Hard Cider

[MiddleClassCentrist]

I had wanted to try some ever since I had seen the documentary called "The Bottany of Desire" that looked at how popular plant species actually own us.

It talked about how Apple trees can't be grown from seed, as the result is random each time. A MacIntosh can only be cut and grafted from another MacIntosh. Planting the seeds won't result in the same Apple. Said the best hard cider actually comes from random crops of Apples.

Anyways, It really got me interested in it. Because each cider has a uniqueness that beer doesn't.

Beer is bitter and doesn't taste good to me, so I have to be in the mood for a beer.

So I've been trying some out, and it is now my drink of preference. It's also a great summer drink because it's great served with ice. I stay away from the flavoured stuff, not looking for a fruity drink.

Are there any other cider drinkers out there? Any recommended brands that you've found?

Edited December 31, 2012 by MiddleClassCentrist

[Boges]

Strongbow is the only one I've ever really seen in bars. I find it very sweet.

Not all beers are bitter BTW.

[MiddleClassCentrist]

Strongbow is the only one I've ever really seen in bars. I find it very sweet.

Not all beers are bitter BTW.

It's definitely sweeter than beer but, no where near the cocktail drinks.

I'm hoping the options for Cider improve. There's only a few options where I live (Sir Perry, Dukes, Alexander Keiths, and then some flavoured stuff). Really like dukes, Sir Perry definitely tastes sweeter than Dukes.. I stick to Pear/Apple ciders, I find the pear ones more sweet than the Apple ones.

[The_Squid]

We have two fantastic "craft brew" cideries on the island. They have their own orchards where they grow cider specific apples.

http://www.merridalecider.com/

http://www.seacider.ca/

Then there is the huge cidery that makes disgusting sweet crap out of whatever apples aren't good enough to eat. Yuck.

[The_Squid]

Are you near one of these:

http://www.spirittreecider.com/cider/our-ciders.html

http://www.county cider.com/

[MiddleClassCentrist]

Thanks for the links, I'm in Ontario and hadn't looked into the craft cider yet.

The stuff you can buy at our liquor store is all just the big manufacturer versions. Most don't have added flavour but, have sugar added (not sure if it is before fermentation or after fermentation, before fermentation creates more alcohol so serves a purpose).

[The_Squid]

The craft cider is so much better! Usually drier, not as sweet. And they use some techniques to make a very unique taste. Cask aging, aging in whisky casks, etc.

[Mighty AC]

If you're looking for something slightly sweeter than Strongbow try Somersby. It really took off in Ontario this year. http://www.somersbycider.com/

[MiddleClassCentrist]

The craft cider is so much better! Usually drier, not as sweet. And they use some techniques to make a very unique taste. Cask aging, aging in whisky casks, etc.

I do like the dry cider. I just looked up how to make my own cider aswell... seems extremely easy to get started. Could juice my own apples if I wanted to. Makes me want to plant some Apple trees. Pour 23L of Juice, 1kg Sugar, brewers yeast in glass fermenter. Seal and leave 2 weeks.

[The_Squid]

And beer is easy to make as well. Will it taste as good as a craft beer? Only after much trial and error. I think the same would hold true for a cider. It sounds simple.... But making it taste good is an art.

[MiddleClassCentrist]

And beer is easy to make as well. Will it taste as good as a craft beer? Only after much trial and error. I think the same would hold true for a cider. It sounds simple.... But making it taste good is an art.

I looked into Beer and Wine, both actually seem to require more care. Probably because it's more popular so there are more vocal opinions about how to do it right. Cider was extremely simple, and the folk doing it seemed less up tight about the process.

It would be true for those very few who can actually taste the intricacies and differences between fermentations in the same process.

Brewer's have to be very precise because customers expect a product to taste exactly the same every time they go to drink one. Home brewing is more experimental, exact same results aren't expected all the time, just similar. Each batch can have a unique flavour and that's what it is all about.

If I use an air sealed container, the yeast I am using is the same as the yeast they use, I'll get a very similar result. I also get control over the taste. Dry cider? Ferment longer. Cloudy cider bother me? perform secondary fermentation. Higher alcohol content? add more sugar before fermentation. Sweeter? Add sugar/juice after fermentation/kill yeast off. Sparkling? do not kill yeast, add sugar just before bottling and let sit for some weeks. It also drops cost of having a drink... even with the expensive no preservative, not from concentrate, natural apple juice I bought, It's still under $1 a pint.

I picked up the basics for apple cider fermentation. Trying to ferment apple juice first (apparently common for commercial cideries to do, since that's what I've been drinking I figured I'd try it first to see how close mine is.) Was going to do real cider but, could only find spiced cider and wasn't sure about it. Just needed a fermentation bucket, with lid and airlock, a hydrometer to estimate alcohol/sugar content and a siphon. Only $55 I also put an order in for a 3 Gallon carboy if I want to do secondary fermentation. I don't have a second fridge to store cider, as sparkling cider should be refrigerated after it's aged so I wanted to work with smaller batches. I still have a 5 Gallon fermentation bucket, but will only be able to do single fermentation batches at that amount, maybe in the winter when I can store it in my garage.

Let's see how my first attempt goes.

[The_Squid]

That's really cool! Let is know how it goes!

[MiddleClassCentrist]

Some more ciders have been showing up, so I've been trying them out.

I like that each one has a distinct flavour based on the apples/process they use.

Edited January 9, 2013 by MiddleClassCentrist

[MiddleClassCentrist]

Update: Smells like cider, tastes like cider. It's cider alright.

With the First batch ended up making something that was a bit stronger than anticipated, following online recipes. Alcohol content ended up being in the 8% range.

Gave it to my brother in law, "I don't like the commercial cider but, I could really drink this".

So, I feel it was a success.

10 days fermentation, primed it with just enough brown sugar to lightly carbonate it. I started drinking it as soon as the pop bottles were hardened from carbonation. Drinkable at that time, best after a few weeks.

Tried a second batch using some snobs directions, and apple juice from concentrate with low acid (Costco, 60 cents a pint cost). Snobs directions left cider with very minimal yet, distinct sulphur smell. Only noticed after bottling but, solution was to aerate while transferring to eliminate smell. Initial taste didn't seem affected but, we'll see how it is in two weeks. Used apple juice concentrate to prime for carbonation (to add more apple-ly flavour).

It's so easy, I wonder why more people don't do it.

Edited February 11, 2013 by MiddleClassCentrist

[Mighty AC]

Excellent! I will have to give it a try.

[The_Squid]

That's very cool! Drinkable on your first try!

[MiddleClassCentrist]

That's very cool! Drinkable on your first try!

It's more than drinkable after a few weeks, after about a month in the bottle the apple notes really come out. I won't try to compete with a cidery but, as an easy drinking beverage it's good.

My second batch is turning out better as time goes on, the smell has subsided. I've had it sitting for over a week in bottles (total time from start to drink = 1 month, most people recommend that it sit for longer but I'm just experimenting so my last bottle will be drinken in about a month). I carbonated it with apple juice concentrate to add more apple notes to it. I bought the "melow" apple juice from concentrate at costco $12.99 for 12L, + $1 yeast + 1.99 concentrate = ~65-72 cents a pint after including process loss.

[MiddleClassCentrist]

Excellent! I will have to give it a try.

It's stupidly easy.

5Gallon Fermentation Bucket - ~$22 (I make 3 gallon batches due to low storage space in this bucket)

Airlock and Bung - ~$4

I purchased the optional auto siphon/tubing + hydrometer to estimate alcohol content (another $25 ish bucks)

Pick Apple Juice/Cider, Add some sugar to increase alcohol content (if desired), pour yeast, seal. When done, bottle.

[Mighty AC]

Thanks for the info. I think I will give it a try.