Cool, clear and how to make Hard cider

Good morning Augusta.

This morning it is overcast, then partly cloudy. High of 70F. Winds less than 5 mph.

Tonight it will be partly cloudy with a chance of rain after midnight. Low of 52F. Winds from the NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 20%.

The readings from my own instruments are:

The humidity is 96% with a Dew Point of 43ºF and a wind chill of 44ºF.

The temperature Is 44ºF.

We have North winds between 0.0 mph and 0.0 mph.

Our Barometric pressure is 30.19 HPA 1022 and rising with a weather graphic indicating sun.  

We have a UV  rating of 1 out of 16, sunset will be at 6:01 PM with Moon Rise at 1:35 p.m. and the moon phase is Waxing crescent.

For the pilots out there, Raw Metar readings are:

METAR KAUG 111153Z AUTO 00000KT 9SM CLR 07/06 A3018 RMK AO2 SLP223 T00670061 10089 20067 53006

Visibility is 9.0 miles/14.5 kilometers with a clear ceiling.  

We have had no rain here in the past 24 hours.

How to make Hard cider

1. Make cider. (Per yesterday's blog post) and prepare enough sweet cider for 5 gallons.

2. Get yeast. Visit your local brewing supply store, or look online for cider yeast. Dry wine yeasts are also a good choice, and are more common—and therefore, less expensive.

3. Make a starter. A day or two before you plan on brewing your hard cider, make a yeast starter. This will ensure that your yeast is alive and ready to go, and will let you control the final flavor of your brew.

In a sealable jar, add one yeast packet to a half cup of your fresh apple cider. Seal the jar, give it a good shaking for five to ten seconds, then set it aside for five or six hours, or overnight. When you see it bubbling, release the pressure by partially twisting off the lid, then resealing the jar. Put the start in the refrigerator until a couple hours before you're ready to use it.

4. Prepare your cider. Fill a stock pot or brew pot with fresh cider, and bring it to a very low simmer over medium heat. Continue simmering for about 45 minutes to an hour, to kill off any bacteria or wild yeasts that could alter the flavor of your cider.

Do not boil the cider. Add up to two pounds of brown sugar or honey to boost the sugar content, and make a harder hard cider!

5. Prepare the fermentation bucket. To ensure that your bucket is clean and ready for hard cider making, sterilize it. Pour a capful of bleach into the bucket, fill with water, and let it sit while you finish simmering your cider. Empty the water, then rinse the bucket thoroughly with cold water.

6. Pour the cider into the fermentation bucket. Let it cool until it's just warmer than room temperature, then add your starter. Stir with a sterilized spoon, then seal the lid and set the airlock.

7. Let it ferment. Place the bucket in a cool, dark place—around 60° to 70°F (15° to 20°C). After a couple days, you should see the airlock start to bubble, as the yeast releases carbon dioxide. It should continue to bubble for a couple weeks. When it stops, let the cider rest for another week so that the yeast settles.

8. Bottle your cider. Using a clean, food-grade siphon, gently transfer the cider to sterilized bottles, seal them, and then let them sit for as long as you can stand it—at least a couple weeks. Like wine, hard cider will improve with age.

 

Downloaded without the pictures from WikiHow at:

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Apple-Cider