Easy Hopped Cider

Simple plan for simple stuff:

• Pitch one packet of S-04 into 4 gal of Kirkland brand apple juice @~59f. Keep temperature stable.
  
• Just after lag phase has ended, mix 1.5-2g Fermaid O into some apple juice, and add with enough juice to top up to 4.7 gal total. This should be on the lower end of the nutrient schedule, hopefully just enough to ward off diacetyl and sulphur.
  
• Wait until >50% attenuated, and start ramping the temperature a couple of degrees a day to ~68.
  
• With a couple of points left to go until FG, ~1.007ish, add the dry hops.
  
• Let dry hop for 4-7 days, cold crashing at FG.
  
• Rack to serving keg after 24-48 hours at cold crash temperatures.
  
• Let condition in the fridge, hopefully drink young.
  
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  10/16/20:
  
  Racked after cold crash w/ 7 days hop contact (5 @ 67f, 2 during cold crash) to serving keg. Next time I'll use a hop bag rather than letting them float freely - even after the cold crash there was enough in suspension to clog the floating dip tube, so I had to open everything up and siphon-pump transfer. Not ideal, hopefully oxidization doesn't become a problem.
  
  Manual hydrometer readings verified that this ended up right around 1.002, and a taste of the pre-carb sample was pretty good. There's no detectable sulfur taste, no other significant fermentation off flavors, and mild apple flavor (about as much as is reasonable considering I'm not back-sweetening), though the hops are a little grassy and dank.
  
  Next time I'll probably switch up the hops to something fruity and tropical, and limit the contact time a little more (maybe 3 days at room temp before cold crashing?)
  
  Plan is to burst carb @30psi for ~24 hours, then turn it down to ~12psi and shamelessly drink under-carbed cider till it's ready.
  
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  10/20/20:
  
  After a little more thought I turned the pressure down to 14psi rather than 12, to give it a little more mouthfeel from increased carbonation and help the hop aromatics. It's been a few days since then, and the general consensus is that this turned out really well!
  
  In line with my initial impressions, there aren't any fermentation off flavors I can pick out, but, with carbonation, the S-04 has left pleasant but subtle notes I'd normally associate with ale. The finished cider is crystal clear, very dry without being astringent or harsh, and has a crisp, tart, finish. Apple notes are distinguishable on the finish, but meld with the hop flavors well enough you have to pay attention. While the hop flavors started out worryingly grassy and dank, that quickly faded into the sort of smooth herbal spice I'd expect from Tettnanger and Willamette.
  
  It's really a shame I didn't brew this at the start of summer, rather than at the start of fall, but that can be fixed next year!