Hard Cider

Handsome and I are tag teaming it on the Hard Cider, as he has tried multiple times in the past and never liked the end results. He thinks my excessive note taking skills will help him make a kick butt batch of hard cider. :)

We are referencing The Art of Making Wine by Stanley Anderson & Raymond Hill, "Apple Cider" recipe.

Hard Cider (2 gallons)

2 gallons Apple Cider, no preservatives, UVF approved bacteria safe


• Adjust SG to 1.06
(10/9/11) Cider alone SG 1.05 - dissolved 1. 5 cup honey over low heat with 2 cups water per Rich Barker's handy chart

1/8 tsp pectic enzyme liquid
1 tsp acid blend
1/2 tsp tannin
1/2 tsp yeast energizer
1 package Cote De Blanc yeast

• Mix and ferment 3 -5 days to SG 1.02 (10/12/11)

• Rack and Lock

10/17/11 - SG 1.05

• Rack again 3 wks, SG 1.00
• Add 2 antioxidant tablets (1 per gallon) SKIPPED

11/9/11 • WE ARE HERE, and drinking this straight out of the carboy

• Rack again when cider is clear.
• Add 2 oz white sugar per gallon, stir gently & bottle.


• Age 3 months

NOTE: Oops - Just read up on "topping off" and we have WAY too much airspace in our carboys. Gonna try campden sterilized glass marbles in the next batch.

Hard Lemonade

Handsome had an over abundance of Lemonade Concentrate and got the crazy notion to make Lemonade Wine AKA Hard Lemonade.

We found a reasonable recipe at the Wine Making Talk website by Dufresne11.

In the end it only took ONE WEEK - (freakin' unheard of in home brewing) - but I took scientific measurements and we bottled it today!

Below is my recipe and notes adapted from Dufresne11's link above:

Hard Lemonade (1.5 gal)
Starter (10/2/11):
1/8 can frozen lemonade concentrate (no sulfites)
1/2 tsp yeast energizer
1/2 liter hot tap water
Sugar to Specific Gravity 1.030 (if necessary)
1/4 & 1/8 tsp yeast nutrient
1/2 package Cuvee Yeast

• Mix well and let sit for 24 hours until bubbling.
• No sugar was necessary, the concentrate gave a SG of 1.04

24 Hours Later - Fermentation (10/3/11):
Starter from above
7/8 + 2 cans frozen lemonade concentrate
1.5 gallons water (used city water)
1/2 tsp yeast energizer

• Mix well
• Measure SG - Your goal is 1.00 (10/3/11 SG = 1.04)

• 10/9/11 SG = 1.005
• Stopped fermentation with 2 campdem tablets
• Sweetened with 2.5 oz wine conditioner
• Racked off & bottled
• Ready to drink immediately with 5% alcohol