23
Ideas for cider
(lemmy.nz)
This year I got hold on some apples so I will make 30l of clear cider and 20l for some "experiment". I already tried oak chips (simulates aging in wood barrel), hops and some spices. This year I was thinking about some herbs. The use is basically as dry hopping in beer.
Is there something I should consider, something you tried and turned out well or was undrinkable?
I made my second cider run recently (one can really only have a go once a year if it's got to be our own apples!) and it turned out fine. Both runs have had a little bit of beer wort in them too: caramel malts are absolutely my recommendation to try. Makes it ferment better too.
I'd like it stronger (tastewise) though. So an idea has been brewing as the cider has been flowing: could I 'boil down' the apple juice without heating it by using a Vevor vacuum chamber and pump? I don't know if the pump would be happy with water vapour, but since the Vevor kit is only 140 € for 18 liter capacity, I'd really like to try this.
This process is used quite widely in food industry, duno if I would dare trying to replicate it at home just for that. Maybe if you can get your hands on apple juice concentrate it is the same and without the hassle.
I looked and it is ~8€ here from some eshop ~6l concentrated to 1l. So pretty much apple juice syrup.