"Crush" Dry Apple Cider
Date: 4/10/19Batch Number: 3
Beer: Dry Apple Cider
Kit: Country Brewer "Crush" Dry Apple Cider - liquid - 1.2kg
Yeast: Kit - I believe it may be EC-1118 but cannot confirm
Adjuncts: Country Brewer Ultrabrew - 1kg
Steps
- Soak extract in sink of hot tap water to soften contents - 10 mins
- Add approx 2L of hot tap water to FV
- Add ultrabrew and stir to dissolve - remove as many clumps as possible
- Add cider extract (smells just like apple juice!)
- Fill FV to 23L with cold tap water
- Sprinkle yeast on top
Pitched at 22C
- Soak extract in sink of hot tap water to soften contents - 10 mins
- Add approx 2L of hot tap water to FV
- Add ultrabrew and stir to dissolve - remove as many clumps as possible
- Add cider extract (smells just like apple juice!)
- Fill FV to 23L with cold tap water
- Sprinkle yeast on top
Pitched at 22C
Fermentation Notes
- Fermentation underway within 24 hours
- No krausen present - normal/expected with ciders
- Plenty of bubbling activity when looking in the FV
- Fermentation underway within 24 hours
- No krausen present - normal/expected with ciders
- Plenty of bubbling activity when looking in the FV
Hydrometer Readings
OG: 1047
Day 13: 1011 - stirred contents of FV gently with sterilised spoon to re-suspend the yeast
Day 15: 1009
Day 17: 1007
Day 19: 1007
Day 20: 1005
Bottled after 20 days with carbonation drops
ABV: (1047 - 1005 / 7.46) + 0.5 = 6.13%
Note: I got a little impatient with this one - after nearly three weeks. After getting 2 consecutive readings on day 17 and 19, I was confident fermentation had finished. Got everything ready to bottle on day 20, took a hydrometer reading just in case and it had dropped a couple more points. Research suggests that ciders in general will typically get close to 1000, or even less, however the additional adjuncts from the ultrabrew should stop it from getting this low in this case. Nervous about potential bottle bombs, but after checking one after approx 7 days it has carbed up nicely, no gushing when opening so, so far so good - will continue to monitor and check them every few days to be sure.
Day 15: 1009
Day 17: 1007
Day 19: 1007
Day 20: 1005
Note: I got a little impatient with this one - after nearly three weeks. After getting 2 consecutive readings on day 17 and 19, I was confident fermentation had finished. Got everything ready to bottle on day 20, took a hydrometer reading just in case and it had dropped a couple more points. Research suggests that ciders in general will typically get close to 1000, or even less, however the additional adjuncts from the ultrabrew should stop it from getting this low in this case. Nervous about potential bottle bombs, but after checking one after approx 7 days it has carbed up nicely, no gushing when opening so, so far so good - will continue to monitor and check them every few days to be sure.
Tasting Notes
Initial taste after approx 7 days (to check for overcarbonation) was good! A little tangy and sweet, but very drinkable. Will suspect it will mellow with a little more time in the bottle. Will update this post again once it's matured a little more.
After leaving the cider for a good month or two to fully condition - it's now done. I find it a little too dry for my liking so I back sweeten them with a little bit of apple juice which works really well - and you can obviously adjust the ratio to get the level of sweetness you desire. The Country Brewer (who make the Crush cider line) offer a "draught" and "sweet" variety of the "Crush" cider so I'll try the "draught" one next time which should have a little more sweetness.
After leaving the cider for a good month or two to fully condition - it's now done. I find it a little too dry for my liking so I back sweeten them with a little bit of apple juice which works really well - and you can obviously adjust the ratio to get the level of sweetness you desire. The Country Brewer (who make the Crush cider line) offer a "draught" and "sweet" variety of the "Crush" cider so I'll try the "draught" one next time which should have a little more sweetness.
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