Homemade Cider

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Homemade Cider

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Foghorn

Joined: 23 Nov 2004
Posts: 49
Location: Barcombe, E Sussex

Posted: Sun Jan 16, 05 1:10 pm Post subject: Homemade Cider

Last autumn, I got the apples off our apple trees pressed and the juice went into a barrel with an airlock in the garden shed. The wild yeast on the unwashed apples was all that was required for fermentation to begin. The airlock bubbled away happily for a few weeks and then stopped.

Does anyone have any advice about what I should do now to complete the cider-making process? I've tried a taste, and the liquid is quite sharp, a bit watery and leaves a sludge like sediment in the glass. There is an alcoholic kick to it.

I had the vague idea that a second fermentation would take place during the spring when the temperature starts to increase.

Grateful for any tips.

Incidentally, the apples are an unidentified variety that are quite sharp - some sort of cooking variety I would guess.

selfsufficientish

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 364
Location: Bristol

Posted: Sun Jan 16, 05 2:10 pm Post subject:

just finsihed a batch of cider from this recipe. My brother has made the same with less sugar and it was fine. I have had to leave mine for a bit longer as mine was too sweet. It was supposed to be ready for new years eve but it was undrinkably sweet. tried some a couple of days and go and it was getting better. Gonna give it an extra month and think it will be ok then. right here is the recipe........

I call this Ciderish as it is not quite real cider and not quite apple wine, more somewhere in between. (also it fits in with our ish take on life)

Ingredients

3.6 kilos (8lb) Apples, any apples will do.(try and find some unused apple trees)

9 ltrs (2 gallons) water

28grams (1oz) root ginger

Juice of four lemons

some empty resealable bottles

3.6 Kilos (8lbs) Sugar

Step 1

Cut up the unpeeled apples roughly with a non metallic knife.� Cover with two gallons of boiling water preferably in a brewers bucket. Incidentally you must not use any metal in this recipe.

Step 2

Leave the mixture for two weeks, returning to crush the apples well, now and again. By now and again I guess you could get away with doing it 4 times as long as the mixture is well liquified. Be careful that mould does not form at this stage.

Step 3

Stick the kettle on. Strain the liquid and add the bruised root ginger, lemon juice and sugar. Give it a good stir to ensure that the sugar has dissolved.

Add quarter of a pint of boiling water and leave the whole thing to stand again for just over a fortnight removing the scum off the top as it rises.

Step 4

You will need two people for this next bit. Strain into resealable bottles and screw on the tops lightly for 2 days, just to the point where they would need another half turn to fully close them.

Step 5

Ok so you have waited almost five weeks, now tighten the stoppers and keep in a cool, dark and most importantly, dry place for two months.

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sun Jan 16, 05 9:22 pm Post subject:
On a similar theme, how do you make cider from apple juice.

Foghorn

Joined: 23 Nov 2004
Posts: 49
Location: Barcombe, E Sussex

Posted: Sun Jan 16, 05 11:50 pm Post subject:
Interesting replies, but I'd be delighted if anyone has a response to my original post

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Mon Jan 17, 05 7:29 am Post subject:
Hi Foghorn - I'm not going to be of any help I'm afraid, will ask hubby tonight for advice. Don't understand about second fermentation. I'll get back to you, Foghorn.

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Mon Jan 17, 05 9:13 pm Post subject:

Hi Foghorn

As promised, I spoke to hubby tonight (not that I normally don't, you understand). Now to be honest he says he has made homebrew beer but not tried making cider.

He asks if the barrel was kept warm, if not the yeast may have 'died'. He says if it was his booze he would do the following, put a brewbelt on it (it needs to be warm), would add a little bit of sugar to see if this starts '2nd fermentation', failing that would add some additional yeast to re-start it off.

Hope this is of some help.

Foghorn

Joined: 23 Nov 2004
Posts: 49
Location: Barcombe, E Sussex

Posted: Tue Jan 18, 05 10:28 am Post subject:
Thanks Gertie, it sort of confirms what I heard yesterday when I visited this specialist cider place near where I live. I don't think there are any hard and fast rules, and it is really a matter of adjusting the final product using a range of different flavourings, or possibly even fermenting it a second time, as suggested. I'll let you know if I have any success

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Wed Jan 19, 05 4:14 pm Post subject:
Hi Foghorn - Must say it's a while since Lundy made any home-made wine or beer, basically because we have spent a lot of our free time doing the house up, etc., etc. Let me know how the cider turns out. I'll let you get back to your reseach, anyway

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