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Ziegler's Johnny Jump Up
"High gravity caramel cider brewed to bring in the fall!"

Recipe:
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5.0 gal Nature's Nectar 100% Apple Juice (from ALDI)
8.5 lbs Dark Munich Malt (LME)
1.5 lbs Dark Brown Candi Sugar (Invert Sugar)
- 1.5 lbs sucrose
- 0.5 tbs citric acid
2.0 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Yeast:
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6.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient

Lalvin EC-1118
My experience with this yeast:
Produces some SO2... but will ferment dry with fruity aromatics.
SO2 will gas off if left for a month.
Will likely need a blow off tube.

Notes:
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6.0 gal Batch
OG: 1.100 (was higher until I added water)

2009/10/05
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Boiled 1 gallon of juice with 8.8 lbs Munich, yeast nutrient and spice.
Made Candi Sugar
Added enough water to sugar and citric acid to make a grainy sugar.
Boiled sugar until color reached desired darkness and aroma
Added to boiling juice / malt.
Cooled wort and combined with 3 gallons of juice.
Took specific gravity was over 1.13... added remainder juice and water to drop SG to desired level.
Pitched dry yeast packet directly into carboy.
Temperature at pitch approximately 75 F (25 C).
Color is SRM 35 (Dark)
Sweet malty caramel apple aroma.
Sweet apple like and malty taste.

2009/10/06
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Temperature at 2000 was approximately 66 F (19 C).
Lots of bubbles a minute... slow start but steady.
Krausen forming on top of juice.
Pleasant fruity aroma coming from carboy.

2009/10/07
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Temperature at 2000 was approximately 66 F (19 C).
Lots of bubbles a minute... Heavy fermentation.
May need blow off tube..
Pleasant fruity aroma coming from carboy.

2009/10/08
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Temperature at 2000 was approximately 66 F (19 C).
Lots of bubbles a minute... fermentation starting to slow.
Blow off tube was avoided.
Pleasant fruity aroma coming from carboy.
Bubbles and foam are starting to thin as SG drops.

2009/10/24
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Temperature at 1500 was approximately 66 F (19 C).
1 or 2 bubbles per minute.
Tranfered to Second carboy.
Pleasant fruity malty aroma.
Dark rich brown color.
Flavor is balanced... fruity start with malty finish.
SG 1.050 (much higher than I thought it would be... puts ABV ~8.2% so far.)
Added 1/2 tsp of epsom salts (Should have used 1/4 tsp or 1/8 to start) to kick up fermentation.
30-50 bubbles per minute since adding epsom salts.