Cider Update and Recipe · 3:14am Oct 7th, 2016
Well, I'm back on the road for a few weeks. I left the cider in the shed happily bubbling away. The farmhouse cider started bubbling about 12 hours after I closed it up. The English cider started the next morning, then went INSANE. I had to remove the airlock and put on a blow off tube for about a day. I have never seen cider ferment so energetically. It may get named Applebloom.
Anyway, it's all good now. Nothing to do but let it sit for a month or two. There's a lot of debate about how long you should let something sit on the yeast after fermenting. The yeast will impart some flavor, which is sometimes desirable. However leaving it too long can produce an off-taste. The smaller the batch, the less you have to worry about that, though. Generally, I like to leave it for a month after fermentation stops, or after two good frosts: whichever happen second.
For those of you thinking about making a batch yourself, I thought I'd share my favorite recipe for "simple, strong hard cider."
You'll need: 7-gallon bucket with lid and airlock, 5-gallon bucket with lid. 6gal cider without preservatives, yeast(I prefer, White Labs English Cider Liquid Yeast), 3lbs honey, yeast nutrient. tannin.
The bucket and airlock can be picked up from any home brewing shop. Makeshift equipment can be made from a hardware store. Make sure you sterilize EVERYTHING that touches the cider. On a budget, you can use common bleach, a quick google search can teach you how to do all that.
Into the 7gal bucket, add cider and honey. Add yeast and nutrient(follow label on nutrient.)
The tannin is to taste. I recommend liquid tannin for beginners. If you want a sweeter taste, add the about recommended for red wine. I prefer the amount recommended for fruit wine. If you can only get powdered tannin, I use 1.5tsp simmered in 1cup of liquid for 10 min.
Now close it up, add the airlock, and forget about it. I recommend storing it somewhere dark and preferably elevated. You'll be siphoning the contents out later, it's better if you don't have to pick it up.
I'll pick up on what to do next in a later cider blog.
**Drools**
4244023 If I could drink alcohol and not end up dead, I'd be drooling too. But does this mean "Strange Gifts" is coming soon?
4249078
Yes actually. The next chapter is coming along. I had to take a month off writing for various reasons, but I'm back at it now. I'm going to try and get back in my writing zone, and hammer out the next three chapters pretty quick. I really want this store completed before Christmas.