Does anyone age there cider for a year?

[simon12]

Having made 1 batch of fruit juice cider for sale I have had mainly very good feedback on it (I don't like cider myself so can't tell) but a few people who have made cider commercially tell me its not ready for drinking for a year. Can anyone give any more info. on this?

 

[freester]

It's not that it's not ready. It's just it improves over time.

The old timers round my way who make cider in the autumn will tell you it's not ready until you 'hear the first cuckoo'. I.e the next spring...

The science behind it is as the cider (stored in a barn or shed) warms back up in the spring there is a malolactic fermentation that occurs. The malic acid is converted to lactic acid. To the non-scientific taster the cider will appear less tart and 'young'.

The first year I made 50 litres of cider. A lot got drunk at Xmas. I then waited and finished the 2nd batch in the summer. It seemed to taste better.

Last year I drunk very little until after the following spring. It all seems OK so far .

 

[simon12]

Cheers exactly the answer I was looking for.

 

[braziliain]

I have certainly found that drinking my turbo ciders at 6 months or a year old has made them much more enjoyable. I'm currently bulk aging some in a demijohn with the intention of kegging it at 6 months.