Cinnamon Cider

[Tutelage]

No recipe, just a stupid mistake upon my part:
Pressed apple juice into demijon.
Simmered ground cinnamon to extract flavour, seived and poured juice into demijon.
Added extra fermentables for desired ABV% (6%).
let cool to 22^C before pitching yeast and nutrient.

Normal brew time for cider about 10 days (for it to be about 90% done.)
Mine has been going now four about a month.

Yeah, Turns out cinnamon is a yeast retardant.
Should taste ridiculously smooth though, assuming poorly yeast don't give off flavours.

 

[oldbloke]

So, how did it turn out?

 

[IceColdRum]

Yeah, I use Cinnamon on cut surfaces of Cacti to prevent fungus/bacterial infection so it doesn't surprise me that yeast isn't all that keen :?

 

[Tutelage]

How did it turn out? It is still going! Isnt even 'sweet' yet, i.e. 1.010. nor is it clearing. so how is it going? Woof. i'd say slowly and strong, though i did manage to drop a snifter down the gullet, purely for scientific reasons. It is actually quite nice, REALLY needs some backup spices, nutmeg, clove, a bit of star anise, something to back up the cinnamon really, think 'christmas spices'.
It is very nice. I would recommend (and is what I will do) pasteurising the cider afterwards and dropping a bit of caramelised sugar into it for a toffee apple type flavour, brothers stlye (but actually nice.)

If you're going to attempt this.. add the cinnamon and spices in with the pasteurisation simmer at the end, not at the start.

 

[Tim_Crowhurst]

a bit of star anise.

Yes to everything else, but I strongly recommend caution with star anise. Even a small piece anise can easily overwhelm all other flavours, so if you do use it, use one "arm", and leave it in for no longer than a few days.

Other flavours worth considering are allspice berries, cardamom pods, fresh ginger juice, grated orange rind (add a teaspoon of pectolase with this) and almond essence (alcohol/water rather than oil based). I wouldn't recommend using them all, just choose a combination which will work well with each-other, such as almond, cardamom and orange. For example, my Christmas spiced cider, which will hopefully be ready for Christmas next year, has fairly "classic" spices - cinnamon, cloves, ginger, allspice and grated orange rind.

For whole spices (allspice, cardamom, cloves, shredded cinnamon, chunks of nutmeg) pour a little boiling apple juice on them, leave to cool to about 30C, then add to the cider. The hot liquid draws out the flavour.

 

[graysalchemy]

I would always air on the side of caution with regards to spices. I always add post fermetstion in a small Muslin bag which can be whipped out when desired taste is achieved, usually no more than a week, but sample daily. There is nothing worse than being over powered by spice. If you add before fermentation you have no idea what the finished product will taste like because it hasn't fermented and the cider flavours not developed.