I meant to write this with drink in hand so I could report on taste and color but got busy catching up with nanowrimo.
I had a bottle of the March batch left that I had sampled in July and it was too dry so I added apple juice to it and here three months later, it was much improved. I gotta remember that trick, people want a little sweet in their homemade cider. The honey is my choice because it doesn’t overwhelms the natural taste of the apples.
The last of the July Batch in the new blue bottles was well received. I had a bottle of Magner’s for comparison and Promissory was found to be less sweet but held its own on the other points.
There was a huge bottle of the February batch left over and it had no fizz due to a loose cork. But its still useable: I gave it to the mrs. to use in cooking. I love me some pork with cider marinade. 🙂
Over all I have been pleased with this year’s product save for the 8 bottles that exploded! I found about a third of the bottles had no fizz but I have refined my process enough to get a result that is drinkable sparkling or flat. Flat’s not a fair term, it was ‘still’ cider. And we drank it too. 🙂
I have a couple gallons set aside in an experimental secondary fermentation bottle. I won’t be tasting that till January at the earliest. I’ll decide then if I’m going to try aging in one bottle or in bunches of bottles.
Plans for next year include using a better quality apple juice while also looking for a press of some sort. I wanted to try adding crab apples to a batch this year but space was limited. Plus I don’t know anyone with a tree that’s producing loads of crab apples. Next year for sure!
I’ve got a trip to England in a couple weeks, and I’m hoping to sample the top rated “Old Rosie” cider in a nearby village but it might not happen this late in the season. I will report back here what I get to sample. Also planned is a trip to the New Forest to try some Snakebite Cider and no, I’m not driving!
Photos will come too!
Cheers and New Years,
Flash Jervis, Chief of Cidery.