How to Make Hard Cider at Home with Fresh or Store-Bought Cider
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2012
- How about them apples?! In this episode of Brewing TV, we make hard cider. While both options work well, you'll learn the differences between using fresh-pressed apple cider and store-bought cider. Chip and Northern Brewer cohort Chris Smith show you how to treat, ferment and finish hard cider. The session includes tips on back-sweetening cider as well. After watching this video you'll be ready to start making your own hard cider at home.
For more cider-making resources and useful products see:
www.northernbrewer.com/collec...
"It just means that it's got less sugar than tapwater"
That is misinformation - alcohol has a lower specific gravity than water, therefore when you have a relatively high-alcohol product and the sugar has been all used up by fermentation, naturally you can get a SG of lower than pure water. What matters is the rate of attenuation, which tells you how much of the sugar has been turned into alcohol.
Sorry. I used to be stupid. I been learned.
Thank you! As soon as I heard that comment about less sugar than tap water, I immediately went to go comment to make the correction. Alas, the top comment (your comment) was there to keep everyone correctly informed.
Yes, I was surprised that a master brewer would not know that?!
yes i wanted to bring this up also when i heard it.
Water = 1.000. Adding SUGAR (as when brewing) makes it more dense, causing the hydrometer to rise. Yeast eats the SUGAR, converting it to alcohol making it less dense and the hydrometer falls. The gravity reading would be affected by the now less dense alcohol, and the depleted amount of dense sugar water. Bottom line, we aren't measuring sugar or alcohol, but density. He should have said it's less dense than water, but for the purpose of brewing, it still made sense to most of us.
Both you guys - thank you. I've been doing cider for years, one way, the way I learned, without further education. I have had great success, but this video absolutely taught me a thing or two I've not done before. I'll be tweaking my process. Very appreciated!
Mr. Smith knows his Cider FOR SURE. Thx for the upload! Great tips and methods!
More Chris Smith, please!
Also more tips on oak ing / flavorings etc.
Thank you
I'M A BREWMASTER MASTER AND I ORDER YOU TO RELAX!!
There's a lot of talk about adding chemicals or unnatural ingredients to wine/beer/cider here. Most of it is kinda old, so I'm not gonna comment on the specific thread, but instead just leave this here:
It's not a new practice at all. Adding actual pieces of burning sulphur to supress fermentation has been done centuries ago. Finings like Isinglass, Gelatin and Irish Moss also have a long history.
Someone here wrote that only in the US beer and wine may have finings added to it. That's not true. Even the famous and mostly misunderstood Reinheitsgebot in Germany allows some variants of finings and other chemical additions that aid in the brewing process. Included are burnt lime, gypsum and epsom salt, beer coloring, hop extract and PVPP fining (which unlike isinglass and gelatin is not natural). The reason PVPP is allowed is because it "can" be filtered out of the beverage before packaging. I say it "can" because in practice filters won't be 100% effective.
None of this is unsafe if handled correctly! And a lot of it helps to move products across countries without spoilage. Still I think it should be clearly stated on the package of a product what ingredients are used, not just on beer labels.
Homebrewers: Decide for yourself! My motto is trying to balance a natural process with a quality taste. Since we're not in a competitive market, we can experiment with our process a lot and see what works and what doesn't.
An example: Do you really need a kettle fining to get a clear drink? Better yet: Do you really need a clear drink?
Glad to have you back gents!!! Great episode
this is the best video on utube about cider
well explained cheers
As an aspiring home brewer who loves cider and would love to start with that, this is a great video! You use most of the same equipment that a novice home brewer would use. Home Brewing is a cost prohibitive process so anything that can help is much appreciated!
Going to make some this weekend can't wait thank you for the great information
Thanks for the video. I'm making my first batch of cider this weekend.
hey thanks for showing all the cool ways we can flavor our cider. appreciate that.
Great video, glad I just found this channel. Thanks!
This is like a damn chemistry class... we have been making this at home the “pioneer” way for years and it is awesome.....
Apple Cider is a lot of fun to make cheers to you all
If I could hit the like button a thousand times I would. Great episode really awesome, great to see ya again Chip!!!
I MISSED YOU GUYS!!!!! Can't wait to get started on my GRATH for this fall.
Very informative guys; Thanks!
Awesome.. glad to see you posting new ep's! :)
Great video! I'm now working on my second batch after purchasing my gear. My first shot was trying to do it in the original apple juice container. Didn't have a bubbler or lock, so I used a condom. Worked pretty good! I like the idea of using vodka with oak, cinnamon, etc. Thanks again!
what the man said about it being way easier than brewday is VERY true.
my all grain brewday is about 7-8 hours long (counting cleanup, prepping, and a very long mashing process)
Cider making is about 30 minutes to a hours work
all for brew and Brew for ALL !! great !!
Glad you're back! Your Summer break was too long - it's Oktoberfest and cider season, folks!
THEY'RE AMAZING!
wow this really was helpful, thank you very much!
That is genius! If you want to get technical, a hydrometer measures the density of a liquid, and guess what ingredient causes a hydrometer to float higher or lower in this video (brewing)? SUGAR!!! YAY!!! Basic brewing.
Thanks for this.
Thanks for this!
nice video, keep them coming
I saw him use a pitchable vial of White Labs. As for dry yeast, you can just sprinkle it across the top of your wort or must as it will re-hydrate and fall into solution.
I’ve watched a few times guys great video
ALL the Episodes, LOVE THEM! Thank You Chip ( My dog was named Chip...lol) I really want to try Cider. I will be looking on NB's site for help. I would hope they make a kit based on this guy's suggestions. I really wanted to see the guys ribbons too! P.S. I CAN NOT GET ENOUGH OF BTV!!!!!!!!!!
I've been making it with champagne yeast for a couple years now and never really liked it all that much. it was ok. Read up a little on yeast comparisons for cider and settled on trying a basic lager yeast (dry) this time around to see how it comes out (i''m only making 1 or 2 gallon batches anyway, so it's nbd if i mess it up). Used a gallon of pasteurized cider from a local orchard and a cup of table sugar and a half a packet of lager yeast. left it in the jug for a month, bottled it (primed in the bottle with table sugar) and tried it after a month. Best friggin cider i've ever had!!! Tasted like a fresh granny smith apple. It was fairly clear too. Decent alcohol content- a 12oz bottle gets you dizzy. hahaha.
I've tried the dark candi-syrup thing and it tasted like crap, but that was also with the champagne yeast. So I think i'm going to try the candi-syrup route again, using the lager yeast.
I make beer, so the cider isn't really a serious thing for me. But I just might make a bigger batch next time around, to show off to friends.
For anyone wanting to try this, it's not that complex!!! You really don't have to go this crazy!!! I never use sulfites or any of that crap. As long as you get fermentation started with a good, known yeast, before the wild stuff or the bacteria takes hold, you should be fine!!!
Chris seems like a really good dude, thanks!! I love these comments where people try to correct you guys... Look at his freakin medals I think he knows what he's talking about!!
good stuff very good video thanks
Chris is the expert's expert, based on this video. I've watched many videos and this is the one to go to if you want to fine tune your skills.
great logo guys!
Thanks so much
ARRGGGHH!!! You're making us wait until September WHAT before we can get our Brewing TV fix?!?
Well; I guess it's just good to know you are coming back. :-)
Well this is just wonderful if your already an experienced brewer and don't need ANY of this information!
Thanks great info
If the guy on the right rubs his hands one more time, i will personally blow my brains out
add pectin enzyme initially. It makes it clear much better.
Hand-Rubbingly Captivating!
First back sweetening means adding unfermented juice from the original stock, it does not mean just adding sugar. Second you can bottle a sweetened sparkling cider 1 of 2 ways. To do so you must bottle pasteurize or use the Champagne method of riddling, disgorging, sweetening/stabilizing, and corking.
Had a mango cider i once backsweetened with lactose... it was SO GOODOODOOOD.
Thanks for he info, easily explained and straight forward. However, what about carbination? Should you carbinate your Cider...or leave it as is???????
Great video and informative 👍
Thanks so much. Are you just starting out with making hard cider?
@@BrewingTV i make beer and have decided to make cider. Im going to dry hop it with citra, Eldorado and Amarillo
Can you treat the fermentation like regular lager beer? Meaning, increasing the temperature by a few points for a few days after primary fermantation, and then lagering it at around 2°C for a few weeks?
VERY COOL !
hey there, awesome video, do you think it would be possible to do a two week cider? or would it be too sour/sweet? and to backsweeten do I need to kill the yeast first?
I have to say, there is so much crazy stuff they are adding, when originally when we started out as a civilization making this sort of stuff it was far far simpler.
Thanks guys for the run down on making cider. New homebrewer, 3 batches in. I'll be making my first cider off of the fresh cider come early September; I hoping is a yearly tradition. Couple rookie questions. I don't have a keg setup, shall I follow similar to brewing beer with 5 oz of dextrose for my 5 gal batch? I assume I skip adding the sorbate as it would kill the yeast? Last, ever add the cinnamon sticks or even nutmeg straight to the second? Thanks again!!!
Nice. I have a question. I made some blueberry wine first of july. I racked it in small bottles. today I saw this video and didnt think about adding sugar to the final product. I poured a bottle out into a pot and heated the wine to 100 f using a laser thermometer. I added in sugar till the wine tasted purty much like sweet red. I put the wine back in te bottle and stuck it out in the bbq grill. It tastes purty good. the bread yeast i used to make the batch was out dated to start with. Recon it will be ok? It taste purty good now. Thanks in advance -PawPaw
The pleasure and satisfaction come from the experience...not the unsophisticated stupor.
Man, I wish I was local there so I could come get some fresh-pressed cider. I don't know anywhere locally to get it this fresh.
I just so happen to have access to a small 400 producing tree orchard consisting mostly of 99% McIntosh apples and they are as ripe as needed for cider at this point. This place here in Idaho has a commercial press as well, they do most of their sales at a local farmers market in small 50 gallon batches in 1/2 to 1 gallon jugs and it sells out every time. If you never tried natural unpasteurized McIntosh cider your in for a treat. I have made some small batches of hard cider form this farm and like it the way it comes out naturally and the higher in alcohol content as possible without adding sugars and letting it settle as long as possible to a clear amber state. The best I can describe of the taste is 'floral like the way blossom smells if that makes any sense, but not particularly sweet. I have a 5 gallon carboy at the ready and going to make a batch of the stuff here soon. Thanks for the tips btw and great vid as well.
Going to do my first small batch this weekend. Was intending on using Carbonation drops in the Grolsch bottles I have collected, as I would like it to be a little fizzy. Do you think a drop or two would be enough to back sweeten?
what about ascorbic acid? I used pressed apple juice with that as the only additive to make a cyser that still in the first stage.
I watched a video by Northern Brewer on making cider, and there was no mention of yeast nutrient. Is this really necessary when starting with fresh squeezed cider?
What are the products that you add for fermentation? I want start doing pear cider in Portugal.Can you give some information like how much time for the first fermentation.
Thank You
Specific gravity is a measurement of density, which is mass divided by volume. For example, plain liquid water at a certain temperature (I believe it is 40 degrees C?) has a specific gravity of 1.000 which means that it has a mass 1.000 grams per 1 milliliter volume. So a specific gravity of 0.997 means that the aqueous solution of water plus alcohol has mass 0.997 grams per milliliter volume. This occurs due to lack of sugar plus additional ethanol which is less dense than water.
Do you think it would work with apple juice from a home juicer?
Do I have to keep it warm after it's done like I mean when it has to settle for a week or more
A really good fast yeast I use that maintains apple flavor is Wyeast French Siason. I thought since Chris shared his secret weapons I would too. The siason yeast settles clear and works super fast.
I used Belle Saison in 5 gallons of freshly-squeezed apple juice, unpasteurized, no preservatives. OG was 1.52. Some yeast nutrient and a little brown sugar later and the fermentation began in 12 hrs and continued for 2 weeks!
I racked it, and let it mellow out for an additional 2 weeks.
FG was 1.000.
Then I bottled everything, with one carbonation pill per bottle and let it sit in 65°F darkness (my basement) for another 2 weeks. Then we stuck a couple of bottles in the fridge, overnight, and taste tested the following day. #YUMMY
Wow! I had that very same brain freeze in a job interview, poor bugger! Once you get the dry cough, game over! lol.
Can I use some leftover homemade cider that I had already made at home which now contains sugar and cinnamon? This was made in a pressure cooker and reduced slightly so its kinda sweet. Would cooking it that way kill natural bacteria thus negating the need to use the campden tablets?
My first batch of cider was incredibly gassy. At 10 days the autosiphon would not work it was so gassy. I've degasses three times and it still has a low carbonation.. How long should you age this stuff before adding flavor ingredients or back sweetening
?
Maybe one day I'll make cider...but I kinda want to make those natural funky Sidra-style ones.
When you add the brown sugar, how are you dissolving it in the cider?
FYI - Pinetree apple orchard in White Bear Lake will do cider untreated if you call ahead. I do 10 gal at a time. Really good cider too.
Could you add lactose sugar as the sweetener, since it’s not fermentable?
Hi there guys can I use fresh apple juice treated with vitamin c to make hard cider thanks
Does anyone know if it is a good idea to add oxygen prior to pitching as you do for beer?
Where would I get that oak aging stuff? I'd love to add that to a little batch of mead.
any help advised how could I save my batch ?? its already done I used champagne yeast but final product is much more like sweet wine . I have also used double filtration so after I added bubbles its much more like sweet wine champagne . Will I still save the flavour with adding apple concentrate ??
When Chris says "let it sit for a day so the sulpher dioxide can off-gas so it can be ready for the pitchable yeast to be added to the must." Do you literally leave the fermenter open to the environment, or do you leave it under an airlock?
Great episode, I appreciate you guys putting this one together!
great video. have you tried making ice cider?
Actually, Chris' recipe uses two packets of dried yeast, which takes into account the fact that some portion of the dried yeast dies without rehydration. This pitching rate is adequate for the fermentation conditions, and is helped along by the nutrient and other yeast management techniques being employed.
What about the methanol is it safe to freeze distillate it cause then methanol will be more concentrated
What refractometer is he using? I've been trying to find a good one to buy...
Quick question for you...
I am new to homebrewing on my 2nd batch of Hard Apple Cider...
And just like my first batch there doesnt appear to be any bubbles in the airlock is this normal?
sofakingdrunk66 mine doesn't either,but the cider is bubbling,must have a leak
Just an FYI, that 'large palletized container' is referred to as a tote. Great Video.
If you add sugar to the cider, doesn't that technically put it in the same class as malt liquor?
malt is a different altogether. not adding sugar to the apple juice will give you a very dry wine with an abv of about 4-6, adding sugar can cranck it up to 12-15 percent abv. i personally add sugar for a higher abv
How long do you have to leave the Oak in the Vodka? thanks.
what if I wanted it to be sparkling, like a beer? What would I have to do to the cider?
What do you mean by bottle it still, if you are backsweetening and bottling the cider?
Meaning don't try to bottle condition it to carbonate or you run the risk of over carbonating and creating a bottle bomb. If you want it backsweetened, it's best to stabilize it (which will kill all yeast) first, thus it will need to be still/uncarbonated. If you want carbonated or bubbly cider, kegging is the way to go.
I think I will try to make a kombucha batch with stronger than normal tea and regular sweetener and add some nice apple cider in the mix. Kombucha normally has a small amount of alcohol but it has a ton of great bacteria and yeasts for health.
How did the candi syrup cider come out? I've been thinking about trying that but didn't want to waste the syrup.
do you guys mix the yeast in with that device as you did the sugar, or do you just pour it in and let it do it's thing?
***** you can mix it in if you want too or just leave it on the top.
You guys should make some cloudy cider, proper 12% stuff, or take a trip to Somerset in the UK and see how us Brits do it.
also can you just use a yeast like d-47 (or any sweet wine yeast) to make a naturally occurring sweet cider without having to kill off the yeast?
you guys ever get footage from NHC 2012?
Couldn't you backsweeten with maltodextrine and a small amount of priming sugar and get sweetened, carbonated cider?? Or would that not work?
If you haven't done so already, I suggest investing in a hydrometer. It will have specific gravity readings (and most have potential alcohol). The % alcohol would depend on the sugar you add plus the sugar in the apple juice/cider you buy. Measure the potential alcohol on the juice, then bring it up to wear you want with the brown sugar. I would suggest dissolving the brown sugar in some warmed juice before adding to the must/wort.
i love cider
At 6:40 you mention that a gravity
"Oh this is super simple" proceeds to heavy complicate the process.
FTR, Publix brand cider has noo preservatives and is of a pretty decent quality. It is perfectly suited for cider making, and can be purchased for a VERY low price
other question: no starter? I'm pretty sure you could make a starter from some cider.
I like to add fruit to the cider to provide the nutrients the yeast needs. Standard cider could used sliced up and boiled (to sterilize) apples, but I love to dd raisins and other berry's to my apple-wine/cider