Sacrilege Sour Cherry Cider

Ferment the apple juice at 62–72°F (17–22°C). Don’t let it climb above 72°F (22°C).

Add yeast nutrient—use Fermaid K, not plain old diammonium phosphate (DAP)—at 30–35% attenuation according to the dosage on the package, noting that the juice will go full dry, down to below 1.000 SG (0°P).
When fully dry, let the cider age in primary for 3 weeks. Chill, if possible, to help the yeast drop out of suspension. After 3 weeks, add Super Kleer according to the manufacturer’s instructions to clarify, and then transfer off the Super Kleer to a secondary container.

Add 1 gal. (3.8 L) of tart/sour cherry juice. Do not use “dark/sweet” cherry juice. It may be hard to find this product, but I can usually get it at Whole Foods Market. It can be much pricier than sweet juice. Look for Montmorency and/or Morello varieties. These are tart pie cherries, which are largely inedible.

Prepare clove tea by adding 10–15 cloves to a small pot with 3 cups (710 mL) of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 hour. Strain out the cloves and cool the tea (adding ice is OK). Add a quarter cup of the tea to the cider to start, and then, using ESP, stop adding the tea just before you begin to actually taste the clove in the final blended cider.

Make a tincture by soaking a couple of dried chiles in vodka for 1–3 weeks. Ghost chiles are great, as are habaneros. The hotter, the better. Be careful with this tincture! Do not use fresh chiles, as they will give a vegetal flavor and aroma. Depending on the Scoville intensity of the liquor, add an amount that produces an ever-so-slight hint of heat. It’s very easy to overdo it. Maybe get a friend to help taste it with you.

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