Batch #45

Today I decided to make a variation on my regular cider (batch #42), adding hibiscus. The recipe:

• 5 gallons fresh pressed Gala apple juice
• 1 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 lemon
• 6 bags of decaf. black tea
• 19 grams of dried hibiscus leaves (all I had on hand)

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/2 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1 lemon  (~1/5 cup)
• 6 bags of decaf. black tea
• 19 grams of dried hibiscus

I cooked the mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F, strained the tea and hibiscus, and added this and remaining juice to the carboy, along with the prepared yeast.

Batch #44

On 20 September, I decided to make a variation on my cranberry cider I made last January (batch #31), with half cranberry juice (Amy has been a big fan of this, but blending 50/50 with other ciders). I also started getting fresh pressed apple juice from an orchard in Moravian Falls, NC. The recipe:

• 5 gallons fresh pressed Gala apple juice
• 1 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 lemon
• 6 bags of decaf. black tea
• 1 quart of pure, organic 365 brand cranberry juice

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/2 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1 lemon  (~1/5 cup)
• 6 bags of decaf. black tea

I cooked the mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F, added this and remaining juice to the carboy, along with the prepared yeast. I then added 1 quart of cranberry juice.

Batch #43

On 28 August, I decided to make a variation on my ginger cider (batch #42). While visiting the west coast this summer and tasting some really good cider by Common Cider, I saw that they had a hibiscus cider. Although I didn't try this particular cider of theirs, I had been interested in incorporating hibiscus into one of my own. So I decided to replicate the recipe I used for batch #42 with the addition of some hibiscus. The recipe:

• 5 gallons Kirkland's apple juice
• 1 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 lemon
• 6 bags of Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder
• 6 oz fresh ginger
• 1 oz dried hibiscus leaves

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/2 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1 lemon  (~1/5 cup)
• 6 bags of Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder
• 6 oz of ginger, thinly sliced (loose)
• 1 oz dried hibiscus

I cooked the mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F and added this (including the ginger and hibiscus) and remaining juice to the carboy, along with the prepared yeast.

Batch #42

Today, I created a batch of my basic recipe, with the exception that I used a different yeast (Danstar Belle Saison) just to try something new. The recipe:

• 5 gallons Kirkland's apple juice
• 1 pack Danstar Belle Saison
• 1 lemon
• 6 bags of Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/2 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1 lemon  (~1/5 cup)
• 6 bags of Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder

I cooked the mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F, added this and remaining juice to the carboy, along with the prepared yeast.

Batch #41

Last Saturday, August 8, I made another batch of my now standard hopped-ginger cider. The recipe (same as #32 with the exception of the tea):

• 5 gallons Kirkland's apple juice
• 1 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 lemon 
• 6 bags of Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder
• 1 oz Cascade hops
• 2.6 oz fresh ginger

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/2 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1 lemon  (~1/5 cup)
• 6 bags of Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder
• 1 oz Cascade hops (loose)
• 2.6 oz of chopped ginger (loose)

I cooked the mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F, rough filtered it through a strainer, and added this and remaining juice to the carboy, along with the prepared yeast.

Batch #40

Today, after a good result from batch #37 (a ginger cider), I decided to make another, but with a few variations. One bit of feedback that I got (and agreed with) was that it could stand to be a bit more gingery. So I made 2 changes: I increase the ginger from 5 oz to 6 oz. I also decided included it in the cider during primary fermentation. I slice the ginger in thin disks so that it will be left behind when I rack to secondary fermentation (after ~10 days). I elected not to include dried currants, as in batch #37, as I didn't feel that they added anything to the end result. The recipe:

• 5 gallons Kirkland's apple juice
• 1 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 lemon
• 6 bags of Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder
• 6 oz fresh ginger

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/2 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1 lemon  (~1/5 cup)
• 6 bags of Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder
• 6 oz of ginger, thinly sliced (loose)

I cooked the mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F and added this (including the ginger) and remaining juice to the carboy, along with the prepared yeast.

Batch #39

On July 25, I created a batch of my basic recipe (the same as batch #33). The recipe:

• 5 gallons Kirkland's apple juice
• 1 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 lemon
• 6 bags of Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/2 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1 lemon  (~1/5 cup)
• 6 bags of Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder

I cooked the mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F, added this and remaining juice to the carboy, along with the prepared yeast.

Batch #38

Today, after a trip to the west coast where I tasted the Schilling & Company Grapefruit cider, I created an entirely new recipe for a grapefruit cider. The recipe:

• 5 gallons Kirkland's apple juice
• 1 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 quart pink grapefruit juice 
• 6 bags of Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder
• 1 oz Cascade hops
• 1 oz fresh ginger

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/2 gallon apple juice
• 6 bags of Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder
• 1 oz Cascade hops (in a hop bag)
• 1 oz fresh ginger (in a hop bag)

I cooked the mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F, rough filtered it through a strainer, and added this and remaining juice to the carboy, along with the prepared yeast.

The grapefruit juice had a specific gravity of 1.045. I am hoping that the citrusy fruit of the cascade hops will complement the grapefruit, and the small amount of ginger will give some extra character and complexity to the cider. We'll see.

Batch #37

In June, after hearing from a few people that they didn't like hops and looking for a slight variation on my basic recipe, I created ginger cider with a slight twist, as you will see in the recipe. The recipe:

• 5 gallons Kirkland's apple juice
• 1 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 lemon
• 6 bags of Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder
• 5 oz fresh ginger
• 1 cup dried currants

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/2 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1 lemon  (~1/5 cup)
• 6 bags of Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder
• 5 oz of chopped ginger (loose)
• 1 cup of dried currants (loose)

I cooked the mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F, rough filtered it through a strainer, and added this and remaining juice to the carboy, along with the prepared yeast.

Batch #36

In May, after success with #32, I created another batch of my now standard hopped-ginger cider. The recipe (same as #32 with the exception of the tea):

• 5 gallons Kirkland's apple juice
• 1 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 lemon 
• 6 bags of Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder
• 1 oz Cascade hops
• 2.5 oz fresh ginger

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/2 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1 lemon  (~1/5 cup)
• 6 bags of Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder
• 1 oz Cascade hops (loose)
• 2.5 oz of chopped ginger (loose)

I cooked the mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F, rough filtered it through a strainer, and added this and remaining juice to the carboy, along with the prepared yeast.

Batch #35

On May 2, I created a 1 gallon test batch with twist: I added chai tea. The recipe:

• 5 gallons Kirkland's apple juice
• 1 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 lemon
• 3 bags for Celestial Seasonings' Decaf Chai Tea

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/2 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1 lemon  (~1/5 cup)
• 3 bags for Celestial Seasonings' Decaf Chai Tea

I cooked the mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F, added this and remaining juice to the carboy, along with the prepared yeast.

Batch #34

On May 2, I created a 1 gallon test batch with twist: I added some coffee. The recipe:

• 5 gallons Kirkland's apple juice
• 1 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup of Trader Joe's Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/2 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1 lemon  (~1/5 cup)
• 1/2 cup of Trader Joe's Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate

I cooked the mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F, added this and remaining juice to the carboy, along with the prepared yeast.

Batch #33

On May 2, I created a batch of my basic recipe with one small twist: I used different tea. The recipe:

• 5 gallons Kirkland's apple juice
• 1 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 lemon
• 6 bags of Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/2 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1 lemon  (~1/5 cup)
• 6 bags of Celestial Seasonings' Morning Thunder

I cooked the mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F, added this and remaining juice to the carboy, along with the prepared yeast.

Batch #32

In April, I decided to try to replicate batch #30 (a hopped-ginger cider that finished in 4th place at the cider competition). The recipe:

• 5 gallons Kirkland's apple juice
• 1 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 lemon
• 6 English Breakfast tea bag
• 1 oz Cascade hops
• 2.5 oz fresh ginger

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/2 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1 lemon  (~1/5 cup)
• 6 English Breakfast tea bag
• 1 oz Cascade hops (loose)
• 2.5 oz of chopped ginger (loose)

I cooked the mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F, rough filtered it through a strainer, and added this and remaining juice to the carboy, along with the prepared yeast.

Batch #31

In January, I created a cranberry batch using my base recipe, plus...cranberry juice:

• 4 1/2 gallons Kirkland's apple juice
• 1 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 lemon
• 6 English Breakfast tea bag
• 1/2 gallon of pure, organic 365 brand cranberry juice

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/2 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1 lemon  (~1/5 cup)
• 6 English Breakfast tea bag

I cooked the mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F, added this and remaining juice to the carboy, along with the prepared yeast. I then added 1/2 gallon of cranberry juice. I then tasted the cranberry juice and realized that it was super tart, which got me super worried about the acidity of the final cider, wishing I had added only 1 quart and no lemon juice).

The cider ended up being, as I expected, super tart. I decided to blend it 50/50 with batch #27, and it turned out super awesome: a tart finish but nicely balanced. So nice that I decided to enter it in the cider competition (for which it finished in 8th place).

Batch #30

On November 23, I created a hopped ginger batch using my base recipe for an upcoming cider competition:

• 5 gallons apple juice from Perry Lowe's Orchard
• 1 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 lemon
• 6 English Breakfast tea bag
• 1 oz Cascade hops
• 2.5 oz fresh ginger

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/2 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1 lemon  (~1/5 cup)
• 6 English Breakfast tea bag
• 1 oz Cascade hops and 2.5 oz ginger (in cheese cloth)

I cooked the mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F, added this and remaining juice to the carboy, along with the prepared yeast.

Batch #29

On November 23, I created a batch using my base recipe for an upcoming cider competition:

• 5 gallons apple juice from Perry Lowe's Orchard
• 1 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 lemon
• 6 English Breakfast tea bag

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/2 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1 lemon  (~1/5 cup)
• 6 English Breakfast tea bag

I cooked the mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F, added this and remaining juice to the carboy, along with the prepared yeast.

Batches #28a-c:

On November 8, I created three 1 gallon test batches to play with hops and ginger. The base of each recipe is the same as recipes #24-#27:

• 1 gallon Kirkland's apple juice
• 1/3 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 lemon
• 1 English Breakfast tea bag

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/4 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1/5 lemon  (2 Tbsp)
• 1 English Breakfast tea bag

For (a), I added 1/4 oz of Cascade leaf hops (in a cheese cloth). In (b), I added 1 oz of fresh ginger (thinly sliced in a cheese cloth). In (c), I added 1/8 oz of Cascade leaf hops and 1/2 oz of fresh ginger (in a cheese cloth).

I cooked each mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

While these were "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F, added this and remaining 3/4 gallons of juice to the carboy, along with the prepared yeast.

Batch #27

Today I started a new batch with basically the same recipe as #24-#26. Recipe #27:

• 5 gallon Kirkland's apple juice
• 1 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 lemon
• 6 English Breakfast tea bag
• 1 slice of dried chinese ginger
• 1 piece of orange zest

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/2 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1 lemon  (~1/5 cup)
• 6 English Breakfast tea bag

I cooked this mixture on the stove for 15 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. After 15 minutes, I added:

• the ginger
• orange zest

I cooked this mixture on the stove for 15 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. 

While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F, added this and 3/4 gallons of juice to the carboy, pitched the yeast, and then added the remaining 4 gallons of juice.

I'm experimenting with these changes (additional tea, orange zest, and ginger) to see how they affect the final product, hoping that they impart some interesting and subtle flavors to the basic recipe that I have been working with for some time.

Batch #26

On August 24, I started a new batch with the same recipe as #24 and #25. Recipe #26:

• 5 gallon Kirkland's apple juice
• 1 pack Danstar Windsor (English Ale)
• 1 lemon
• 2 English Breakfast tea bag

As with the previous batches, prior to adding juice and yeast to the carboy, I added to a pot:

• 1/4 gallon apple juice
• juice of 1 lemon  (~1/5 cup)
• 2 English Breakfast tea bag

I cooked this mixture on the stove for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. While this was "cooking", I added the yeast to ~8oz of 80F apple juice and covered. I then chilled the cooked mixture over ice to bring it to <80F, added this and 3/4 gallons of juice to the carboy, pitched the yeast, and then added the remaining 4 gallons of juice.