Hard Cider

[JimH]

So, it is fall and the gallon jugs of apple cider are out on the shelves. SWMBO loves the cider, and since I have been making some hard cider I put 2 and 2 together (naturally). Usually I have been making it with two cans apple juice, 1/2 lb sugar, 1/4 lactose. Could I just use the apple cider instead of juice concentrate. I think yes, but I just wasn't sure if there is something tricky about that stuff that should be avoided.

[FrozenInTime]

Just make sure it's pasturized. I have a couple gallons left over from my apples this fall and I'm thinking of using it too. I'm gonna boil it well to pasturize it before adding sugar/lactose/pumpkin pie spice and yeast.

[BigPapaG]

@JimH If you use the off the shelf stuff, make sure it doesn't have any sorbates (or other preservatives) in it... If it does, it will kill your yeast and never ferment.

@FIT Can't you just get your pressings up to 170*F and just hold them there for 10 minutes? No need to boil ehh?

[Texas Dan]

Never done one before, but I've been thinking of making a hard cider myself.
I have 2 1/2 Gal (5 64 oz bottles) of 100% Apple "Juice" containing just filtered water, apple juice concentrate and ascorbic acid (Vit C)...

Would that be concentrated enough and satisfactory for making hard cider? I would probably just need to add some lactose to replace the sugar fermented out.

[FrozenInTime]

@FIT Can't you just get your pressings up to 170*F and just hold them there for 10 minutes? No need to boil ehh?

Does that work? I just boil baby boil out of habbit.

[BigPapaG]

@FIT Can't you just get your pressings up to 170*F and just hold them there for 10 minutes? No need to boil ehh?

Does that work? I just boil baby boil out of habbit.

Does it work?... naah...

I got the temp and time wrong...

According to eHow, it's 175*F for 20 minutes...

http://www.ehow.com/how_8303864_pasteur ... -home.html

@ Texas Dan... Yup, shoud work...

[Root Skier]

I think I'm going to make my first gallon of hard cider tomorrow. I've been watching a few CraigTube videos on it and I'm pretty psyched to add this to my "production".

[ba1980]

I made cider last year with 100% apple juice and some sugar (can't remember how much) and may have used 1lb of malt. It ended up being around 9 or 10% with little to no apple flavor. The one bottle I put cinnamon in was great.

[radonc73]

I am doing my first cider myself. I did 4 gallons of cider and kept a gallon to backsweeten the other 4 gal. I didn't add any sugar this time but may follow Brewing TVs recipe with brown sugar next time if this one is any good. I am a little worried about the stovetop pasturization. Seems easy as long as I don't overfill the bottles but bottle bombs are always in the back of my mind especially when heating several bottles at a time. I have read about using a diahwasher to pasturize which I think I may go with.

[BeerRust]

@JimH If you use the off the shelf stuff, make sure it doesn't have any sorbates (or other preservatives) in it... If it does, it will kill your yeast and never ferment.

@FIT Can't you just get your pressings up to 170*F and just hold them there for 10 minutes? No need to boil ehh?

Sorbates won't kill yeast, but can slow they down. If you pitch enough yeast although you will not have any worries with the sorbates.

[BigPapaG]

@JimH If you use the off the shelf stuff, make sure it doesn't have any sorbates (or other preservatives) in it... If it does, it will kill your yeast and never ferment.

@FIT Can't you just get your pressings up to 170*F and just hold them there for 10 minutes? No need to boil ehh?

Sorbates won't kill yeast, but can slow they down. If you pitch enough yeast although you will not have any worries with the sorbates.

I would agree BR, I mis-spoke... Potassium Sorbate will inhibit the yeast... What this means is active yeast will keep fermenting but they will not be able to reproduce... No new yeast cells for future fermentation. It is used in this manner in winemaking.

Thanks for the catch!