Really old cider recipe

[starky5]

Im trying to make a batch of cider from apples following a recipe from a really old home brew book i found.

The recipe is

3lb cooking apple
2lb sugar
6 Quarts of waters

The instructions were to mince the apples then add the water and stir for 7 days morning and night, then after 7 days add the sugar, squeeze in 3 lemons then leave for 24 hours and bottle.

At what stage would i take a start reading with my hydrometer so i can work out its % when its done.

Also im not sure about the bottling after 24 hours as surely this would mean it ferments in the bottles?

Thanks

 

[abeyptfc]

when does it say to add yeast?

 

[evanvine]

They probably didn't have home hydrometers then and almost certainly didn't care about %ABV.
I would suggest taking.....perhaps not...........pass!
Help please Moley.

 

[Moley]

Whatever that is, it's phundamentally phukdup.

6 quarts = 12 pints = 1.5 gallons of water :hmm:

2 lbs sugar - neither a wine or a cider :wha:

3 lbs apples :lol:

Just cooking apples :rofl:

Add sugar after a week and bottle the next day :shock:

At what stage would i take a start reading with my hydrometer so i can work out its % when its done.

You couldn't really take a true hydrometer reading, although fruit sugars would be negligible so a reading after adding the sugar would be close.

In total you would have roughly 36 oz (1020g) of sugar in 13 pints (7.4 litres) of must giving an OG of about 1.052, so potentially 7% abv of vaguely apple flavoured, slightly alcoholic water.

For comparison, I would use not less than 6 lbs fruit to the gallon of apple wine and around 60:40% eaters:cookers. I would be interested to hear what weight of apples the true cider makers use to the gallon.

 

[starky5]

no talk of yeast at all!

Got to admit it did seem a little odd when i started but this is only my 2nd ever attempt at home brew and the 1st attempt was from a kit.

God knows what ill end up with guess ill just drink it and see

Only thing im thinking is i dont really want it fermenting in the bottles so is it worth leaving a week or two before i bottle it?

 

[evanvine]

I would be interested to hear what weight of apples the true cider makers use to the gallon.

I work on 20Lbs/Gal, but have been told that I'm a little inefficient.

 

[Moley]

no talk of yeast at all!

No mention of boiling water or campden tablets either, so it's relying on wild yeasts from the apple skins.

I would add the sugar much earlier and certainly give it longer before bottling.

 

[user 1290]

I use a 1:2 mix of cookers:eaters. 20 lbs of windfalls after cutting out bad bits will yield the 16 - 17 lbs of pulp required to press one gall of juice.

This recipe will produce extremely weak flavoured 'cider' having only about half a litre of juice per gall and will be just over 6% ABV:

With that little juice it's not going to have very much acid or tannin in it.

Suggesting all that sugar is added 24 hrs before bottling is simply crazy. What book does this recipe come from?

 

[starky5]

Its from a book from 1971 call 500 recipes, Home made wines and Drinks. I have just strained it off and added the suger, lemon juice (3 squeezed lemons) and lemon rind and it at least smells of apples and has some good colour to it. The s.g. reading i just took was 1.050 which seems alright.

My worry now is should i add yeast? I have added everything it said, there is no mention of any hot water, yeast, nothing. If its a yes vote on adding some yeast then how much and should i add some hot water with it?

Thanks

 

[user 1290]

I vote add yeast. Your OSG of 1.050 matches my calc above within half an ounce of sugar so it's obvious no fermentation of the fruit sugar in the apples has taken place.

Don't add hot water with it as that was probably mentioned as a means of sterilizing the fruit, but you may also wish to consider adding one CT/gall and leaving 24 hrs before pitching that yeast in case there's any nasties in it.

Is it the "Speedy Cider" recipe from this book:

Also add pectolase. It probably wasn't available in 1963 when that book was written. Cookers contain lots more pectin than eaters and it's concentrated in the skin and core, so a pulp fermentation will mean it's all gone into your cider (pressed pure juice contains far less).

 

[starky5]

Ok as a complete beginner then:
How do you know how much yeast to add?
What do you mean by CT?
Yes, well its from a very similar book (i think its just a later edition) and its the speedy cider recipe.
And finally how do you know how much pectolase to add, and how do you add pectolase?

Sorry for all the questions, it seemed like a very simple recipe when i decided to give it a go. Think ill stick to tubro cider next time.

 

[user 1290]

How do you know how much yeast to add?
What do you mean by CT?
And finally how do you know how much pectolase to add, and how do you add pectolase?.

One teaspoon of yeast
CT = campden tablet
One teaspoon of pectolase per gallon, added ASAP and stirred in.

 

[starky5]

Ill pick those bits up tomorrow and add as soon as i get in from work!

Thanks for all your help