Author: Matt Del Fiacco

In addition to being easy to make, hard cider is ripe for both experimentation and tweaking. From spicy and dry ciders to fruity and sweet, there seems very little that doesn’t pair well with fermented apple juice. One such example is habanero peppers, which Blake’s Hard Cider out of Armada, Michigan features alongside mango in their El Chavo, a commercially produced cider that inspired me to play with this fiery fruit.

Indeed, peppers are technically fruit and, as any true hot-head will attest, present with myriad flavors… if one is able to get past the heat. At upwards of 100 times hotter than a jalapeño, Habaneros certainly aren’t for the faint of heart, though those who are capable are treated to a delectably sweet and floral flavor.

My wife isn’t much of a beer drinker, but she has been known to enjoy a glass of cider, which has led me to be more ambitious in my cider experimentation. We both love El Chavo from Blake’s, so I’ve been working on my own habanero hard cider recipe for awhile and finally settled on what I think is a really good example. Over several iterations, I’ve learned I prefer a straightforward habanero hard cider with no other fruit additions to allow the flavors from the pepper to take center stage, while a touch of back-sweetening makes for a nice canvas for the heat.

| Making Habanero Hard Cider |

As much as I enjoy cider made with fresh pressed juice, I’ve grown quite fond of using store-bought juice for those batches I plan to use adjuncts in.

INGREDIENTS

5 gallons preservative free apple juice

1 pack Danstar Nottingham yeast

12 grams Go-Ferm

2 grams Wyeast Yeast Nutrient

4 habanero peppers

1 can apple juice concentrate

23 grams acid blend

7 grams potassium sorbate

PROCESS

With 5 gallons of juice on hand, I gathered all of the materials for this simple batch.

I added the packet of yeast and a pinch of Go-Ferm to a small amount of water for rehydration.

Next, I added some yeast nutrient to my sanitized fermentation vessel.

The apple juice was then poured vigorously into the fermentor.

Finally, I poured the rehydrated yeast slurry into the juice.

The filled fermentor was placed in my chamber that was set to maintain a steady 64°F/18°C.

With the 15 minute “brew” day complete, I began pepper preparation. I’ve found that 4 habaneros per 5 gallon batch works well, though more or less can be added to suit one’s preferences. After chopping and de-seeding the peppers, I placed them in a some vodka to soak while the cider fermented.

When fermentation activity had dwindled 2 weeks later, I added the habaneros, vodka and all, to the fermentor. I let the peppers mingle with the cider for 4 days before proceeding with packaging, which consisted of adding potassium sorbate to a sanitized keg then racking the fermented cider on top of it.

I pulled a sample the following day and used it to determine what other adjustments to make. I opted to forgo adding tannin to this batch, instead using some Acid Blend to impart a nice level of tartness.

I added a single can of apple juice concentrate to bump the sweetness up a little bit then resealed the keg and began a brief period of burst carbonating. I like a light carbonation on my cider and aimed for 2.2 volumes of CO2. After a few days of cold conditioning, the habanero hard cider was bubbly, clear, and ready to drink!

| IMPRESSIONS |

More often than not, when I tell people I’m serving them a habanero cider, I get looks of shock, disgust, and/or curiosity. I’ve served variations of this cider at festivals and enjoy watching people’s faces light up then have their friends sample it, often without telling them what it is. And it’s common that tasters come back for more, suggesting habanero cider is far more accessible than many might assume.

Paired with light carbonation and served cold, the layers in this particular habanero cider are all well defined and complementary, whereas I felt that other fruit additions I made in the past detracted from the cider itself. Plus, focusing on mingling the tartness and sweetness of the cider with the fruity notes and heat from the peppers has resulted in a crisp, clean, well balanced, and very drinkable cider. A touch of heat was in the exhale and the aftertaste while the fruit character from the peppers was fairly restrained, and the upfront sweetness from the concentrate rounded out the whole experience. Some have commented this cider is best had in small samples, but I find myself pulling pint after pint when I have it on tap.

If you have thoughts about this recipe or experience making hard cider yourself, please feel free to share in the comments section below!

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