OT - Homebrew

NirvanaFan

NirvanaFan

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I'm pretty sure I saw a post on here last year about homebrewing. I can't remember who around Rochester does it though.

I'm really looking to make a batch of hard cider, but have never brewed anything before. The problem is that I am going on a business trip from Oct 10-30. I will be gone for a while so I won't be home to do anything. Is it possible to make a batch of cider and bottle it before then, or should I wait until right before I leave and throw it in the carboy to ferment and plan on re-racking it when I get home around Halloween, or should I just scrap any plans until after I get back?

Is anyone around the city brewing anything? If someone would be willing to show me first hand what to do, that would be awesome. My family used to make wine when I was a kid, and they still have some things that I could use, but I was only like 6 or 7 when they stopped, so I'm a total beginner.
 
Conesus Kid (Scott) for sure, brews and I can't remember who else posted in that thread...I'll see if I can find that thread.
 
:wavehand:

We'll see who the degenerate is when it's sunday and Cully is looking for a cold one before noon.:lolspin:

Joe I'll give you the full rundown on my other addiction whenever you want to stop over.

No bottles of baby formula in here are there???

Fridge.jpg
 
..hit a guy while he's down why don't ya....

recently fell in love with Dogfishhead 60 minute IPA ( I see a DFH product on top of the Festbier box). Didn't like the 90 minute as much, though it'd do in a pinch, believe me.
 
Nice Walter. I've got your hole saw btw.

I really want to make some hard cider, but traveling for 3 weeks during October may put my plans on hold.

Have you made cider Walter? How long did it take from pressing to bottling? I would love to get this done in 4 weeks before I leave.
 
Yeah, that's actually a batch from last year that I was cold crashing in the fridge. Patience is always good with homebrew, but depending on the yeast and how strong you make it a month might be doable. Mine spent 3-4 months in primary/secondary/fining, but were 16-20%ABV.
 
captain7359 said:
Yeah, that's actually a batch from last year that I was cold crashing in the fridge. Patience is always good with homebrew, but depending on the yeast and how strong you make it a month might be doable. Mine spent 3-4 months in primary/secondary/fining, but were 16-20%ABV.
Click to expand...

I'm not looking to get too crazy with the ABV. Maybe something around 6-8%

Would pressing and starting it in primary right before I leave be a better option? I just don't want to be gone when it's ready to bottle. I guess I could always backsweeten it if it ferments all the sugars out right? I prefer a somewhat sweet cider, and am definitely not a fan of really dry ciders.
 
choose your yeast correctly and you won't have to worry about the abv getting higher than you want I normally go the oppisite way wanting a higher abv in the wine and hard cider I brew but its a personal taste kinda thing good luck with your home brew
 
I've heard good things about using Nottingham Ale yeast with cider. I was thinking of trying that.
 
Joe-

There's a cider section here: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/

Notty is one of my favorite ale yeasts-use it all the time. It's super fast and your ABV won't be off the charts.

Read up on it, but it seems to me that you could get the yeast going in primary for a week or two, then rack right before your trip. Bottle when you get back, (unless you were hoping to have bottles to drink for Halloween...)
 
I've spent over 3 hours on the homebrewtalk site just today. It's got a lot of info.

I was hoping to have a few bottles to drink for Halloween, but it's not a big deal. I definitely want them for Thanksgiving though. Everything will be alright if it stays in rack for 3 weeks right? That is probably the best option, unless I can get everything going this weekend.

Scott, how long do you usually take from pressing/starting in primary to bottling?
 
If you didn't come across this thread already it's got lots of info in a pretty compact summary.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f32/results-juice-yeast-sugar-experiments-83060/

I used wyeast 1332 in the cider that I won with in the UNYHA competition this past year.

http://www.wyeastlab.com/rw_yeaststrain_detail.cfm?ID=139

If you want it still then you could do 7-14 days in the primary then get it in the secondary right before you leave then cold crash it the day you get home and bottle on Halloween. If you want it carb's then 2 weeks primary, 2 secondary, then bottle right before you leave. Might be a little green, but with the low gravity and ale yeast it should be plenty drinkable.
 
Capt_Cully said:
..hit a guy while he's down why don't ya....

recently fell in love with Dogfishhead 60 minute IPA ( I see a DFH product on top of the Festbier box). Didn't like the 90 minute as much, though it'd do in a pinch, believe me.
Click to expand...

Festina Peche - Make the ladies giggly happy after a few.

Take a step up and try a 120 or "Blabbering Moron In A Bottle" as my girlfriend refers to it as.
 
Thanks for the help/tips Walter. I can't decide if I want to do still or carbonated. I like to drink still when I just want one or two, but usually opted for carbonated drinks when I have more than one or two. I guess I could always try two :D
 
Joe-

I've never made cider, just beer and mead, so I can't give advice on the pressing, etc.

You could bottle half the batch still, then add corn sugar to the other half before bottling to carbonate. Best of both worlds! :D
 
Labor day weekend marked the uncorking of our last homebrew batch of Smoked Amber Porter. It was excellent Went very well with the 800 clams, bbque chicken, hot sausage, hot dogs, and teryaki pork loin we consumed. It was a borgasmord
 
Conesus_Kid said:
Joe-

I've never made cider, just beer and mead, so I can't give advice on the pressing, etc.

You could bottle half the batch still, then add corn sugar to the other half before bottling to carbonate. Best of both worlds! :D
Click to expand...


Unless I REALLY like what I taste before bottling, this is probably what I will end up doing.

Scott, What OG and FG did your Nottingham yeast go from? How long did it take?
 
You really can't use OG/FG readings from beer to see how it'll work with cider. It really depends on the beer mash temps for the FG readings, since mashing at a higher temp produces more unfermentable sugars and a higher FG reading. You could take the exact same recipe, mash at a lower temperature, and end up with a lower FG reading b/c it produces more fermentables.

Nottingham is notoriously fast. I usually rack from primary to secondary after a week, with most of the action occurring the first 3-4 days.
 
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