#3 Trader Joe's Apple Cider

With the excitement of starting my first batch of cider, I quickly I wanted to start a second batch. I believe at this point, I had found out that my first batch, made with juice from a Fuji apple, may not turn out very well. If you read my second post, I found out that Fuji apples are considered a dessert apple and dessert apples don't always handle fermentation well. So I went out in search of another apple juice. I first looked in Whole Foods and all I could find was the same Fuji juice I had used on batch #1. My next store I went into was Trader Joe's. They had their own pressed apple cider. I quickly grabbed a gallon off the shelf and took home to start my second batch.

As with my first batch, I added nothing to the juice with the exception of the yeast. The yeast I was using was Premium House Select Cider Yeast. My understanding was that this yeast's optimum temperature for brewing hovered around 65-70 degrees F. It was the perfect selection being that I didn't have a room colder than 70 degrees. In fact the coldest room in the house is the half bath we have downstairs. It is easily cooler than any room in the house. We keep our house around 72-74 degrees. I estimate that the downstairs bath hovers around 68-72 depending on the weather outside. So yes, my half bath is also my fermentation room.

My Trader Joe's batch sat in it's primary fermentation for about two weeks before I racked it into secondary. I was able to get my first test taste and my specific gravity reading at this point. It's taste was sub-par. It was a bit tart, bitter, and watery.

Specific gravity readings measure the bouyance of the fluid and can give you a estimated alcohol by volume reading (% ABV). The initial reading before primary was right at 1.052 which gave me a target of around 6.5% ABV. After primary, the reading was at .998 and gave me an estimated 6.7% ABV. This is a normal ABV for a juice bought out of store and with no added sugar.

After waiting for another 2 weeks while it sat in secondary fermentation, I bottled it. I added 1/2 teaspoon of dextrose (priming sugar/white powder sugar) to each bottle to naturally carbonate. In addition, I split my batch into nine 12oz bottles. The first 3 bottles received no Splenda, the next three received 1/8 teaspoon, and the last 3 received 2/8 teaspoon. Artificial sweetener is used to back sweeten the cider as the yeast will eat up any actual sugars.

I boxed the bottles up to store and wait another 2 weeks. During this phase the yeast is eating up the dextrose and producing carbon dioxide and alcohol. Since the bottles are bottle capped and no gas can leave the bottle, it gets infused into the liquid and carbonates the cider.

At the end of the 2 weeks, I cracked one open to test carbonation levels and to taste. I was disappointed when I popped the top and barely heard any fizz. Upon tasting, it was gross. It had a slight tart and was very watery tasting. I couldn't even drink it. I dumped it down the drain. I still have the other 8 bottles and I am hoping with a little more time carbonation will increase and taste will improve some, however, I don't have high hopes.

I currently have 2 other batches going with added ingredients. My hopes are these will turn out better. More about those future posts to come.