Michigan Hard Cider Message Board

homebrewerbrian

Hi all, wow, this is weird. I remember when I first started homebrewing and I had a ton of questions and I didn't know up from down. Now that I am comfortable and feel that I'm a pretty good homebrewer, I feel that same way I did when I started making beer in terms of Cider.

1st question- Is it too early to get juice from Cider Mills right now? Not sure when the best time is to harvest the apples.

2nd question-I am going to be coming down to Hartland, MI this weekend with my family and I thought that if juice was available I might try and pick up 5 gallons or so from a local Cider Mill. What is the best place around there to get some juice? I know there is a mill called Spicers very close to where I am staying. Anybody know anything about it? I was thinking of stopping there because I have 2 little ones and it seems like there is a lot of stuff to occupy them while we're there.

3rd question- I'm looking for a nice juice blend with preferably at least 4-5 varieties more on the tart side and untreated, correct? What I want to make is a sparkling brut cider.

4th question- For a dry cider, is it best to have your juice more on the tart side? I have access to crabapples so I could correct the flavor a little I guess if I can't find something that is already just right.

I'm sure there is a ton of questions besides these but if anyone has some input I'd really appreciate it. I'm sure I'll find answers to most of my questions by doing some simple searches but I'd really like to know more about when and where I can get juice on my trip this weekend. (9/20 -- 9/22)

homebrewerbrian · Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 5:19 pm Post subject:

Well, I just picked up 5 gallons of cider from Tom Walker's Historic Parshallville Cider Mill in Fenton. The Family and I were there this past weekend and it was a great time.

I put my cider in a 6 gal carboy with a 1/2 tsp of metabisulfite for 24 hours and then added 2 tsp of pectic enzyme an hour before pitching my yeast (Rehydrated packet of Lalvin EC1118) and a 1/2 tsp of Yeast nutrient. I have it at a steady 58F in empty kegerator. We'll see how it's doing when I get home from work tonight. I'm excited to be doing my 1st cider. I want to go get some more cider and let one start fermenting with it's own wild yeast. I love brewing beer and fermenting them with wild yeast so I am curious to see how those complex characteristics translate in a cider.