Cider

Lads,

I'm in the very early stages of starting to brew my own cider. I'm planning on making the Norman style cider instead of the English cider which ferments in Champagne bottles known as Cidre-bouche.

Has anyone had any experience in the pursuit? (making it or drinking it?)

Do you already brew beer? I have been doing that for a few years now.

With your bottle fermentation are you planning on adding sugar and sealing the bottle? How long for? Will you be looking to remove the dead yeast at the end of this time as this is usually done by freezing only the neck of the bottle, which I'd imagine could get complicated for an at home set up.

Is it from a kit or are you looking at sourcing your own apples/ juice.

I think its an awesome idea and be would be interested to hear how it goes. I might have to add it to my own set up.

I've turned into a bit of a francophile since living in Europe and love cider (cidre doux all the way Pierre). Pear cider is, I reckon, better than apple cider.

Good luck.

Sounds like it was just strong enough, Moses!

Rekorderlig stawberry and lime is the best i've had. Obviously something you would never order at a bar when their is beer on offer. I cant stand the apple stuff.

Anyone have any alcoholic ginger beer recipes/methods?
Love my cider, so long as it is not sweet.

Thanks for all the responses lads! Its shaping up to be a great hobby if I ever get it off the ground.

The main problem is sourcing the right apples. I have a farm in Bilpin which is where all of the apple orchards are in the Blue Mountains. This convenience of sourcing the apples was what first got me interested in the idea. Unfortunately after speaking to many of the locals i cant seem to find anyone who grows the French cider apples. This is understandable because they are sour to taste and are only really grown for making this certain type of cider. It's still bloody frustrating! if anyone knows where I can acquire these apples on the east coast of Aus i would be very appreciative.

In regards to making the cider, it is made very differently to English style cider (rekorderlig included) which is fermented in an oak barrel and made in volume. Cidre Bouche from Normandy is fermented in a sealed Champagne bottle with a process very similar to making Champagne. The result is also a lot similar to Champagne and not sweet like the common cider. If anyone in Sydney is interested in trying some, this one's not a bad drop;
http://www.annandalecellars.com.au/5271/Eric_Bordelet_Brut_Tendre_Apple_Cider_750mL.aspx

As an old apple grower the old varieties are hard to find. I would say that Granny Smith would be a good alternative. If you could find an apple orchard with Grannies I am sure the farmer would let you pick up the windfall for free. They also tend to have the right sugar/acid ration.

I got hooked on crabbies ginger beer in Scotland.

They now sell it in oz!

Awesome stuff, I'm amazed bundaberg ginger company doesn't make one.

Yep - it was always a good rule to leave any place that served snakebites.

And you live in London? There's your problem: your Bilpin apples are too stale, or too ripe, before you get to them.

Thanks mate, i'll look into that!

i was also going to suggest granny smith. They are usually good for anything that needs a sourer type of apple

Anyone seen Stella 'Cidre' around the traps in Oz? Claims to be a product made Belgian style although it consists of only 50% apples which I think comes from Continental Europe aka France and Belgium.

Worth a try as it offers a different world to explore compared to Magners and Bulmers, as well as the Swedish versions.

Also what about pears, JoeMac? Gaymers Pear Cider is awesome!

When working in Europe I had a policy of drinking the local speciality whereever I went, beer, wine whatever. In mormandy I drank a lot of cider and got a real taste for it. If this brewing effort works out, let us know and I will maybe give it a go myself as I miss the good normandy cider.

Will do Mick

Just started drinking cider recently. I usually have one or two after a few beers when I want a slightly 'sweeter' finish. Came across an Apple with pear cider tonight. Really enjoying it

http://www.napoleonecider.com.au/ciders/5

I made a few batches of cider last year. Where I live, all my neighbours are apple orchards, so it kind of makes sense. The batches came up exceptionally dry, but have some potential. I will halt fermentation at different stages in the next few batches and see if I can get the balance right.

The owners of the orchards let me pick up the windfall, but juicing that many apples with a Breville juicer is a nightmare. I am tempted to go to the local cider maker and see if they will sell me a volume of freshly crushed apple juice and I will just ferment it. But I am not sure if they will sell it to me before they pasteurise it, as legally they have to do that to the cider they make. Once I have finished building my house and have some time, I might make an apple press.

All the boutique cider makers around me use the pink lady apples. There is one weird orchard near me with some really old trees on it which they no longer pick. I have fantasies that they are some type of old breed cider apple, but I seriously doubt it. The problem with the Australian apple industry is that they are slaves to the latest fashion, and will rip out a 15 year old orchard in it's prime if the apples aren't popular. Or graft a new modern variety onto it. Also due to the relatively high availability of land, farmers think nothing of bulldozing an orchard once it is no longer in prime production. As a consequence, we don't have many orchards older than 40 years. Compare that to England, where some of their cider apple orchards are 200 years old.

It kind of leaves you with the only option of working with what is available.