Central Street Farmhouse Cider House Select Kit (5 or 6-gallon batch) Instruction Manual

CENTRAL STREET FARMHOUSE

Cider House Select Kit Instructions (5 or 6-gallon batch)

The cider ingredient kits we carry make fantastic cider – that is, when you don’t follow their rushed instructions. Why do they rush the cider making process? Who knows? But after reading this handy sheet of instructional amendments, you’ll know more – and knowledge ain’t just power, it’s the secret ingredient in making your own booze.

OK then. You will need the following:

• 6.5-gallon plastic brew bucket, with lid and airlock. Or use a glass or plastic carboy.
• Long spoon, plastic or stainless steel, to stir your cider. Note: You won’t be able to stir in a carboy.
• Hydrometer, to measure the specific gravity (density) of your cider before adding yeast.
• The willingness (and patience) to sanitize everything that comes in contact with your cider.

Let’s Brew This:

*BE WARNED: The bag containing the cider kit is split into two unsealed pouches when opened.*

1. Start with roughly 2 gallons of warm water in your sanitized fermenting bucket. It will not hurt to boil the water, but you don’t really need to.
2. Dissolve the desired amount of dextrose in your hot water. At this point you will need to decide how much cider you want to make. For five gallons, add 2# of sugar; for 6 gallons, add 3#. It’s just that easy! Stir the sugar in thoroughly.
3. Add bag of apple juice to water, stirring constantly. The more you stir, the more oxygen you add to your cider – and yeast loves oxygen.
4. Add more warm water until you hit the desired volume.
5. Take a hydrometer reading to get your starting gravity. Sanitize your hydrometer, and simply float it in your bucket – record the number where the hydrometer meets the top of the liquid. As a rule of thumb, 6-gallon cider batches should have a hydrometer reading in the neighborhood of 1.045-1.055.
6. Add the desired amount of Cider Sweetener. We generally recommend adding half the pouch the first time. Unfortunately, you can’t really add more later, so just trust us and add half. You can always buy another kit and make cider again!
7. Now it’s time to add the yeast. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the cider, and do not stir. Add the lid tightly to your bucket, along with a sanitized airlock (filled to the halfway mark with sanitizer). Congratulations, you’ve just made cider. Now be patient.

Fermentation

1. Fair warning, these cider kits tend to be stinky. It is okay. Take a deep breath, realize that was a bad idea, and then go in another room and breathe deeply to relax.
2. After at least 10 days of fermentation (which, by the way, should be taking place in a warm room – 65-75°F), you must rack (transfer via siphon) the cider from one bucket to another bucket (or to a glass carboy). This is necessary to get your cider off the dead yeast cells, helping to promote clarity and flavor. Open your bucket lid: there should be signs that fermentation occurred (BUT if bubbles and foam remain on top of the liquid, it is likely that fermentation is still happening, so close it up and wait a few more days for these next steps). Using your sanitized siphon, rack your cider into a sanitized bucket or carboy, being careful not to stir up the layer of sediment on the bottom of the primary bucket.
3. Add the Flavor packet to your desired taste. We recommend adding the whole thing. It will help cover the stinkiness mentioned in Step 8. Cover your secondary bucket with a sanitized lid and airlock, and put it away for another few days.
4. After at least another 5 days of fermentation, once again rack your cider into another bucket or carboy. At this point you’ll want to take your final gravity reading with your hydrometer. Your hydrometer should read 1.000 – 1.005 – if it does not, your cider has not finished fermenting and needs more time.

Bottling

1. After your cider has fermented out completely, it is ready to be bottled. Take your final gravity reading and write it down – original gravity minus final gravity, then multiplied by 131.25 gives you alcohol by volume (%). Math is finally fun!
2. Sanitize your bottles. SANITIZE YOUR BOTTLES. (Or keg. See Kegging Instructions sheet and skip to Step 17.)
3. Once more, rack your cider from the secondary bucket into a clean and sanitized bucket. Dissolve 1 oz. of dextrose (corn sugar, or priming sugar) per gallon of cider in a pint of boiling water, and add to cider as it is transferring over. Or, use carbonation tabs (sold separately); follow instructions on the bag.
4. Using your siphon, fill each bottle to the very top (the siphon will displace enough liquid when removed from each bottle). If using carbonation tabs, add the appropriate number in each bottle. Cap each bottle.
5. Put your bottles in a dark, warm place so that they can carbonate. You’ll need about 10-14 days for the cider to carbonate.

Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labor

1. Stick the bottles in the fridge. When properly chilled, pour your cider gently from the bottle into a glass, being careful not to disturb the fine layer of yeast sediment at the bottom of the bottle. (Leave the last ¼” of yeasty cider in the bottle, so as not to cloud up your cider too much – you’ll get a handle on this as you brew more and more.)
2. Finally, taste that delicious homemade goodness. Congratulations.

Central Street Farmhouse Cider House Select Kit (5 or 6-gallon batch) Instruction Manual – Central Street Farmhouse Cider House Select Kit (5 or 6-gallon batch) Instruction Manual –