Thanks for your great videos...gave me confidence to give it a go..fresh squeezed last fall...just racked adding sugar and rasins. Was at 0.00... it been a few days and there is no action...should I have pitched more yeast?
I am making some homemade Cider down here in Georgia. I am using bread yeast and trying to keep it very simple. My question: What do you use to keep that Cider warm up in Mass? I bought a brewers belt and it said that is for a plastic container and not for a carboy. WTF?
@Txman1996 - Sorry, just noticed this comment.. Simple story, I dont try to keep it warm. It mostly ferments out by the time the cold season hits, then it just goes to sleep for the winter, and wakes up in the Spring. If I wanted to hurry it up, I could keep it in the back bedroom, which sits at about 65 all Winter.
your series of videos is fantastic, by far the most knowledgeable and professional educational videos i have seen. im very jealous of your great set up lol. someday i might have the gear to do the thing right like you
Basic cider recipe - 5 gallons of fresh cider, 4 pounds white or light brown sugar, 1/2 pound raisins, 1/2 tsp acid blend, 2 tsp yeast nutrient, dry wine or champagne yeast. Put about 1 gallon of the cider into 1 liter plastic soda bottles, and freeze it for topping off. Rest of the ingredients go in a carboy, install airlock, and put it in the basement. Rack at 2 months, and again in the spring. Bottle mid/end of Summer, use about 1/2 cup Dextrose for priming. (This is my recipe this year)
for some reason Americans call cider 'hard cider' and apple juice 'cider'. alcoholic cider (or hard cider as it is known in america) tastes like beer, although it can be flat or fizzy and ranges from about 3% - 10% ABV. its sweeter than beer. go buy some... im sure your local alcohol retailer has some.
I'm American and consider clear filtered juice from apples to be apple juice, cider is basically pure apple juice that is unfiltered and still has the fine particles. Hard cider would then be a "hard" version or one that has alcohol in it like woodchuck, strongbow or other commercial styles.
Historically, "cider" is fermented apple juice, in the same way "wine" is fermented grape juice. Calling unfermented apple juice (fresh squeezed apples) "cider" is an American thing, and is probably too far set into the culture to change. In America, if you want fermented apple juice, you will almost always have to ask for "hard cider"
Howdy! A lot of local cider makers do not add yeast,and have great results. I am not that brave. I add some sulfites to suppress the wild yeasts, and then add my own choice of yeast. Some day I will do a wild ferment... not yet...
For various reasons, it is common for cider to ferment out slowly. Not the least of which is that historically, juice was pressed in the Fall, and over-wintered in unheated space. This is essentially what I do. Depending on yeast choice, my ciders have not even cleared till late Spring/early Summer. Plus, adding honey, which I do to all my ciders to some extent, increases fermentation time as well, as honey is a very complex sugar, and takes longer to ferment out to dry.
sweet t shit mate.very interesting vids,i was watching anouther video on the tube(i am a beginer)he said after its finished fermenting after a week to 10 days he freezes his zider and wine to kill the yeast so to bottle it up/is this what to do or just leavu the air looks on and just rack it now and again,it wont go bad will it without being bottled air tight or fridged/sorry 4 all questions but looks like you know your stuff.cheers mate.
Most people I have talked to suggest that good cider, like good wine, takes time. I can't comment on the other guy except to say that if it works, then cool. Speaking for myself, I do primary fermentation, then adjuncts, then let it age overwinter (racking once or twice), then maybe one more racking in the Spring, age for the Summer, and bottle in September-ish.. This works well, and it is fair to say that any of a thousand other processes will work as well, or better... Good luck!!
Nothing like cider and some ITM. I'm going to be making cider for the first time this fall. Thanks for posting these videos, they have given me a lot to think about.
See!!?? The two coasts DO have something in common! High Five! I myself am getting ready to bottle a double pale, and an imperial stout this weekend. It'll be a bit before they are truly ready to drink, though..
LAST years Ciders got bottled at around 11 months. I am not sure yet what I am going to do with this years in terms of aging. I plan to bottle all 20 gallons from these videos uncarbonated. Also, I have the 30 OTHER gallons of Cider, some of which will get kegged, and some will get bottled.
Yep, this year I made 50 gallon of Cider. 20 gallons by pressing the apples myself, and 30 gallons by purchasing already pressed juice from a local orchard.
You can make Cider by buying juice from the market, just make sure that the juice you buy was not pastuerized using sulfites. Any champagne yeast will do the trick...
By this time of year, 99% of the fermentation has already happende and the yeast is not very active. As the weather warms up, and my basement climbs up in to the 50F temperatures and above, the Cider will undergo a final fermentation called malolactic fermentation, which is rumored to clean the taste up in the final product. Bottling will not happen until at least August.
Acid blend is a mix of Malic, Citric, and Tartaric acids. I used it because the taste of my home-pressed juice was very bland (insipid). I blame this on the high percentage of Red Delicious. As far as I know, the only way to adjust, is to dilute the Cider with more apple juice, which really is not an option for me. It was suggested to me that the strong acid blend taste would be mitigated in the Springtime, when malolactic fermentation occurs. Hopefully this is true...
hey man, GREAT video. I've made a few of my own brewing vids on a smaller scale and i'm looking at doing what you've got rolling with mead. great job.
Thanks for your great videos...gave me confidence to give it a go..fresh squeezed last fall...just racked adding sugar and rasins. Was at 0.00... it been a few days and there is no action...should I have pitched more yeast?
fehrsum 2 weeks ago
@fehrsum - I would say "no" to pitch more yeast... just leave it alone for a couple months... it should be ok.
32bituser 2 weeks ago
Great vid, nice presentation - thank you - cheers
Ninj43 2 months ago
I am making some homemade Cider down here in Georgia. I am using bread yeast and trying to keep it very simple. My question: What do you use to keep that Cider warm up in Mass? I bought a brewers belt and it said that is for a plastic container and not for a carboy. WTF?
Txman1996 3 months ago
@Txman1996 - Sorry, just noticed this comment.. Simple story, I dont try to keep it warm. It mostly ferments out by the time the cold season hits, then it just goes to sleep for the winter, and wakes up in the Spring. If I wanted to hurry it up, I could keep it in the back bedroom, which sits at about 65 all Winter.
32bituser 2 weeks ago
You should tell that piper to shut up while you make your video
dglenister 4 months ago
Very nice video. Did a small Batch with your videos help, thanks. Where do you get the thirty gallon tanks? D.
ejd155 7 months ago
your series of videos is fantastic, by far the most knowledgeable and professional educational videos i have seen. im very jealous of your great set up lol. someday i might have the gear to do the thing right like you
cledro711 1 year ago
I enjoyed the vid. I would love to see info on a primitive cider, no commercial ingredients but as palatable as possible.
Loved the music.
WOLFMANKAYLDOTNET 2 years ago
WOW...Your a Natural! What are you waiting for...start your own Home brew making show!
Great videos and relly like the way explain everything.
THX
gdl357 2 years ago
heheh Thanks!! Look for more vids this Fall from me.
32bituser 2 years ago
Nice job on your videos!
I'm an experienced homebrewer, but I want to give cider a shot. I found a local orchard that makes a cider blend for home brewers.
Do you have a recipe you would share for 5 or 6 gallons of sparkling cider?
Thanks
mvolke1 2 years ago
Basic cider recipe - 5 gallons of fresh cider, 4 pounds white or light brown sugar, 1/2 pound raisins, 1/2 tsp acid blend, 2 tsp yeast nutrient, dry wine or champagne yeast. Put about 1 gallon of the cider into 1 liter plastic soda bottles, and freeze it for topping off. Rest of the ingredients go in a carboy, install airlock, and put it in the basement. Rack at 2 months, and again in the spring. Bottle mid/end of Summer, use about 1/2 cup Dextrose for priming. (This is my recipe this year)
32bituser 2 years ago
Great stuff...used Red Star Premeir Cuvee dry yeast 1.5 packets 60 cents each. My buddy is a large hard drinker and passed out. :)
Redwinterx 2 years ago
why add rasins whatr do they do? also does cider taste like white wine?
iamaGod357 2 years ago
nothing like it. its like sweet beer
OliverWinton 2 years ago
cider or hard cider is like sweet beer? which one
iamaGod357 2 years ago
for some reason Americans call cider 'hard cider' and apple juice 'cider'. alcoholic cider (or hard cider as it is known in america) tastes like beer, although it can be flat or fizzy and ranges from about 3% - 10% ABV. its sweeter than beer. go buy some... im sure your local alcohol retailer has some.
OliverWinton 2 years ago
I'm American and consider clear filtered juice from apples to be apple juice, cider is basically pure apple juice that is unfiltered and still has the fine particles. Hard cider would then be a "hard" version or one that has alcohol in it like woodchuck, strongbow or other commercial styles.
riothero313 2 years ago
Historically, "cider" is fermented apple juice, in the same way "wine" is fermented grape juice. Calling unfermented apple juice (fresh squeezed apples) "cider" is an American thing, and is probably too far set into the culture to change. In America, if you want fermented apple juice, you will almost always have to ask for "hard cider"
32bituser 2 years ago
Hi, good videos thanks. I dont understand why you have added yeast?
The cider farms in england dont add any, they say there is enough natural yeast on the apples already?
neptown 3 years ago
Howdy! A lot of local cider makers do not add yeast,and have great results. I am not that brave. I add some sulfites to suppress the wild yeasts, and then add my own choice of yeast. Some day I will do a wild ferment... not yet...
32bituser 3 years ago
why do you frument your cider so long. most only take a month or less and a few weeks in the bottels. why do you wait so many moths between racking?
singful 3 years ago
For various reasons, it is common for cider to ferment out slowly. Not the least of which is that historically, juice was pressed in the Fall, and over-wintered in unheated space. This is essentially what I do. Depending on yeast choice, my ciders have not even cleared till late Spring/early Summer. Plus, adding honey, which I do to all my ciders to some extent, increases fermentation time as well, as honey is a very complex sugar, and takes longer to ferment out to dry.
32bituser 3 years ago
sweet t shit mate.very interesting vids,i was watching anouther video on the tube(i am a beginer)he said after its finished fermenting after a week to 10 days he freezes his zider and wine to kill the yeast so to bottle it up/is this what to do or just leavu the air looks on and just rack it now and again,it wont go bad will it without being bottled air tight or fridged/sorry 4 all questions but looks like you know your stuff.cheers mate.
fdrwilliams 3 years ago
Most people I have talked to suggest that good cider, like good wine, takes time. I can't comment on the other guy except to say that if it works, then cool. Speaking for myself, I do primary fermentation, then adjuncts, then let it age overwinter (racking once or twice), then maybe one more racking in the Spring, age for the Summer, and bottle in September-ish.. This works well, and it is fair to say that any of a thousand other processes will work as well, or better... Good luck!!
32bituser 3 years ago
great videos. thanks
bradders1975 3 years ago
Nothing like cider and some ITM. I'm going to be making cider for the first time this fall. Thanks for posting these videos, they have given me a lot to think about.
IrishFlute69 3 years ago
Hehehe.. it took me a bit to decode "ITM".. now that I figured it out, I could not agree more!
32bituser 3 years ago
Dude I have a shirt just like yours. I have some oktober fest getting ready to bottle. You must be my east coast counterpart Lol
OriginalMusicaster 3 years ago
See!!?? The two coasts DO have something in common! High Five! I myself am getting ready to bottle a double pale, and an imperial stout this weekend. It'll be a bit before they are truly ready to drink, though..
32bituser 3 years ago
Looks great! how long do you age? do you carbonate?
jay11762 3 years ago
LAST years Ciders got bottled at around 11 months. I am not sure yet what I am going to do with this years in terms of aging. I plan to bottle all 20 gallons from these videos uncarbonated. Also, I have the 30 OTHER gallons of Cider, some of which will get kegged, and some will get bottled.
32bituser 3 years ago
Great vid! Very informative and inspirational. Planning to make some cider myself this autumn, so this was very welcome.
Cheers from scandinavia.
yoojiimboo 3 years ago
Wow is this your private supply?
can you make hard cider out of pasteurized cider from the market?
pennhatch 4 years ago
Howdy!
Yep, this year I made 50 gallon of Cider. 20 gallons by pressing the apples myself, and 30 gallons by purchasing already pressed juice from a local orchard.
You can make Cider by buying juice from the market, just make sure that the juice you buy was not pastuerized using sulfites. Any champagne yeast will do the trick...
32bituser 4 years ago
is that snow? and if so dosn't it get too cold for yeast to do its thing properly?
mkjredemption 4 years ago
By this time of year, 99% of the fermentation has already happende and the yeast is not very active. As the weather warms up, and my basement climbs up in to the 50F temperatures and above, the Cider will undergo a final fermentation called malolactic fermentation, which is rumored to clean the taste up in the final product. Bottling will not happen until at least August.
32bituser 4 years ago
BTW, What do you mean by acid blend and what might you do to adjust it? Any recommendations on books/sites?
portland454 4 years ago
Acid blend is a mix of Malic, Citric, and Tartaric acids. I used it because the taste of my home-pressed juice was very bland (insipid). I blame this on the high percentage of Red Delicious. As far as I know, the only way to adjust, is to dilute the Cider with more apple juice, which really is not an option for me. It was suggested to me that the strong acid blend taste would be mitigated in the Springtime, when malolactic fermentation occurs. Hopefully this is true...
32bituser 4 years ago
Great video, great organization, and very good information. I'm a long time home brewer, budding cider brewer and appreciate the help.
Thanks from Portland, OR
portland454 4 years ago
Interesting. I look forward to more videos. Do you still make beer?
NBMonkey 4 years ago
hey man, GREAT video. I've made a few of my own brewing vids on a smaller scale and i'm looking at doing what you've got rolling with mead. great job.
merddyn2002 4 years ago