Headed to Oak Glen prolly Wednesday and making our own Hard Apple Cider

[wsuwrhr]

We are going for our annual trip about this time of year. Last year we went a little late and almost didn't get the cider to finish fermenting all the way.

Getting pumpkins for the kids, we let them run amuck and pick up whatever they want and my wife and I always get the biggest two we can find.

Take a half day off from the shop, or a full day if we take our oldest out of school, or pick her up early. I hope it won't be crowded during the week.

We are getting 15gal of cider this time to ferment a full keg for this years Christmas party, we burnt up all but a gal or so last year's party, I hate running out and not having "leftovers" sucks.

Anyone else go? I love heading up in the fall.

Hopefully we can hit up the Steak place this time, last time we stopped at every place and made a day of it, by the time we got to the cider place we were beat.

I have high hopes for the sugar content since we had such a good winter last year.

Brian

 

[wsuwrhr]

IMA use this thread to document the process again for those of you who dug it last year and maybe pick up some new peeps too that might be interested.

 

[SoCalDave]

We usually go up the last weekend in Sept or fist one in Oct, must be nice to go during the week though.
We go early and finish the day just up the mountain at a little park called Thurman Flats. The creek is always running even during the drought we went through.

Have fun!

 

[wsuwrhr]

We usually go up the last weekend in Sept or fist one in Oct, must be nice to go during the week though.We go early and finish the day just up the mountain at a little park called Thurman Flats. The creek is always running even during the drought we went through.

Have fun!

There has to be some perks, my friend.

IMA put that park on the list.

 

[Done-it-again]

Went last week and it was F'ing crazy. But still had a good time.

Where do you get that much sider. It was freaking $$$

As for apples. I didn't think they were as sweet as 2 years ago ( last time I went). But the sider was good

Made 45 jars of apple butter (2 cases of apples) I took over making this when my grandmother past.

 

[Schhiadajones]

Love it up there, last year we went way late but was still very busy we went weekend after Thanksgiving

 

[wsuwrhr]

Went last week and it was F'ing crazy. But still had a good time.

Where do you get that much sider. It was freaking $$$

As for apples. I didn't think they were as sweet as 2 years ago ( last time I went). But the sider was good

Made 45 jars of apple butter (2 cases of apples) I took over making this when my grandmother past.

Yep I remember you talking about the apple butter. Im a sucker for roadside stands when we are on the road, especially in the coach.

Ill buy the jars of butter, fruit, pies, whatever. Im a freak.

Apples from 2015 ended up making 9.5-10% alcohol and still had a good sweetness to it. Too good to be honest. We hurt some people at the party that year, along with yours truly, in the days "testing" it leading up to the party(for the sake of science).

Last year's made 8.5% but I double blind tested it, again for the sake of science, and I still hurt myself. But it was drier and didn't have the same sweet finish. We put in a splash of regular cider for the folks who didn't like the dry finish.

It isn't too bad I don't think. I think it was less than $10 a gallon last year. Once you've seen how much work goes into juicing and blending it, seems like a bargain to me.

Can't put a price on what some a little bit of yeast does to it though.

 

[SoCalDave]

There has to be some perks, my friend.

IMA put that park on the list.

Just up HWY 38 from OG.
Nice area to relax when it is hot out and the kids get to play in the water. Just a short hike from the picnic area.
People have a tendency to build damns on the creek so they have a swimming spot and every year they get torn apart by this team.

[video=youtube;TqzuvxjE5g4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqzuvxjE5g4&t=21s[/video]

 

[jeteater1]

Yep I remember you talking about the apple butter. Im a sucker for roadside stands when we are on the road, especially in the coach.

Ill buy the jars of butter, fruit, pies, whatever. Im a freak.

Apples from 2015 ended up making 9.5-10% alcohol and still had a good sweetness to it. Too good to be honest. We hurt some people at the party that year, along with yours truly, in the days "testing" it leading up to the party(for the sake of science).

Last year's made 8.5% but I double blind tested it, again for the sake of science, and I still hurt myself. But it was drier and didn't have the same sweet finish. We put in a splash of regular cider for the folks who didn't like the dry finish.

It isn't too bad I don't think. I think it was less than $10 a gallon last year. Once you've seen how much work goes into juicing and blending it, seems like a bargain to me.

Can't put a price on what some a little bit of yeast does to it though.

We went up there last Saturday, $15 a gallon. Way too many people not looking where they are going . Week day is probably best.

 

[wsuwrhr]

We went up there last Saturday, $15 a gallon. Way too many people not looking where they are going . Week day is probably best.

Significant bump from last year if that is the case. It is what it is I guess....

 

[TrollerDave]

On the list of things to do this year. Actually, it's been on the list for a few years.
When is the season over? Also a list of tips and other things to do is appreciated. Thanks. :thumbup:

 

[wsuwrhr]

On the list of things to do this year. Actually, it's been on the list for a few years.
When is the season over? Also a list of tips and other things to do is appreciated. Thanks. :thumbup:

Carpe Diem sir.

Will do sir. I can find and link last years thread too.

I am not sure when the season is over, but it is getting close, that I know.

 

[wsuwrhr]

On the list of things to do this year. Actually, it's been on the list for a few years.
When is the season over? Also a list of tips and other things to do is appreciated. Thanks. :thumbup:

Before this thread gets going, I believe the verbiage is "To know where you are going, you have to know where you have been"

So here is the link to last years thread, it will be good to compare this years batch to last years.

http://www.riverdavesplace.com/foru...ing-your-own-hard-cider&highlight=apple+cider

 

[RitcheyRch]

Never been but have always wanted to go

 

[Done-it-again]

Yep I remember you talking about the apple butter. Im a sucker for roadside stands when we are on the road, especially in the coach.

Ill buy the jars of butter, fruit, pies, whatever. Im a freak.

Apples from 2015 ended up making 9.5-10% alcohol and still had a good sweetness to it. Too good to be honest. We hurt some people at the party that year, along with yours truly, in the days "testing" it leading up to the party(for the sake of science).

Last year's made 8.5% but I double blind tested it, again for the sake of science, and I still hurt myself. But it was drier and didn't have the same sweet finish. We put in a splash of regular cider for the folks who didn't like the dry finish.

It isn't too bad I don't think. I think it was less than $10 a gallon last year. Once you've seen how much work goes into juicing and blending it, seems like a bargain to me.

Can't put a price on what some a little bit of yeast does to it though.

i get my apples from Los Rios. This year did the U-pick apples along with berries and made the 1 gal cider with our young girls. You squize cider in a glass jug was $25. Plastic jug machined squize was around 13-15.

I so want to try this hard cider. I remember your post from last year.

 

[FROGMAN524]

Wife and I planning to go the weekend of Monster Smash so I'm a little torn about it but we went 3 years ago a little bit late and there wasn't much left to pick from.

 

[wsuwrhr]

I got the skinny on the "sweetness", apparently the cider I got in 2015 was from slightly earlier in the season and had more Gala apple juice in it. Gala apples are really sweet comparatively, cider made later has more varieties but no Galas because they are done by then. The cider is more tart. Makes perfect sense. Noted for 2018, get cider earlier if we want 10.5%

Brian

Went last week and it was F'ing crazy. But still had a good time.

Where do you get that much sider. It was freaking $$$

As for apples. I didn't think they were as sweet as 2 years ago ( last time I went). But the sider was good

Made 45 jars of apple butter (2 cases of apples) I took over making this when my grandmother past.

 

[scottchbrite]

I always mean to go, and even have family that lives up there. But going to the river always gets in the way

 

[25Elmn8r]

My wife and her sister have taken all the kids there for the last few years. They've always had a great time. She was reminiscing about it the other day so we found a new place to check out up here in Idaho. Wife and I are heading to Green Bluff just outside of Spokane this Saturday. It'll be interesting to see the difference.

 

[Tooms22]

I've been interested in doing this since I saw the thread last year.

How does this compare to making other types of booze as it relates to the dangers? I've heard claims of people going blind or even dying from bad moonshine. Does the lower alcohol content make it less dangerous health wise if you screw up the "brewing" process? Just a little porcelain hugging or worse?

I'm headed up to Oak Glen early Saturday morning.

 

[Done-it-again]

Don't think wsuwrhr is distilling after fermentation. So no chance of him making methanol by accident like some people do while making shine.

 

[Constant840]

Just up HWY 38 from OG.
Nice area to relax when it is hot out and the kids get to play in the water. Just a short hike from the picnic area.
People have a tendency to build damns on the creek so they have a swimming spot and every year they get torn apart by this team.

[video=youtube;TqzuvxjE5g4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqzuvxjE5g4&t=21s[/video]

View attachment 588801

I live up the road a bit from Thurman Flats. I like what those guys do. The weathered tarps and sheet plastic people bring up and leave to create their "dams" eventually turns to trash. The demographic these pool draw creates a garbage issue in itself. Bottles, cans, pizza boxes? You name it.
We always bring a trash bag when we walk the creek. A couple weeks ago we packed out two full trash bags. One of which had no less than 3 diapers in it. Infuriating.

 

[wsuwrhr]

I've been interested in doing this since I saw the thread last year.

How does this compare to making other types of booze as it relates to the dangers? I've heard claims of people going blind or even dying from bad moonshine. Does the lower alcohol content make it less dangerous health wise if you screw up the "brewing" process? Just a little porcelain hugging or worse?

I'm headed up to Oak Glen early Saturday morning.

Don't think wsuwrhr is distilling after fermentation. So no chance of him making methanol by accident like some people do while making shine.

Yes, exactly. Methanol is made during the distilling process, where you could blow up the still, or go blind, or any other of the bigger dangers you can encounter.

There is no brewing process in this case, nothing like making beer when you boil the mash and make wort, and then ferment it.

We just let it reach the correct temp to put in the yeast and let it sit.

If you are serious, go to Laws or El Rio like others have mentioned to get the cider. If you don't already know, you need a specific cider to ferment. Unpasteurized, unfiltered, NO preservatives added. Tell them you are going to ferment it and they will know what you need.

IMHO, I would call either of the places you want to try ahead of time and make sure they have some to schedule your trip accordingly.

Brian

 

[wsuwrhr]

So the trip was a success and had a fun day to boot!!

Left the shop around noon after everyone got out of school and headed up. Went to Laws and made sure the cider was spoken for and they would be open the whole day.

We had lunch next door at Laws coffee shop. Then we headed to Rileys farm and spent a couple hours looking at their animals and getting pumpkins. Not many big ones this year, I was kinda bummed. My kids are pumpkin nuts. Every ten steps was the newest best pumpkin.

Then we see little pumpkins and the cycle starts over again. So at .55lb, we supported our local economy.

Then we headed back towards Laws. My kids saw a deer pen on the way to Rileys and they wanted to stop, and of course we have to feed the foal that are there, then onto the zoo/fish ponds next door. Then the zoo next door to that. It is always an adventure.

So now it is 430 or so and on our way out of town, we stopped back at Laws to pick up the cider since it needs to stay cold until we get ready to pitch the yeast. We ended up getting 20 gal this run. I felt like a bootlegger with a truckful of cider.

We headed down the hill back to the shop and put the cider in the coldbox. Saturday Ill snap some pictures with we put the cider into carboys and pitch the yeast.

Brian

 

[Tooms22]

So I'm at Riley's Farm this morning and I call Law's...

Me: "Hey, do you have any unpasteurized, unfiltered cider?"

Law's: "Yeah, but how much do you want and when will you be here? We don't have much right now. Some guy came up this week and bought 20 gallons."

I got there around 10:15 and bought 4 gallons. I'm thinking of just buying the airlock corks and fermenting in the glass gallon jugs.

 

[wsuwrhr]

So I'm at Riley's Farm this morning and I call Law's...

Me: "Hey, do you have any unpasteurized, unfiltered cider?"

Law's: "Yeah, but how much do you want and when will you be here? We don't have much right now. Some guy came up this week and bought 20 gallons."

I got there around 10:15 and bought 4 gallons. I'm thinking of just buying the airlock corks and fermenting in the glass gallon jugs.

Toldya.

Smart man.

Nice.

We did plastic because we are fermenting it in three 5 gal carboys, it is a little cheaper in plastic too.

I would imagine you could just do like you said, put airlocks in the glass jars and ferment it just like that.

Brian

 

[wsuwrhr]

On second thought....I don't think there is enough room to ferment it right in those jars. I think you need a bigger gap, might overflow when the yeast starts getting active.....

Brian

 

[Tooms22]

On second thought....I don't think there is enough room to ferment it right in those jars. I think you need a bigger gap, might overflow when the yeast starts getting active.....

Brian

I'm a first timer with this so I don't know how much it will expand. I bought a filtered gallon as well that we could drink this week. Could I spread 4 gallons of cider over 5 gallon containers?

 

[wsuwrhr]

I'm a first timer with this so I don't know how much it will expand. I bought a filtered gallon as well that we could drink this week. Could I spread 4 gallons of cider over 5 gallon containers?

Yes, make sure you sterilize the vessel you are going to use and 4 gal would be fine to ferment in a 5 gal vessel.

Bacteria and stray yeast is the enemy of fermenting.

Brian

 

[wsuwrhr]

Monday Ill do a full tutorial if you want to wait. Make sure you keep the cider cool if you aren't ready to start.

Do you know what yeast you are going to use?

Brian

 

[buck35]

One of my neighbors has a press and I think he scored 3 bins of apples last fall , roughly 2100 lbs. The wife got a couple gallons of cider from them . I'd love to make a little hard cider . Yummm!

 

[Tooms22]

Monday Ill do a full tutorial if you want to wait. Make sure you keep the cider cool if you aren't ready to start.

Do you know what yeast you are going to use?

Brian

I'm going to order 5 airlocks for my gallon containers, Star San acid sanitizer, and some campden tablets. I'll probably order a dozen 1 Liter EZ Cap bottles in a few weeks because the carbonation and kegging process seems pretty tough. Is it still good when it isn't carbonated?

So far, based on your article, I'm going with a "cider" yeast. I haven't figured out much past that.

I'm definitely waiting for your tutorial. We fit all five gallons in the fridge, so no rush. There's too much fermenting information on the internet. If you've been successful with this method for a few years, then it's probably a good way to do it.

 

[wsuwrhr]

As far as I know we have never used sulfites.

I'm going to order 5 airlocks for my gallon containers, Star San acid sanitizer, and some campden tablets. I'll probably order a dozen 1 Liter EZ Cap bottles in a few weeks because the carbonation and kegging process seems pretty tough. Is it still good when it isn't carbonated?

So far, based on your article, I'm going with a "cider" yeast. I haven't figured out much past that.

I'm definitely waiting for your tutorial. We fit all five gallons in the fridge, so no rush. There's too much fermenting information on the internet. If you've been successful with this method for a few years, then it's probably a good way to do it.

 

[Tooms22]

As far as I know we have never used sulfites.

Campden tablets have been deleted from the Amazon cart.

Waiting on your tutorial to order my yeast.

Have you ever served it non carbonated? Or is carbonation a must? If it's better carbonated, I'm down to buy more supplies and learn another process!

 

[wsuwrhr]

Campden tablets have been deleted from the Amazon cart.

Waiting on your tutorial to order my yeast.

Have you ever served it non carbonated? Or is carbonation a must? If it's better carbonated, I'm down to buy more supplies and learn another process!

More of a taste deal. I prefer it carbed. We keg it, so it is necessary to be carbed.

 

[Tooms22]

I'm trying to get back to some normal projects so I don't read the news so much...

Did you ever get a chance to throw the yeast in your cider and get all of the fermenting containers set up?

I still haven't ordered my supplies.

 

[wsuwrhr]

I'm trying to get back to some normal projects so I don't read the news so much...

Did you ever get a chance to throw the yeast in your cider and get all of the fermenting containers set up?

I still haven't ordered my supplies.

Sorry bud. I hear that.

We started sanitizing the carboys and got wrapped up in the recent events. Noone is in a festive mood. Ill get back on it, I promise. Fermenting time zero barrier will be fast approaching.

Brian

 

[wsuwrhr]

 

[wsuwrhr]

 

[wsuwrhr]

So back on it peeps. Sorry about the hiatus, recent events took the wind out of everyones sails.

So where we are, used some of the PBW alkaline cleaner to start the two part process of making sure there are no unwanted hitchhikers in the carboys.

 

[wsuwrhr]

We let that shit for a couple of hours and then scrub the inside with a bottle brush.

Empty the carboy and rinse. fill up with about 25% water and some of the Star San Tooms bought already and let that sit for a few minutes, then give the carboy to olshwisharooooo and then empty that out.

Make sure when you drain off the Star San solution, you save a bit of the Star San sloution to put in the gas locks.

Let the suds disperse a bit, and drain again.

 

[wsuwrhr]

Leave the cider setting out to get to room temperature.

You want to maintain a temp of 68-72 as best as you can so the yeast will stay active.

Now make sure you sanitize EVERYTHING you touch or that the cider contacts from here on out. You don't want any extra bacteria or stray yeast to hitch a ride.

Now we pour in the cider in and add one package per carboy.

I pour in about half of the gallon of cider and then give the jug a gentle swisharoooo to mix in the sediment settled on the bottom. I believe those are pectins and we want those in the cider, that is why we want the unfiltered.

I prefer to pour in a gallon or two and then add the yeast, and then pour in the remaining cider. your process may vary.

Are we all following along so far?

Tooms, I am still not sure about you fermenting it in the small vessels.

Brian

 

[wsuwrhr]

I held ultimate veto over yeast selection this time. Last years Champagne yeast is a different style that eats all available sugars and yields higher ABV, and consequently leaves a dry taste not everyone liked.

So this year we are trying an ale yeast that will go to sleep and still leave some sugars.

 

[wsuwrhr]

 

[wsuwrhr]

 

[wsuwrhr]

So each carboy has about the same atmosphere gap. Skinnier and taller and shorter fatter carboys.

Both have 5 gallons of cider.

 

[wsuwrhr]

Once the carboys are filled, and gas locks installed. I give them a good swisheroooo, the yeast is dry so it takes a bit to get them in solution. Make sure there aren't any yeast floating on top, so repeat as necessary. Once you get the yeast in suspension, try and not disturb the carboy.

It needs to sit a bit in case shit goes sideways when the yeast gets active. :yikes

When it settles in a day or two, then it should stay pretty docile for the rest of the time.

Try and maintain the temp to 68-72.

Brian

 

[wsuwrhr]

So onto specific gravity. Last year there seemed some confusion, and I tried to go over it, but perhaps it still wasn't clear.

2015's initial reading was 1075 and netted 10.5 ABV, and straight hurt some people, myself included.

2016 was 1060 ish and yeilded 8.5 ish ABV, although on a double blind taste test, I believe it was a bit higher. One test, I got a ride home, the second, I spent the night at the shop. I still don't believe the 2016 ABV readings.

So this years cider measures 1060, with the ale yeast we are shooting for a higher finish specific gravity so the cider will still have a sweet taste, but not be overly dry.

We will see what the specific gravity goes down to. I will have to go back and review the previous thread and see if I listed the finish gravity reading.

We are shooting for 7-8% ABV this year.

 

[Tooms22]

Damn... Great write up! Thanks a ton!

I was going between the Nottingham and the Windsor Yeast. I'm fine with lower ABV and not so dry because I think the people drinking mine are used to sweeter ciders. So I went with the Windsor.

Since we have the essentially the same cider, it will be interesting to see how they turn out.

I also ordered a hydrometer because not knowing the ABV seems slightly dangerous.

I should have all my supplies ready by Sunday to start the process.

 

[wsuwrhr]

Damn... Great write up! Thanks a ton!

I was going between the Nottingham and the Windsor Yeast. I'm fine with lower ABV and not so dry because I think the people drinking mine are used to sweeter ciders. So I went with the Windsor.

Since we have the essentially the same cider, it will be interesting to see how they turn out.

I also ordered a hydrometer because not knowing the ABV seems slightly dangerous.

I should have all my supplies ready by Sunday to start the process.

Since we aren't distilling, the ABV can't really get that high to hurt anyone. My comments were tongue in cheek.