My first cider batch for 2017. A few easy steps

Some of the crabs were not shredded at all and I feel I could get better use with some shredding. That's why I was thinking of a more narrow hopper.
Firecracker, dolgo, some chestnut, and a dark red seedling of mine went into that jug of cider.
I cranked the screw down pretty tight and the apples were pretty dry when I was done. I bet that cider was awesome
 
I cranked the screw down pretty tight and the apples were pretty dry when I was done. I bet that cider was awesome

The red was not fermented and is now gone.:(

Still some of the red seedling, Kerr, and haralred to go. Not to mention the inedible garden crab. Add some of it or not for hard cider?


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The red was not fermented and is now gone.:(

Still some of the red seedling, Kerr, and haralred to go. Not to mention the inedible garden crab. Add some of it or not for hard cider?


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Yes because some of my cider varieties are inedible but add some character to the hard cider whether it's tanin or some other unique texture or pallet
 
IMG_1420.JPG I got some jugs and some labels so I guess I am in business lol. Safety caps and warning labels. Also bought some baskets with liners so people can take the apples in the plastic and leave the basket for future use. Honey crisp apples in basket. Who is my first customer lol
 
Uneven fill job. Step your game up! ;)

Looks delicious!
 
I would be but knowing the shipping companies it would leak out or rot by the time it got here. Nice job, good luck with the biz!
 
I would be but knowing the shipping companies it would leak out or rot by the time it got here. Nice job, good luck with the biz!
It's my first fill so give me a break. Not really a business it's so I can feel good about spending so much money. I need to find some way to get it out there. I have no patience to sit and wait for people to come by. I guess an honor system here at farm and at my home. Oh well
 
What are people using for siphoning? As always, I am looking at cheap options.
 
What are people using for siphoning? As always, I am looking at cheap options.
I didn't siphon I poured from a 1/2 gallon pyrex pitcher into the jugs using a funnel with a mesh screen to filter
 
I didn't siphon I poured from a 1/2 gallon pyrex pitcher into the jugs using a funnel with a mesh screen to filter

Are you referring to after fermentation?


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Oh I thought you meant with short fill lol. There is a cheap siphon I have under 10 bucks from northern brewer
 
Tapped my first jug from 9-4 and was surprised. This was not the red cider from that day as I posted above. The cider was dry with little fruit taste. It reminded me of champagne. Yeast I used was EC-1118.
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My buddy tapped a jug from a collection we pressed a week later and he reported it tasted like fruit wine. We used a different yeast. I can't remember which yeast we used. Any comments on different yeasts and results?


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My buddy tapped a jug from a collection we pressed a week later and he reported it tasted like fruit wine. We used a different yeast. I can't remember which yeast we used. Any comments on different yeasts and results?


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I use the same yeast as you but my cider after I take it out of primary fermentation as very little,apple taste and is very dr and no sweetness if you do it right. Dry means you converted all the sugar from the apples into alcohol. At this point I put my cider in a 5 gallon carbon for second fermentation and aging as well as clearing. After 2 weeks or more in the carbon I siphon again and leave as much sediment in the carbon as I can if there is any and I will then back sweeten to my taste with a non fermentable sugar. I then put some priming sugar in mix and bottle as I prefer my cider with carbonation.
 
What is a non fermentable sugar?
 
It's sugar and or glucose-fructose that will not convert to alcohol and will retain its sweetness I just keep adding mixing and tasting until I have the correct sweetness for my taste then bottle itimage.jpg
 
Here are my 3 batches currently with the smallest still being in first fermentation and the 2 others are in secondary after being siphoned out of my fermenting buckets Before you ask the green stems in the one batch are fennel stocksimage.jpg
 
This is the siphon I use to transfer and to bottleimage.jpg
 
These are my go to items as well as campden tablets which kill the natural yeast in the fresh cider so your added cider will work. Campden also kills bacteria. The pectin enzyme is added after I pitch the yeast to help clear the haze from pectin that occurs naturally in cider. After putting on 2nd fermentation I add a bit more. I get some cider that is super clear but not sure if I will get the pumpkin one so clear based on how it looks now. The yeast energizer just helps the yeast work more effectively image.jpg
 
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