Hard Cider: (Update in OP!)

I'll show you what real production looks like as soon as I find the USB cable for the camera.

That said, I used the following:

4G      Local Apple Cider (Filtered)
1G      Water
1#      Crystal Malt Extract
1ea     Pitchable Lab-Strain Champagne Yeast
1/2tsp Irish Moss
1ea     Cinnamon Stick

I boiled 1g of Cider with 1G water and 1# malt extract for 5 min, added in the Irish Moss (clarifier) and boiled for 10 min, added in the cinnamon and continued to boil for 5 more minutes. Racked the resultant wort through my sparging bag (think fine mesh bag) and then added the other 3 gallons of apple cider. Stirred the wort until it hit 80*F and pitched in the yeast. Racked it again into the primary fermentation vessel (carboy) and popped on the air-lock. Should be done fermenting in about 7-9 days for primary fermentation. I'll check the specific gravity and if the alcohol percentage is high enough, I'll go straight to bottle with a little priming sugar or honey (if it needs the floral flavor of the honey). If it isn't high enough, I'll run a secondary fermentation with a stronger yeast strain and then go to bottle after another week.

____ Update!_____

She's fermenting nicely! So much so that the "raft" that forms on top of the cider as it ferments is moving around on it's own due to the carbon dioxide release from the yeast cells.



That's what a Cider rig should look like boys and girl.

Edited by tallen702 - 16 September 2008 at 11:17pm

notXXscared wrote: tallen702 wrote: Should be done fermenting in about 7-9 days for primary fermentation. I always thought it took a lot longer than that for some reason.

Secondary fermentation in the bottle takes the longest.

Predatorr wrote: How much for a bottle?Do you ship to JMU?

Free, and I'll drop it by on my way to Charleston, WV for vacation. I'm in DC, so I run right through Harrisonburg rather frequently.

Better card those forumers first.

This thread prompted me to steal a Hornsby's from my roommate.

edit- I've realized that Hornsby's is inferior to Woodchuck and Strongbow. Btw, Tallen, have you ever had a Rodenbach Redbach?


Edited by Benjichang - 16 September 2008 at 12:12am

hell, just from what i've heard... i'm trying to make my way out there from wisconsin.


of course there's other things out east i want to see.

Shaweet.

I'll be sure to be in when you're there, make sure my food doesn't
have an surprises.  Maybe I'll make me some cider...return the favor.
Forum cider making contest?

procarbinefreak wrote: hell, just from what i've heard... i'm trying to make my way out there from wisconsin.of course there's other things out east i want to see.

...like me?

I'm sure I can find tons of people to buy some from you Tallen. All under 21. Ah, college.

I want to say I've had Magner's before, but I'm not sure. At the very least, I've seen it somewhere. Can't find it anywhere around here though. There's a shop in Lima that has an amazing import and microbrew section. Next time I'm down there, I'll look for it.

I like Framboise better than Redbach as well, but I haven't had a Redbach for so long, I miss them. My friend's bar used to stock them. Much more of a sour cherry taste than Framboise Kriek.

woodchuck and strongbow are my ciders of choice.