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.