I shared a recipe I developed on HBT for hard cider, sharing here also:
Recipe Type: Extract
Yeast: Nottingham
Yeast Starter: No
Additional Yeast or Yeast Starter: No
Batch Size (Gallons): 5
Original Gravity: 1.050
Final Gravity: 1.000
Boiling Time (Minutes): 10
Color: Light Cider
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 10
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): Until 1.000
Tasting Notes: Maintains Apple Cider flavor, crisp, but smooth with no hint of alcohol.
Maintains Apple Cider flavor, crisp, but smooth with no hint of alcohol. Goes down very smooth, and is sweet like the original cider with a hint of cinnamon and an almost chocolate-apple aroma.
I have brewed up about 50 gallons of cider this year, and after 20 gallons of this recipe I came up with it surely is a winner in my book. I would love it if people gave this a go and let me know what they think.
A few notes before we begin:
- I have seen a few different OG readings over my batches, ranging from 1.040 to 1.075 so I'm estimating the average to be around 1.050. Note that yours may vary.
- Secondary is up to you. I leave it alone until the FG hits 1.000. You can go farther, or stop sooner.
Ok, let's get it on!
Equipment:
5 Gallon Carboy/Better Bottle/Pale
Airlock
Large Pot
Ingredients:
- 4 gallons of Apple Cider (UV Pasteurized, NO preservatives, unfiltered)
- 4 Cinnamon Sticks
- 2Lbs DARK Brown Sugar
- 1Lbs White Regular Sugar
- 6 Packets of Nestle Hot Chocolate (No Marshmallow's) (Trust me here, we are going on an adventure together)
- 4 tsp Nutmeg
- 1 packet of Nottingham (I STRONGLY suggest Nottingham for this)
Dirty Work:
1) Pour 3 Gallons of Apple Cider into your primary.
2) Pour your last gallon of Apple Cider into the large pot. Add in the cinnamon sticks, brown sugar, white sugar, nutmeg and hot chocolate. Bring to a boil.
3) Boil for about 10 minutes, or as long as you need to properly dissolve all the ingredients. Remove from heat, allow to cool COMPLETELY.
4) Remove cinnamon sticks, discard.
5) Pour your glorious pot mixture into the primary, but save a little bit for washing the yeast down the funnel.
6) Pour your entire packet of yeast directly into the primary.
7) Use remaining pot mixture to wash yeast down funnel.
DO NOT.....DO NOT.....TOP OFF!!!! I promise if you do it will lead to bad things.
Get the airlock on there, I suggest filling with Vodka. Ferment at around 70F. Now sit back and let the minions do their work!!
