Apple Juice for Cider

JerCraigs · Post by **JerCraigs** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:08 am

Am thinking of doing some ciders soonish. Can anyone recommend a place for getting good juice/cider in bulk near the GTA? Preferably cheaper than at the grocery store?

grub · Post by **grub** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:21 am

while i don't have any specific suggestions, just make sure that you get something with no preservatives. it's OK if it has been pasturized (though purists would frown on it).

i picked up a couple 1gal jugs at a small roadside store up here in markham last year, for about $5 each. i'd try checking the phone book for orchards and make some calls. be sure to report back what you find, as i'm interested in doing some again too.

JerCraigs · Post by **JerCraigs** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:34 pm

Have your tried an iced cider? I am thinking about freezing some either before or after fermentation.

grub · Post by **grub** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:42 pm

JerCraigs wrote:Have your tried an iced cider? I am thinking about freezing some either before or after fermentation.

i've only done those two 1gal batches of cider (one still, one sparkling), so no "eising" here. i did "eis" a scotch ale last winter and it turned out great. i just threw the keg outside for a few days in feb, then siphoned off about 3gal of concentrated beer, leaving 2gal of ice behind.

not sure if you get the same effect freezing pre-fermentation. best to freeze it post-fermentation, as the alcohol will not freeze and the water will. don't think the same applies with sugar+water.

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 1:12 pm

Chudleighs in Milton probably isn't the cheapest, but they've got a lot of other tasty things!

http://www.chudleighs.com/

Legally cider is supposed to be pasteurized in Canada... but you might find a smaller operation willing to give you the good stuff.

I used pasteurized cider a couple years ago. I used Trappist yeast, a little yeast nutrient, then a little gelatin a couple days before bottling. Turned out really well (and a lot easier than beer).

grub · Post by **grub** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 1:40 pm

Derek wrote: used pasteurized cider a couple years ago. I used Trappist yeast, a little yeast nutrient, then a little gelatin a couple days before bottling. Turned out really well (and a lot easier than beer).

that was good stuff. the trappist yeast just gave it a little extra dimension. definitely something i'd consider trying if i get around to picking up some juice.

clasher · Post by **clasher** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 4:17 pm

It's a bit far from the GTA, but I had a great experience with the cider I got from Hergott's in Waterloo. Call ahead if you're actually going out there... I got fresh stuff for around 1$/litre

JerCraigs · Post by **JerCraigs** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 5:10 pm

What does the gelatin do?

grub · Post by **grub** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 5:31 pm

JerCraigs wrote:What does the gelatin do?

finings. it clears things up. fruit has a tendency to leave a haze behind (especially if you're crushing your apples or using really raw juice). with beer you'd usually use something like irish moss in the boil, but you don't want to boil your juice. gelatin and a few others can be added to your vessel post-fermentation to drop all the proteins out of suspension and leave you with a nice clear beverage.

for best results, you'd want to use the gelatin and then transfer off of it to a new fermenter and/or bottling bucket once clear. derek's stuff was great, but had a sold 1/2" of sludge at the bottom. nothing a careful pour couldn't solve, but that was one hell of a cake

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 8:32 pm

There was a LOT of sludge in that fresh cider.

That was the first time I used gelatin (I had used Isinglass a couple of times, but was afraid a cider might pick up more fishy flavour).

It took a long time for it to drop clear. Now that I think about it, I think I even added some gelatin at bottling. (I didn't take notes like I usually do with brews).

If I did it again, I might try some pectin enzyme at the beginning. I just had a fresh yeast cake, so I figured I'd dump some cider on it & see how it turned out!

clasher · Post by **clasher** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 5:46 pm

I never fined any of the cider I made, but I did let it sit over the winter in most cases... for some stubborn white wines I've used a double-whammy of chitosan and kiesosol, you can get it at wine stores under the brand "Claro-KC", it works really well... not as cheap as a pack of gelatin though.

Uncle Bobby · Post by **Uncle Bobby** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 11:46 am

George E.'s dad used to have a recipe that started off: "Now you wait until apple juice is on sale for 59¢ a can, and then you buy a case of it..."

Big George's recipe for "Apple Jack" was:
1 case of apple juice in cans
2kg bag of corn sugar
1 pack champagne yeast

Ferment in a 5 gal carboy. Rack it off and then bottle it still in wine bottles.

For juice, I have used Chudleighs, although it was expensive and a pain for me to drive to. Eastenders may want to see if Archibald's just north of Bowmanville will sell you some of their juice. At this time of year they actually press it right in front of you. You might be able to lean over the low fence in front of the display and ask, "Hey, how much for five gallons of that?" The guy is pretty entrepreneurial. Bring your own carboy.

If you are really ambitious, my M&D have an apple tree on the front lawn, the crop from which usually drops and then is put out on garden waste day. It's a dry "Winter" apple. I tried to juice them once -- even with a little aging they were not ideal for cider because they were so dry and hard. However they are lovely in pies.

Either way, I would be happy to ask if anyone else has claimed them yet. (The neighbours sometimes use them to make apple sauce.) My M&D are seniors and they would probably be happy not to have to clear them up off the yard. The apples will likely be ready some time after Thanksgiving.

Regards,

Uncle Bobby

JerCraigs · Post by **JerCraigs** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 3:07 pm

Would boiling down a pot of juice to concentrate it have any negative effects?

Duffey · Post by **Duffey** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 3:21 pm

I just picked up some cider on Monday from Archibald's in Bowmanville, and it's bubbling along nicely. They sell pasteurized for $6/gallon and unpasteurized for $5.50/gallon. They have an apple winery there too that is worth checking out.

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 4:06 pm

I wouldn't boil applejuice. You can buy frozen concentrate, but I woudln't use it alone. Some people use it to 'spike' their cider (more flavour than adding table sugar).

I only used raw cider; mine was off-dry and ~6% (personally I wouldn't add sugar).

Bowmanville eh? I like unpasteurized cider (even unfermented).