Cider 2010

Other Fermentables
1

Below is my 2nd year shot at three batches of cider.  All recipes were based on the recent BYO article

Update
Batch #1: 1.050 → 1.030 (on 10/10/10); racked to secondary with 1.5 tsp pectic enzyme and happily bubbling away & clearing
Batch #2: 1.058 (calculated) -->1.020: 1 lb brown sugar and about 6 gallons of cider on dregs of Batch #1; racked to secondary yesterday on top of 3.1 lbs of Blackberry Puree; estimated OG: 1.069 (effect of puree 30 points/pound/gallon)
Batch #3: 1.075 (estimated): 5-gallons of cider yesterday with 12 oz of molasses and 1.5 lbs of medium dark brown sugar; I’ll add the remaining pound of brown sugar dissolved in more apple juice either tomorrow or Tuesday.

All OG calculations were based upon measured apple juice gravities plus adjuncts.  All juice was flash pasteurized and purchased from Mills Apple Farm in IL.

(apologies if you’ve seen this in two other forums - I am trying to canvas those with cider making experience for feedback)

2

Adding raisins today to New England Style Cider…think I can just dump 'em in or do they need to be pasteurized at a certain temp?

3

I was thinking of freezing mine.  I’m doing a similar line up.  Or glaze them a bit at real high heat.

4

I ended up just heating them in a little bit of water to around 160F and they sat for 20 min or so then threw them in.

5

I glazed mine at real high heat, constantly stirring till I just started to get some carmelization on the pan.  Then took them off and put em right in.  Seemed to work pretty well, although all the smell in my kitchen was not in my carboy…