British Humor Cider 2023 - BJCP Style C1B - English Cider

This video is all about the making of a British style cider using ingredients that you can find online. British style cider is difficult to make in the US due to the lack of availability of cider apples for consumers.
For more detail on the ingredients, check out the original British Humor video:
• British Humor Cider - ...
British style cider can be described as austere and full bodied cider. This cider style frequently undergoes Malo-lactic fermentation or MLF using a bacteria that converts malic acid to lactic acid. The result is a less sharp cider with no overt apple character.
Morebeer British Bittersweet Concentrate: www.morebeer.com/products/bri...
Agar Clarification video:
• Clearing Cider with Agar
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction,
0:33 Recipe
1:51 Clearing the Cider
2:24 Tasting and Evaluation!
11:19 Final Rating and Closing Thoughts

[@neoanderson5146]

Interesting video, you have yourself a new (English) subscriber :)

[@CiderWithKevin]

Thanks!

[@bigernbladesmith]

Would it help with clarity if I used pectic enzyme at the beginning of fermentation then finished it with the agar?

[@CiderWithKevin]

It probably will help as well! I'll give that a shot for the 2024 version of this brew.

[@teamearleracing4782]

Started batch after your recipe yesterday but pectic enzyme prior to fermentation.
My version:
1.5L UK apple conc
8.5L fresh sweet cider
4.0L leftover cider
7.5L water
5 tsp malic acid
Realized I didn't have yeast packet so allowing a spontaneous ferment, maybe residual Cote des Blancs yeast from last batch leftovers will take or who knows
Question is: I tried the diluted UK concentrate and it's incredibly tannic. Really made me second guess the recipe. Does this mellow over time? It is really different

[@CiderWithKevin]

Alright, just to verify: 12.5L sweet cider to 8.5L bittersweet cider. 42.5% bittersweet.
I don't have my recipe up, butI would say that's in the ballpark of correct for an Austere, C1B style cider. Key word being Austere. It's going to be highly tannic. It will mellow slightly with age, but it will remain austere as that is the style.
Personally, very tannic is my preference, but if you've only ever had sweet, low tannin cider, it is wildly different.
The flavor on the cider does change a lot with Conditioning.

[@teamearleracing4782]

@@CiderWithKevin I've had many different commercials ciders, including those claiming to be traditional and heritage and so on. I assumed some of these would have been as tannic as your recipe but apparently this style is quite unique as far as what's commercially available. Anyway, will let it age for a few more months and then try it and maybe backsweeten or blend into a new batch

[@CiderWithKevin]

@teamearleracing4782 I'm concerned that you think it's too tannic. Heirloom Ciders are not the same as traditional cider. Traditional cider can be bittersweet (what this is).
Bittersweet cider is very much an acquired taste. Some commercial examples that have similar tannins:
www.libertycider.com/
Anything in the artisan series.
A couple things to note: has fermentation even started? You said you went with a wild fermentation rather than the recommended cider yeast. That does have an impact.
Also, choosing to not use a MLF as in the recipe will have a major impact on final flavor. The MLF makes the cider more smooth and buttery.
Just give it time. If it's not too your preference, blend it as you stated.
Also, did you try the must or the diluted concentrate?

[@teamearleracing4782]

@@CiderWithKevin Yeah, I think I'll let it ferment to dry and then assess. If the cider is too sharp, I could introduce the MLF culture and allow another few months of evolution. Perhaps it already would've undergone a wild/partial MLF at that point because I'm aging on lees in cellar at 65 or so.