Deadhead Cider
By: John Eaton
I'm an avid homebrewer and appreciate the intricacies and characters of different beers and ciders. I've made a few batches of a darned drinkable cider and would like to share my very simple recipe for other budding cider makers out there.
Equipment: glass carboy (size doesn't matter) rubber bung with hole for airlock SS keg or champagne bottles or beer bottles filling tube and tubing funnel
Ingredients:
apple juice (if real apple juice isn't available, or if it's too costly,
apple juice from concentrate is fine provided it don't have any
preservatives in it.)
yeast (I use liquid ale wyeast.)
Bottling sugar (if needed)
After sterilizing the equipment, add your yeast to the empty carboy. I re-itch yeast from previous ale batches. Place funnel atop carboy (like you didn't know this already) and pour in apple juice to within 6-8 inches from the top of the carboy opening. Splash the juice to get air into the must. Splash freely and liberally (unless you have to clean up your own mess).
Place bung in carboy opening and attach airlock. You should see activity in about 12 - 24 hours.
Wait 3-4 weeks or until you only get one bubble every 15-20 seconds from the airlock.
If you want a still cider, wait until you see no activity from the airlock or within the carboy. Keg or bottle at will. Give it a week. ENJOY!
For fizzier cider, make a simple syrup of 1 cup bottling sugar and 1 cup water. Boil and let cool. Add simple syrup to a large mixing vessel such as another carboy or a food-grade plastic container. Carefully and without much splashing, siphon the contents of the fermenting carboy into the mixing vessel. Then keg or bottle at will. Give it a couple of
As you can see this is a pretty simple recipe -- deadhead simple-- perfect for bachelors and college students. It is tasty, refreshing and invigorating -- about 6% alcohol. For the holidays, I like to add nutmeg, cinnamon, honey and orange rind into the must. These (except the honey) I'll put into a sterilized cloth/gauze bag and let float in the must. Experimentation and a brave heart will guide you to some very cool batches.
John Eaton
Plano, Texas