BeerBorg

I brewed the Booberry gobbler on Monday, and also a dark forest stout. This is my first attempt at hard cider. I checked the fermenter and it looks like no activity is going on. All my beer brews in the past always have a good layer of foam, and some activity going on after the first day or 2. I was just wondering if this was normal for a cider?

I made the MB Pear Cider a while back. I did not get any foam. The activity looked more like a freshly poured sprite the keeps fizzing at the top, but no foam....does that make sense?

BlackDuck wrote:I made the MB Pear Cider a while back. I did not get any foam. The activity looked more like a freshly poured sprite the keeps fizzing at the top, but no foam....does that make sense?

I did see any of that. About how many days in was that?

It pretty much started that action within 24 hours of pitching. So your not seeing anything at all?

I don't have experience with the MB hard cider, but that's what all my ciders looked like. Just vigorous bubbling, but no krausen to speak of. I don't know if it's the yeast or the lack of grain, but it sounds pretty normal. As long as you see many bubbles and trub, you are making cider!

JimH wrote:I don't have experience with the MB hard cider, but that's what all my ciders looked like. Just vigorous bubbling, but no krausen to speak of. I don't know if it's the yeast or the lack of grain, but it sounds pretty normal. As long as you see many bubbles and trub, you are making cider!

Wow what a difference tonight. Check and wow a lot of activity going on, that bubbling action is really happening!

How long do you let your cider ferment? Do you carb with the same amount of sugar?

BeerRust wrote:

JimH wrote:I don't have experience with the MB hard cider, but that's what all my ciders looked like. Just vigorous bubbling, but no krausen to speak of. I don't know if it's the yeast or the lack of grain, but it sounds pretty normal. As long as you see many bubbles and trub, you are making cider!

Wow what a difference tonight. Check and wow a lot of activity going on, that bubbling action is really happening!

How long do you let your cider ferment? Do you carb with the same amount of sugar?

Checked again last night, and there is still a lot of activity going on.

JimH wrote:I don't have experience with the MB hard cider, but that's what all my ciders looked like. Just vigorous bubbling, but no krausen to speak of. I don't know if it's the yeast or the lack of grain, but it sounds pretty normal. As long as you see many bubbles and trub, you are making cider!

Did a small taste test yesterday on the hard cider. It did not have a very strong taste. It's been fermenting 11 days. How long do you usually ferment your cider?

From what I remember....I think I fermented mine for 3 weeks. I had a thread on the old MB forum with some of that info on it. I'll see if I can find it (wish me luck) and post back.

BlackDuck wrote:From what I remember....I think I fermented mine for 3 weeks. I had a thread on the old MB forum with some of that info on it. I'll see if I can find it (wish me luck) and post back.

Thanks. I like the idea of having an alternative to beer sometimes, but don't want a just ok cider. The commercial stuff is not very good any more.

If the MB cider doesn't suit your fancy, try the Nong Cider recipe. My recipe is loosely based on the Nong cider, with just a tweak or two. philm00x also has a hard punch recipe which is similar to my cider, but I think he used lemonade/limeade. Swap that out with apple juice and you are in business!
Apple cider is hitting the stores now, and I might just make up a gallon batch with some of that here soon.

I was able to fine my post on the old MB site. Mine fermented for 3 weeks, which included a two day cold crash. I carbed it to 2 vols of CO2. Which gives it a light carb level. There really isn't any head, but a light effervescence to it.

I did mine with some honey and lactose added to the apple juice concentrate + water. 1lb of lactose seemed to make a nicely slightly sweetened sparkling cider in an LBK

Monty

JimH wrote:If the MB cider doesn't suit your fancy, try the Nong Cider recipe. My recipe is loosely based on the Nong cider, with just a tweak or two. philm00x also has a hard punch recipe which is similar to my cider, but I think he used lemonade/limeade. Swap that out with apple juice and you are in business!
Apple cider is hitting the stores now, and I might just make up a gallon batch with some of that here soon.

Where can I find those recipes?

The old MB site, lol. I will post my recipe for you when I get home since I don't have it here at work.