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Cider Digest #0422
Subject: Cider Digest #422 Wed Mar 23 19:00:05 EDT 1994
Date: Wed, 23 Mar 94 19:00:05 -0400
From: cider-request@x.org (Are you SURE you want to send it HERE?)
Cider Digest #422 Wed Mar 23 19:00:06 EDT 1994
Forum for Discussion of Cider Issues
Jay Hersh, Digest Coordinator
Contents:
cider batch (nr706)
Misc. ramblings... (yeebot)
First Cider Questions (Haber Justin )
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Date: Tue, 22 Mar 94 19:36:04 EST
From: nr706@aol.com
Subject: cider batch
I have a batch of cider (or maybe it's cyser, since I used a little honey in
it to raise the O.G. to 1.060) bubbling away. When I racked it to seconday in
January (fermented in December), it was still pretty sweet, but it's been
bubbling away slowly ever since. I had an earlier batch that behaved
similarly, using Edme dry ale yeast, & it fermented out way too dry. Current
batch is the same, except I used Wyeast European yeast, which is supposed to
be less attenuative. This batch seems like it'll keep bubbling away forever.
Is there a way to get the yeast to stop without going totally dry, yet still
be able to bottle-carbonate by adding corn sugar (or thawed apple jiuce
concentrate, which seemed to work well in one batch)?
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Mar 94 00:59:56 EST
From: yeebot@aol.com
Subject: Misc. ramblings...
Jay et al,
Was happy to read your post, coincidentally on a day I planned to brew a new
batch of cider! I was beginning to wonder whether I had been booted off the
digest or activity had just been really low. Glad to see it's still active.
Your ciders sound great, much better than my last three batches have turned
out, though I'm still optimistic they'll improve with age.
Let me share my recipies for the last three with you guys with some of my
notes. Maybe someone out there can help me with some suggestions or answers
to make my next batch better? OK! Personally, I didn't think I was going to
brew another batch as my attention since has turned to brewing a belgian
white beer, but I happened to have a packet of Champagne yeast left so...
*******************************
First batch; actually a Cyser:
Got this one off AOL, with not too exacting instructions.
4 gal. Cider
2 lbs. Cover Honey
pkg Redstar Sherry Yeast
No boil, fermented at 60-65 degrees. Rack once at 4 weeks. Bottle at 6 weeks,
add 12oz of Apple Juice concentrate at time of bottling. Then and now, it's
very PEZ-like, very sour, sparkling but cloudy (not ugly, though). I think:
probably infected? I'm tempted to try it again as it has the promise of being
very Scrumpy-like. (A good thing!) Scrumpy was the target from the very
beginning!
*******************************
Second Batch from Cat's Meow 2
Hard Cider
Source: (jwhite@anovax.enet.dec.com)
Digest: Issue #508, 10/2/90
Ingredients:
5 gallons sweet cider
3 pounds brown sugar
3 pounds honey
2 packs champagne yeast
Procedure:
Strain 3 gallons of cider into a 5-gallon carboy. Strain 1/2 gallon
into pot and heat enough to allow sugar and honey to thoroughly dissolve.
Pour into carboy and finish filling to neck. Pitch yeast and seal with
airlock. When fermentation stops, bottle. Prime with sugar to add
carbonation.
My OG was 1070 though I latter calculated it at a supposed1090.2!? OK!! Rack
it at 2 weeks. very sweet, rather soapy and not too much sediment. Could have
probably waited longer. Rack it again at 5 weeks. Lots O' sediment. SG:
0.998. ALCHOHOLIC! Very dry. Bottle at 7 weeks. Add 8oz. Wine Conditioner,
VERY clear. Pretty deep golden color. Today, it's much more like Wine than
Cider. (How'd that happen? Maybe the yeast dropped out when the basement temp
plumetted to 50?) NO carbonation. Very Alchoholic. Nice, though needs aging.
*****************************
Batch Three is YOUR recipe, Jay!
Cranberry Cider from Cat's Meow 2
Except, I made a 5 gallon version, added 32 oz of Apple Juice Concentrate in
the beginning and 4oz. of Wine Conditioner at time of Bottling. I went 8
weeks from start to finish, instead of 6. You were right though: IT turned
out GREAT. Though I wish it were a little sweeter.
******************************
Here's my problems (feel free to add):
Infection.
Red-Star dried Champagne yeast? Perhaps, too active?
Farm-bought cider too sweet? Resulting in a very(too) dry and very alchoholic
finished product?
Here's what I'd like to end up with (In a hurry, please!):
Someting like Taunton (a medium-dry, sparkling) cider in a bottle not a keg,
made with no sulfites, wine conditioner, or hocus pocus. How to do it? Any
hints? Ideas? Pleeeeez?
Thanks for the ramble folks,
Mike
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 23 Mar 1994 08:21:05 -0500
From: Haber Justin <Justin.Haber@gtegsc3.sprint.com>
Subject: First Cider Questions
Dear Cider-heads:
Last fall I decided to make my first batch of hard
cider and the results have me puzzled. Some background:
On November 9, I purchased 5 gallons of cider from a
roadside stand in N.H., to which I added 3.5 cups of cane
sugar, bringing the specific gravity to 15.5 Balling (my
hydrometer is only graduated in balling and potential
alcohol). To this I added some Correnty II Cider yeast
(see previous post), stepped up to about one and one half
a pints in beer starter wort.
Fermentation appeared to proceed smoothly,
bubbling nicely and leaving a good layer of yeast on the
bottom of the carboy. On January 6 I racked the cider
onto about a pound of Thompson raisins, but forgot to
take a gravity reading. The raisins initially sat on the
bottom, but gradually began to rise to the top and loose
their color.
On March 21, I took another gravity reading and was
very surprised to find it had only dropped to 5.0. Is this
normal, or was the reading thrown off by the raisins
floating around the neck, attempting to clog the wine
thief? The color is quite clear, and it tastes good,
though not particularly dry (as to be expected by the
gravity). Should I go ahead and bottle, or has the
fermentation stuck and is further action required?
Another question: How do you go about carmalizing
your sugar, and what are the advantages, other than
color? All advice would be gratefully appreciated,
TIA
Justin Haber
justin.haber@gtegsc3.sprint.com
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End of Cider Digest
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