6 gallons 100% Cider (from Le Targét - Archer Farms) White Labs Liquid Starter - English Cider Yeast 1 Lemon 0.5 gallons of water with 6 cups of white sugar diluted -S.G. 1.062
Heat up the 0.5 gallons of water to a boil, and then dissolve the sugar in the water. If you use bottled water, try to use spring water and not distilled water. Spring water has more minerals to keep the yeast happy. Add the juice from the lemon to the sugar solution. Once the water is clear again, add it to the cider in your fermenter. Take an initial gravity reading, and make sure the temperature of the apple juice is between 60 F and 70 F. Add the yeast.
The final gravity should be 1.000 after 2 weeks. After the potassium sorbate is added, put the cider into a refrigerator for a week. This reduces the chance for any renewed fermentation. If you want to bottle your cider, do not add the potassium sorbate. Add 3/4 Cup Corn Sugar and bottle. If you are able to keg your cider, you will want to add the following ingredients.
1 can 100% apple juice concentrate (any kind will do) 1 pound of honey
Make sure you heat up the honey in some water before pouring into your hard cider. Cold ciders will cause the honey to become almost solid, and is very difficult to mix.
There are also many other variations you might try.
1) Try using brown sugar or strong honey. This will create a more caramel-like flavor. 2) Light Cinnamon might be added to the apple juice to give it a bit of spice.
Good luck with your cider, and let us know how you like it!
There is an orchard with over 40 varieties of apples (and a press you can use on site!) on 66 between here and Lyons. The folks that own the place are nice and they sure do know their apples.
We're hoping to get some apples from them this fall for storage and cider (hard and the regular kind for the kiddos). Maybe we should all get together and go this fall...
From my experience, no. This recipe usually goes out the door within 6 weeks. Wines usually take a year to mellow out, but the alcohol content is much higher. I'm not sure if the times change when you crush apples instead of using juice. I've only used juice.
The addition of the frozen concentrate at the end tends to sweeten the cider up a bit, which hides any harsh notes. The cider is very popular in my neighborhood, so I must be timing it right! I've had old bottles, some as old as a year, and not noticed much flavor difference.
“Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza.”
