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AspenHill
Sponsor

Reged: 08/01/03
Posts: 1528
Loc: Vermont, USA

Hard Cider
#162897 - 28/06/10 09:12 AM

Last fall I went and bought the supplies needed and 10 gallons of fresh pressed apple cider. I set up two seperate containers and killed the natural yeast and a couple days later added sugar and brewer's yeast. I finally had time to open the containers and siphon off the result. I've never had hard cider before so I have no idea if it came out 'right proper' or not. It still smells like apples and does not burn my nose like if you snuffle a bottle of vinegar.

Anyway, I put some in the freezer three hours ago and it didn't freeze. I am about to drink a glass while waiting for a pork roast (home raised) on the grill.

I'm sure drinking ACV won't hurt but I still hope this stuff has alcohol in it.

It kind of reminds me of old sherry.

--------------------
~Ann

Everyday spent outdoors is the best day of my life.

Aspen Hill Adventures

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AspenHill
Sponsor

Reged: 08/01/03
Posts: 1528
Loc: Vermont, USA

Re: Hard Cider [Re: AspenHill]
#162906 - 28/06/10 11:56 AM

Well, ok, I have determined after two glasses that there is an alcohol content. Success! The darker version is not as nice to the palate as the lighter version. I made one with a champaign yeast and I think that is the lighter colored batch. There has been too much construction going on around the house, I lost the labeling so I am not sure! Guess the batch I make in the coming fall season will be done more 'scientifically'!

--------------------
~Ann

Everyday spent outdoors is the best day of my life.

Aspen Hill Adventures

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tinker
.416 member

Reged: 12/03/05
Posts: 4835
Loc: Nevada

Re: Hard Cider [Re: AspenHill]
#162907 - 28/06/10 12:11 PM

Ann-

I knew quite a few guys and gals from the laboratories who 'raised their own' spirits at home.

Do yourself the favor of following a scientific process.
Also -- try that cider over some rinsed ice!

We've been lingering around 100F today, a cold quart of iced cider would be nice about right now!!

Cheers
Tinker

--------------------
--Self-Appointed Colonel, DRSS--

"It IS a dangerous game, and so named for a reason, and you can't play from the keyboard. " --Some Old Texan...

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NitroX
.700 member

Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39883
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: Hard Cider [Re: AspenHill]
#162922 - 28/06/10 07:48 PM

Ann,

Well done.

What is the difference between "hard" cider and "light" cider (or whatever the other type is called)?

I want to try making some mead myself soon.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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AspenHill
Sponsor

Reged: 08/01/03
Posts: 1528
Loc: Vermont, USA

Re: Hard Cider [Re: NitroX]
#162935 - 28/06/10 11:16 PM

Hard cider is fermented to make alcohol. Plain cider is just that, pressed fruit. Since this stuff is not distilled I think the alcohol content is near what you get with wine.

I'd like to try making mead but honey is rather pricey. Maybe if I get my own bees someday.

Anyway, I ended up with 11 gallons of hard cider. I guess I will be able to enjoy many a warm summer evening cooling off with a tall glass....

--------------------
~Ann

Everyday spent outdoors is the best day of my life.

Aspen Hill Adventures

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NitroX
.700 member

Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39883
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: Hard Cider [Re: AspenHill]
#162940 - 29/06/10 12:33 AM

To me all 'cider' is alcoholic.

To me non-alcoholic is called Apple Juice.

The alcohol in wine is not obtained through distillation. It is naturally obtained by the fermentation of sugars in the grape juice, which converts sugar to alcohol while producing heat and carbon.

For example grapes with a baume (roughly = sugar content) of say 15Be will approximately after fermentation result in a 15% alcohol level.

But if you distil wine, to make say brandy, or wine spirit, that is a different process, taking wine and distilling it removing water etc.

Ha ha just remembered a famous Cornish Cider was/is called "Scrumpy".

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

Edited by NitroX (29/06/10 12:37 AM)

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AspenHill
Sponsor

Reged: 08/01/03
Posts: 1528
Loc: Vermont, USA

Re: Hard Cider [Re: NitroX]
#163022 - 30/06/10 12:39 AM

John,

Here cider is unfiltered apple juice, so it has a cloudy look. Apple juice is filtered and sits on the shelf clear with no sediment. I am going to take the dark colored batch that doesn't taste as good and freeze out the alcohol and add it to apple juice.

--------------------
~Ann

Everyday spent outdoors is the best day of my life.

Aspen Hill Adventures

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Freeloader123
.275 member

Reged: 23/07/10
Posts: 86
Loc: Dallas, Texas

Re: Hard Cider [Re: AspenHill]
#164842 - 24/07/10 06:04 AM

Just so you know, if you freeze it it's no longer apple cider. It's apple jack.

Jacking is one of two ways to create hard liquor. The other being distilling. Water freezes at a higher temp than alcohol. You can simply pick out the ice and you're left with liquor.

Neither is legal in the states unless you pay a tax to the gub'mint.

If the product reminds you of sherry, there's a very good reason for that.

I'm not trying to come across as a killjoy. I don't appreciate the fact that you can leave a fiasco of perfectly legal homemade wine on the back porch over a winter night and end up with a slushie that is both mind blowing and fair game for revenuers.

Actually you can do the same thing with the storebought variety. It seems to me it ought to be an allowed activity. But I don't write the rules.

Edited by Freeloader123 (24/07/10 06:06 AM)

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450_366
.400 member

Reged: 17/01/07
Posts: 1068
Loc: Sweden, west-coast.

Re: Hard Cider [Re: Freeloader123]
#164891 - 24/07/10 05:36 PM

Here the cider always contain some alcohol, the unfiltered and pressed is called a "must".

There should be some old brits here that could teach you to make "scrumpy cider", apparantly you need to add some meat to the must to get the fermantation going.

--------------------
Andreas

"Yeas it kicks like a mule he said, but always remember that its much worse standing on the other end"

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NitroX
.700 member

Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39883
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: Hard Cider [Re: Freeloader123]
#164909 - 24/07/10 08:00 PM

Freeloader

More and more of the good things of life are becoming illegal every year. so ....

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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