2 gallons Western Family AJ
1/2 packet US05
Holy cow. Cheated after a week of bottle condish, smells like honey. Tastes like a half Angry Orchard, half Kamikaze. Sweet start, followed by tart lime vodka, tiplesec
Just about any homemade cider is going to taste very tart compared to the commercial stuff. Commercial ciders are often made to taste extremely sweet with a ton of fresh apple flavor. REAL cider is nothing like that at all, and that is what you are experiencing.
I also noticed when I’ve used US-05 that it gives off this big yummy honey flavor. So it wasn’t just me!?
I must try this!
I’ve made 3 ciders now using Mott’s apple juice, Nottingham yeast, and backsweetening with frozen apple juice concentrate. Two I’ve added a couple pounds of brown sugar to. A couple have gone on to win medals and a Cider Maker of the Year award.
Definitely feels like cheating how easy it is compare to brewing beer. I plan to have at least one cider on tap at all times from now on.
A big thanks goes out to Chris Banker for his presentation at NHC and Drew Beechum for his new cider book!
How do you keep the cider from refermenting the apple concentrate?
Potassium Sorbate (Sorbate K - 1/2 tsp per gallon) and Campden Tablets (1 tablet per gallon).
and keep them cold. this is in a keg.
I made grocery store cider using 15 quarts (5 bottles at 2.50 each) of Walmart brand cider. I used S04 yeast, yeast nutrient, and added pomegranite juice at kegging. I thought it came out great, very quaffable.
+1
I know someone who uses a non cold tolerant yeast and just keeps the keg cold after backsweetening. It stays sweetened for months without sorbate.
Is this a readily available strain by chance ? Before I started using sorbate, all the strains I used would slowly get drier (for obvious reasons) after backsweetening.
at fridge temperatures?
I dunno what to tell you then. I always keep a keg or two of still, sweet cider with nothing but cold and a racking or two stopping fermentation. one’s been in there 8 months or so, remains still.
my SOP is to make dry ciders with cider apples and wine yeast or fruit cider with 3711, but occasionally make sweet cider with plain store-bought juice and ale yeast, and just stop it somewhere between 1.010 and 1.020. I use 3068, 3333, 1968, 1728, and 3726 most often. I’ve successfully stopped Cotes Des Blanc too. So again, I dunno what to say…my fridge is colder than yours?
cheers–
–Michael
That could very well be. I keep my kegerator more at ale serving temps. An extra few degreesF might be the difference. Honestly though, my ciders go pretty quickly so there’s no issue. When I get back to brewing lagers this year I’m sure I’ll cool the kegerator a bit.