Experimental brew: RIC

I am a fan of a good cider almost as much as I am of ale. However, I've not been a fan at all of my homebrew cider so I've decided to try one last big experimental brew. The kits are leftovers from the recent Wilko sale so were only £7.50 each.

Rov'rum Imperial Cider
Recipe
1 Wilko pear cider kit
1 Wilko apple cider kit
7 litres Apple juice
1.5Kg Caramel

Brew length: 23 litres
Expected OG: 1.080
Expected FG (75% AA): 1.019
ABV: 8.1%

I chose the name (a take on russian imperial stout for anyone who didn't spot it) because I'm expecting this to be a big drink and need a long time before it is drinkable. I'm not classing it as an apple wine because even though the ABV is getting to that range it isn't just apple juice and sugar to boost the alcohol content. I was going to go for an all apple brew but then decided to give it some flavour and made some caramel.

Ingredients (minus caramel)


I've never made caramel before and don't have a candy thermometer but it was pretty simple and injury free. I do recommend to have the kitchen sink full of cold water ready to dunk any body part in that happens to get 160-200C sticky sugar on it.

Sugar weighed out


Temperature is rising. Sugar starting to liquefy


Keep stirring to distribute the heat. The sugar starts to clump up.


Visually no longer white


Getting quite sticky now


More liquid than dry. Still getting darker.


Darker.


Darker still. At this point there is still some small clumps of sugar not liquefied. Seen as I'm not making sweets and not bothered about the finished appearance I'm happy to end at this point before it gets too dark. On a similar note, most caramel making instructions state not to stir the sugar and leave it to brown. I chose to stir throughout in order to distribute the heat better. Stirring should be avoided if you want clear caramel without crystallisation.


The caramel needs to be cooled as quickly as possible as it will continue to cook and you need to take this into account when choosing when to stop heating. The emergency first aid sink of water can be used to gently lower the pan into (be ready for the hissing). Keep in there and stir for a few minutes.


I want this back to liquid to add to the FV easier so boiled the kettle and added a small bit of water. It is important to start small as the caramel is still hot enough to cause the water to instaboil. I did all this at full arms reach, you don't want to get too near this.


Keep adding water a bit at a time until it calms down. Once you have a pan full of water then back onto the hob. The caramel will have set as a thick coating inside the pan but bring the liquid to the boil and keep stirring and it will dissolve.


Drew off a sample to taste. Tastes like caramel.


Everything into the FV. A bit too foamy.


Measured OG: 1.092
Looks like I'm going to break the 9% ABV mark.

I didn't make a starter so rehydrated 2 packs of youngs cider yeast. Plan is to give it plenty of time to ferment out and drop clear. I'll then split it into 4 DJs to bulk age. The first will be kept as it is, the second I'll infect with old rosie to get some MLF, the third I think I might try some oak and the last I don't know yet.

very nice, thanks for the caramel info.

Sounds interesting. Will be watching to see how this turns out.
A tip with caramel, add some water in with the sugar, this helps stop any clumps forming, but that's only really important if you want to make sweets (which is very fun and very rewarding) (also probably worth getting a candy thermometer if you want to go that route).

Caramel works well with vanilla. You could split a vanilla bean lengthways and add that to the last DJ.

Vanilla sounds like it could be nice, that's the current winner for DJ#4.

1 week on and down to 1.030 so ~8.3% ABV so far. Doesn't taste too bad but the caramel flavour hasn't come forward as much as I expected it to but it's still early days yet.

This has finished at 1.021 so a final ABV of 9.4%. The sample I tasted doesn't show the alcohol and has a pretty good flavour. It's going to have a little more time to clear and will be going into DJs next week.

Hi I doubt you will get any MLF unless you added any malic acid. The levals of malic acid in carton juice is far too low and I suspect probably low in the juice in the cider kits as they won't contain any cider varieties.

You could add it now 1 tsp per gallon, but to be honest with the caramel and sweetness of the cider you have ended up with i doubt it will have a role to play in the final taste of this cider. :thumb: :thumb:

Reminded me just in time I tagged some malic acid onto the order from one of the sponsors. I'm not sure if it will that noticeable but hoping it will give something to the drink.

You will need to leave it in bulk for a good 6 months to taste something noticeable. :thumb: