Newbie and good crop of apples needing info

[mickyas]

Hi all
My wife is a keen gardener and this year has a cracking crop of apples (along with rhubarb, blueberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, redcurrants, raspberries etc). Instead of trying to store the apples this year she would like to try making a cider from them but since neither of us has a clue what to do, i was hoping someone will be able to post a link or recommend the best way to go about making the stuff. What we would like is a clear fizzy cider (with the possibility of adding additional fruit such as blackberries for a fruity twist).
I've searched forums etc and been bamboozled by the deluge of information and some getting quite technical listing yeast/apple numbers of .990 or 0.009 ???????) along with 'pectins', enzymes, hydromometers etc.

I have no problems with purchasing an apple press and other equipment and I know this is a big ask but, since time is getting short and we're ready to collect the fruit for our future endeavours, together with a very busy work schedule and equally busy 8 year old boy demanding attention, searching/trawling sites is becoming too time consuming, especially since there is so much contradictory information and also having to weed out American sites with there different terminology etc.

The following is the extent of our combined knowledge about making cider :-
1. We need apples...
2.
3.
4.


So if anyone can give us a comprehensive list of the essentials (apple press, bottles or containers, sterilisers etc etc etc) also a step by step guide as to how best to produce a DRINKABLE clear fizzy cider, we really would be extremely grateful. Thanks in advance for any information. :thumb:

 

[Redron]

Hey, I haven't a clue ! But I bet there are plenty of folks on here that do.

Welcome to the forum, it's a slippery slope y'know ..... :whistle:

 

[Chippy_Tea]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3JnJVJdxfQ&feature=youtu.be&t=55s&feature=iv&src_vid=F3JnJVJdxfQ&annotation_id=annotation_3239720179[/ame]

 

[mickyas]

Thanks for the that chippie,much appreciated. Gave me a rough idea to start with. :-))))

Mick

 

[mickyas]

Well, we juiced the apples and got approx 5 gallon of juice. We carried out all of the instructions as per the video link Chippy Tea posted (thank you). We are now at the stage whereby we have just 'racked' (is that the correct term?) our fermented juice into a 5 gallon demijohn (although I had to top up with approx 4litres of purified water, so as to lose a large head of air after leaving the sediment behind).
BUT...we tasted the fermented juice and I can only liken it to a flat champagne (urghhhh). The initial reading we took with a hydrometer before fermentatiin was...
SP GR = 1.072 and potential alcohol = 9.33
The reading we have just taken after fermentation is...
SP GR = 0.995 and potential alcohol -2.30
So according to our calculations we have a brew of approx 11.63% but it ain't tasting particularly grand and certainly not what I was imagining 😊😲
I was wondering how best to sweeten it and lose the 'champers' taste, without adding any more chemicals and should I keep it in the demijohn for another couple of months before 'racking' again to bottles?
We're going to carbonate some to try out, but worry the bottles will explode if we leave them too long (we've bought 'grolsch' style bottles and also some capped ones).
Any info on how best to proceed and gain our lovely Appley flavoured brew, would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Mick

 

[Tau]

So according to our calculations we have a brew of approx 11.63% but it ain't tasting particularly grand and certainly not what I was imagining 😊😲 Thanks
Mick

That's wine mate

 

[mickyas]

I think I already deduced that. 😒

 

[scott78]

I would be surprised if those hydrometer readings were correct especially if you added water. 1.072 - 0.995 would give 10.1% ABV. As for sweet fizzy cider, leave it for a month or two, rack the cider off the yeast then bottle it. prior to capping add half a teaspoon of sugar ( for fizz) and a drinks sweetener tablet (or two for taste).

 

[mickyas]

Thanks for the reply, the hydrometer reading was taken just before racking to the demijohn and before we added the water.
Will the ABV drop as it's standing in the demijohn or will I need to add anything to it prior to bottling.
Won't adding sugar to the bottles reactivate the yeast and start fermentation again?
Thanks again for the response. We're thoroughly enjoying this cider making malarkey 😊
Mick

 

[chewie]

Won't adding sugar to the bottles reactivate the yeast and start fermentation again?

If you want your cider carbonated then you will need to add sugar by either bottle or batch priming it just before bottling.

 

[vassili]

I usually go with one rounded teaspoon of sugar to prime each bottle as long as the fg is around 995,ish. Obviously though as the op wants sweet he will have to add splenda (my choice) to taste.
Leave in room temperature for a few days then put away to mature for a few months.

 

[mickyas]

If you want your cider carbonated then you will need to add sugar by either bottle or batch priming it just before bottling.

'Bottle or batch priming'???
Won't sugar reactivate any yeast???
Mick

 

[chewie]

'Bottle or batch priming'???
Won't sugar reactivate any yeast???
Mick

That's the whole point, adding a small measured amount of sugar will restart a fermentation, this priming fermentation is started to carbonate the drink by producing just enough CO2 to reach the desired level of carbonation. If you want your cider flat then don't add any, if you want a slight amount of carbonation then go with about 1/2 a teaspoon (3g/per 500ml), if you want a lot of carbonation then go with a heaped teaspoon (6g per 500ml), you must make sure the bottles you intend to use and there seals are able to withstand pressure.