"Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." – Benjamin Franklin (founding father, homebrewer)

Nut Brown and Cider a-fermenting

Posted: October 12th, 2008 | Author: Stacy | Filed under: Brown, Cider, Homebrew | 3 Comments »

‘Tis the season for making awesome hard cider! I bought 5 gallons of fresh cider from our local Apple Festival and 3lbs of honey from some nice folks at the Farmer’s Market. Just add yeast and soon I’ll have tasty cider. I’ve opted for a champagne yeast and wildflower honey (a nice savory amber) this time, hoping it’ll come out tart and dry. Even the garage is the perfect temperature for cellaring it during fermentation — it just hit 55 degrees and will likely hold that through November. I omit campden tablets from my cider because sulfites give Kathy a headache, and it’s nice to have a gluten-free and sulfite-free offering for guests.

I also determined last week that there aren’t enough brown ales on the market, which means it’s time to make more of my own. I’m trying a new recipe from Charlie Papazian’s Microbrewed Adventures for Puritanical Nut Brown Ale. It promises to be carmely and smooth, with a nutlike flavor, roasted chocolate maltiness, and soft mouthfeel. Sounds good to me! Next month I’ll know if it turns out as advertised.

And of course, that blackberry mead is still going strong…

3 Comments on “Nut Brown and Cider a-fermenting”

  1. 1 Mick said at 1:24 am on October 26th, 2008:

    I am intrigued by your recipe….sounds like an apple mead with all that honey!!! I hope it is nice! My recipe is fresh crushed and pressed apples, nothing else….deeeeelish, will be ready to go at Easter!

    I have used honey though in my blackberry whisky…..mmmmmmm!!!

  2. 2 Stacy said at 8:48 pm on October 26th, 2008:

    I should try just straight apples and yeast to see what happens. The honey doesn’t seem to make the resulting cider sweeter, though the choice of yeast makes a huge difference. Thanks for the idea!

  3. 3 Anthony said at 9:46 am on October 29th, 2008:

    We got our ciders going at the same time! This year was our first attempt, and we just kept things really simple. Like you, we got 5 gallons of fresh cider from an area farm. Didn’t add anything else but campden tablets. Pitched a Wyeast mead yeast – we’d read that it can yield a more semi-dry, semi-sweet cider.

    I take it you’re in Portland? We’re in Eugene – I found your blog when looking for some sites about wedding beers. Like you, we also aren’t big hopheads (I wonder how many of us there are in the NW…)

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