Making Hard Cider
It's been a while but I finally decided to brew up some alcoholic beverages. I was at the local grocery store and noticed that they had gallons of cheap, organic apple cider in glass jugs. I just couldn't help myself. On the way home I stopped by the local homebrew store to pick up a rubber stopper that would fit the jug and a packet of wine yeast. You can use bread yeast but the flavors that will result will be much stronger. Different strains of brewers yeast will impart different flavors to the finished product.
Calling it brewing is a bit of a stretch. I just dropped the blowoff tube and rubber stopper in some boiling water to sanitize them, popped the cap off of the jug and pitched about 1/2 a teaspoon of yeast. Then I installed the stopper with the blowoff tube and put the other end of the tube in a jar with some water. This allows air to leave the jug without allowing any air in. You would usually sanitize everything but since the jug is already sanitized from the factory I just didn't feel it was necessary. The blowoff tube is there because I expect some violent yeasty action. A simple airlock just doesn't quite cut it when the yeast really goes nuts and wants to cause an overflow. After a few days when (hopefully) everything calms down I'll transfer it to another gallon jug and install an airlock.
Even if the cider ends up tasting like crap I can always just use it as vinegar and reuse the jug for small batch wine making. I only used about 1/3 of the yeast packet so if I make a starter with what's left it should be enough for a full batch. If it turns out good then I can only hope that my local grocery store has some more of that cider left.
Calling it brewing is a bit of a stretch. I just dropped the blowoff tube and rubber stopper in some boiling water to sanitize them, popped the cap off of the jug and pitched about 1/2 a teaspoon of yeast. Then I installed the stopper with the blowoff tube and put the other end of the tube in a jar with some water. This allows air to leave the jug without allowing any air in. You would usually sanitize everything but since the jug is already sanitized from the factory I just didn't feel it was necessary. The blowoff tube is there because I expect some violent yeasty action. A simple airlock just doesn't quite cut it when the yeast really goes nuts and wants to cause an overflow. After a few days when (hopefully) everything calms down I'll transfer it to another gallon jug and install an airlock.
Even if the cider ends up tasting like crap I can always just use it as vinegar and reuse the jug for small batch wine making. I only used about 1/3 of the yeast packet so if I make a starter with what's left it should be enough for a full batch. If it turns out good then I can only hope that my local grocery store has some more of that cider left.
Comments
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative that interrupts the yeast respiration/reproduction process, so if it's in your cider already, you'll never get it to ferment.
I normally don't add any extra sugar for fermentation, unless you REALLY want to elevate the ABV. I have added extra brown sugar once, and it came out quite potent; mixed with a can of pumpkin pie mix and some spices in secondary fermnetation, it makes a great holiday drink - just don't drink too many!
I would also recomment picking up some yeast nutrient/energizer - the yeasties need the extra nitrogen for the best respiration (and ultimately, the best cider!).