeast. Even if you do find unpasturized juice, it will be inappropriatly sweet. True "cider" apples aren’t made for eating or drinking (unfermented, that is). My thought was to go the orchards and find some good cider apples, press them, etc…kind of the "all grain" process for cidering. The bad news is that cider apple orchards are all but non-existent. In short, I am of no help to you at all.
However, I’m in the same boat. I’d like to make some good hard cider myself, but can’t find the right ingredients. I thought about using a mix of store bought apple juice with unpasturized juice from the most acidic apples I could find. Or maybe some chemical additions to fake the tannins and acidity?
Seneca makes an all Granny Smith frozen concentrate that works well to tart up sweet juice. See if you can find some.
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