I am looking to make my first batch of hard cider and have been doing some research about making it from store bought stuff. I found multiple brands that are pasteurized and 100% juice. Nothing else except ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Is this ok to use?
Plan on measuring the OG and adding brown sugar or honey until i reach 1.055-1.060.
Ordering white labs WPL775
5 teaspoons of yeast nutrient (diammonium phosphate and food-grade urea)
Looking to have start to finish time of about 2 months.
Does this sound ok? Like I said this is my first attempt and would like any advice I can get
Thanks
sounds good i just started my first cider and did the same thing but i forgot the nutriance, oh well been fermenting strong for 3 days. cheers
I have used both fresh pressed and store bought. Though my preference is fresh pressed, both will make good cider. Store bought sure is easy too compared to brewing beer.
You’ll likely be surprised to find that even the store bought stuff will O.G. out at 1.050. So my advice would be to add cautiously if you want to stick below 1.055 or so. Keep in mind that the cider will likely ferment to below 1.000 F.G. if you let it.
You’ll need to buy some Campden and K-Sorbate to shock/kill the yeast when you want to stop the fermentation process. So you can add them when the gravity gets to say 1.020 - which will keep some sweetness in the cider. Or you can let it ferment completely, which will be ultra dry and pretty poor tasting IMO, then backsweeten it to make it taste like you want.
It will likely ferment in a month. A racking and another month of age will do it good. Another few months would likely improve it even more.
Good luck.
I just did my first batch two weeks ago with store bought cider. Pasturized with no preserves. I added about 3 cups of brown sugar and my O.G. was 1.056 for 5 gallons. I used a beer ale yeast and no nutrient. It’ll be fermenting 2 weeks tomorrow. Checked the gravity today and it was 1.005, so almost done fermenting. It’s also very clear already since it didn’t have all the sediment from fresh juice and tast pretty good with a little sweetness to it. Definately a cheap way to go for the first batch in case it gets messed up. Cost me about $27 for everything for 5 gallons. Good luck, hope it turns out good.
