I will start the fermentation process on my second batch of hard cider in a couple days and was wondering what you guys like to add to recipes. I looked some up on brewtoad but since I'm running the free version I cant see ratings, either that or there are no ratings for the recipes I saw. Anyway I was thinking of adding Brown sugar. Any thoughts? amounts? Ive also heard cinnamon, but Id rather it not taste too much like apple pie.
-
Welcome to the new forum! We upgraded our forum software with a host of new boards, capabilities and features. It is also more secure.
Jump in and join the conversation! You can learn more about the upgrade and new features here.
Cider recipe
- Thread starter stout9.8
- Start date
Maine Homebrewer
Grandmaster Brewer
Next time I do cider, when I keg I'll add potassium sorbate, and then sweeten it to taste. Then force carbonate. It's just to dry for me without some back-sweetening.
As far as adding to the recipe goes, I'd use extract before brown sugar for bumping up the alcohol content. Brown sugar is just cane sugar with molasses added to it. So it will give that tang associated with cane sugar, which I don't like. Personally I don't like all-extract brew, but we're only talking a few pounds here, not the entire recipe.
I did that, actually. My last batch of cider. Added the last of the extract I had left from before I went all-grain. Dissolved on the stove in some of the cider. Came out OK. Like I said, it's too dry for my taste. In the end I was putting some simple syrup into the glass before pouring in some dry carbonated cider from the keg. That wasn't bad.
Spices... I would think that by virtue of not being boiled, they'll impart less flavor. Maybe a cinnamon stick and a few cloves? A few allspice berries? A pouch of mulled cider spices? Citrus zest?
By the way, I used Safale US-05. From what I've read since, yeast marketed for cider make a better product.
As far as adding to the recipe goes, I'd use extract before brown sugar for bumping up the alcohol content. Brown sugar is just cane sugar with molasses added to it. So it will give that tang associated with cane sugar, which I don't like. Personally I don't like all-extract brew, but we're only talking a few pounds here, not the entire recipe.
I did that, actually. My last batch of cider. Added the last of the extract I had left from before I went all-grain. Dissolved on the stove in some of the cider. Came out OK. Like I said, it's too dry for my taste. In the end I was putting some simple syrup into the glass before pouring in some dry carbonated cider from the keg. That wasn't bad.
Spices... I would think that by virtue of not being boiled, they'll impart less flavor. Maybe a cinnamon stick and a few cloves? A few allspice berries? A pouch of mulled cider spices? Citrus zest?
By the way, I used Safale US-05. From what I've read since, yeast marketed for cider make a better product.
Same here. I had never done cider before and foolishly thought that it would come out something like we had growing up. We would get freshly pressed apple cider and let it sit in the basement until it had fermented with just a little kick and a little prickle to it.
Didn't realize it would be so dry so used potassium sorbate and added a couple cans of concentrated apple juice and some apple korn. Turned out pretty well.
Didn't realize it would be so dry so used potassium sorbate and added a couple cans of concentrated apple juice and some apple korn. Turned out pretty well.