When it comes to creating adult beverages in the backyard, we tend to call upon Ed Ramshaw.
As president of the Concord Area Homebrewers, Ramshaw is a bit of a local brewing legend. He makes delicious tasting fermented concoctions and has been teaching others how to do so for years. Guess that would make him some sort of expert, as well.
So when we wanted to find out how to take that fresh local cider you buy each fall and turn it into something reserved for adults over the age of 21, we picked up the phone and dialed Ramshaw. And just like every other time we’ve asked for a little help to educate all of you on the art of homebrewing, Ramshaw was happy to help.
If you remember back to last year around this time when we devoted an entire issue to making beer, there’s a lot of cooking and temperature watching that is involved to get all those hops, yeast and malts to taste like something you’d want to drink. But unlike beer, those steps aren’t necessary when it comes to hard cider.
“It’s a little easier, less investment in time,” Ramshaw said.
Now the cider we’re about to speak of isn’t going to automatically turn out like the one you’ll find at your local watering hole. And while you can absolutely attempt to recreate your cider faves, those are mass produced and created to taste a certain appley, sweet way.
What Ramshaw does, along with a bunch of his brewing brethren, is get his cider straight from Chuck Souther at Apple Hill Farm. Souther makes an unpasteurized product that is just about perfect to start the creation process with. Ramshaw has tried using other cider products for his home creations, but it just wasn’t the same. So he decided why mess with what works?
Souther will actually press a batch just for hard cider makers and even puts it in the glass carboys for them. Talk about some sweet service.
“You want to use a special blend of sweet and tart,” Ramshaw. “You create this acidic balance.”
And after picking up your delicious cider, there’s many things you can do.
The simplest way (and for those who don’t want to mess with the science side of it) is to just pop on your airlock and let the fermentation process begin. Since apples have a naturally occurring yeast in the skin, there’s no need to mess with it. The cider will do all the work and allow you to sit back and watch the bubbles do their magic. It really takes all the guess work out of it, because when the airlock stops releasing gases, the cider will be good to go. Then you just have to grab a glass, pour and enjoy – assuming you’re of legal drinking age of course.
“You’re relying on what’s left behind,” Ramshaw said of the yeast and sugars. “The skins hold all the yeast that you need.”
But if you’re one of those people who like a challenge or just want to do a little experimentation, you do have options. Ramshaw told us about these campden tablets that essentially kill the wild yeast produced by the apples, giving you the ability to add the yeast of your choice.
“It gives you a blank slate to start with,” Ramshaw said.
Some will allow the entire fermentation process to take place in the original carboy, while others will transfer it to a secondary carboy to complete the alcohol creation.
“The alcohol content is a by-product of the sugars in it,” Ramshaw said.
Typically in a month or two, the fermentation will have done its job, but you can allow it to go longer, especially if you put it in a keg and refrigerate it like Ramshaw.
“I’m just now drinking my cider from last year,” Ramshaw said.
During his eight years of cider making, Ramshaw has done a lot of experimentation. He has mixed in flavors like cherry, black currants and even atomic fireballs (yes, those hard candies from your youth) for a cinnamon finish, as well as made concoctions like apple pie and coconut caramel apple cider. Most of the time, the additions are used to add color and a little back end sweetness.
“I try to find something that goes with apples,” Ramshaw said. “There’s so many deviations you can take.”
For a more traditional hard cider taste and more toward the ones on tap, Ramshaw will use a couple cans of apple juice concentrate.
“You’re just adding a flavor at the end of the process,” said Ramshaw.
But you also don’t need an elaborate system to make your own adult drink. While Ramshaw usually does his batches with five to 25 gallons at a time, you can really do it with just one jug sitting on your counter.
Looks like it’s time to buy some cider and see what you can come up with.
