Reddit reviews Cider: Making, Using & Enjoying Sweet & Hard Cider, 3rd Edition

This is still the book I refer back to for all things cider: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1580175201/ref=pd_aw_sim_14_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=51odcvsVbwL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL100_SR100%2C100_&refRID=0X1YNTJ7A7G4W6D4RHEA

My first batch is also still in primary, so don't think I am an expert, but here's some opinions, for what they may be worth. If something I say makes no sense, I apologize, and feel free to correct me!

> I plan on cold crashing in my chilly Illinois garage. It’s attached, so it never really drops below 45 or so, but do temperature fluctuations influence the process?

Funny, I posted a cold crashing thread earlier today. That and this cold crashing FAQ have led me to believe that fluctuations after primary fermentation is complete are not a huge deal, as long as they are not extreme. If your garage stays above freezing (especially if it stays above 45), it should be good.

> I see people talk about semi-sweet or sweet ciders. My wife prefers a dry, while I prefer a sweet, so I planned on doing something in between for my first batch. What sort of FG should I be looking at, after I’ve back sweetened?

(All theory, rather than experience) To be honest, I would be more worried about it tasting to my liking than going for a specific FG here. The FG prior to bottling is important for carbonation. Obviously, you need some sugar to produce CO2 in the bottle. According to a book I've been using:

> 3. Bottling. Bottle up the batch, sugaring each bottle with two teaspoons of sugar, or, more efficiently, adding enough sugar to the dry bulk cider to bring the specific gravity up to 1.010, and then bottling. This amount of sugar will add 1 percent of alcohol to the finished batch of cider.

Of course, without pasteurization, the whole sugar will be turned to alcohol and CO2, and you'll still end with a dry cider. If you add potassium metabisulfite and keep it still, then it won't ferment and it will stay sweet. But yeah, if you don't carbonate, don't worry about the FG, let your taste buds be the judge.

> I plan on using natural ingredients (frozen juice, sugar) to sweeten since I’ve never really liked artificial sweeteners like splenda.

Splenda is used as it's non-fermentable. Even without pasteurization / potassium metabisulfite, it won't turn to alcohol/CO2, which is why it's so popular among homebrewers. Natural ingredients are not a problem, just consider the previous point about carbonation. You don't want exploding bottles.

> As a first timer, I’m a little hesitant to do a carbonated batch. Other than the fizziness, will I be missing out on anything with a still batch? Would it be possible to split off a gallon after the secondary fermentation to try carbonating a small batch?

Never had a still cider, so I won't give you advice on the taste, but I can't imagine it being significantly worse. As long as the yeast is healthy (i.e. you didn't kill it with KMS), I don't see why you couldn't carbonate only one gallon. Just separate it, make sure it has an appropriate FG and kill the yeast in the rest.

Good luck!

There’s an easy-read Cider making book that might help! Check it out:

Cider: Making, Using & Enjoying Sweet & Hard Cider, 3rd Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/1580175201/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2CVDDbMZHRJFW

Grafting and propagation by cuttings goes back pretty far, since there are very early varieties, like the Lady apple , which the Seed Saver's Fruit Inventory says is medieval, that are still around today.

Annie Proulx co-wrote a pretty good book on making hard cider , before she got more acclaim from fiction writing, and mentioned a widespread belief that seedling apples make the best cider. Perhaps this originated with Chapman? It sounds like he was planting and selling seedlings, even though there had long been known propagated varieties ( i.e. from cuttings) that were better for cider, or eating, or storage.

I found this instructive and pretty detailed on apple varieties. Perhaps not as comprehensive as Palmer, but good.

Making Craft Cider - A Ciderist Guide (Simon McKie, 2011)

Craft Cider Making (Andrew Lea, 2008)

Cider - Making, Using and Enjoying Sweet & Hard Cider (Proulx & Nichols, 2003)

The process I used is pretty simple. A primary fermentation with champagne yeast is followed by a long secondary fermentation that yields still cider. To get sparkling cider add 2 teaspoons of sugar per 750 mL of cider, and store it for three weeks.

What I made would definitely not qualify as champagne if I sold it to anyone but my friends and family. In 2006 the US passed a law prohibiting anyone from selling sparkling wine labeled as champagne unless it comes from a very specific part of France, and even then only if it was grown by a very small number of families that have been doing it for centuries. It's still possible to get California champagnes, they're just grandfathered in.

If you want to learn about making cider, this book has been invaluable, and can teach you everything you ever wanted to know.

If you're curious what separates champagne from other sparkling wines, this site is pretty comprehensive.