# Apple & Blackcurrant Cider?



## blake2101 (2/5/11)

Hey ladies and gentlemen,

I've seen all the recipes ofmaking cider with store bought preservative free juice, I'm keen to know if its possible to make a cider using the Apple & Blackcurrant variety? 
A few questions:
Would it be a good idea to use lactose?
Would I need to use a combination of A&B, Apple Juice, Pear juice etc?
Which yeast would work the best?

Any help would be appreciated.
Does anyone know a good basic recipe to help get me started?

Thank you!


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## pimpsqueak (2/5/11)

I did one of these about 6 weeks ago. 10L Apple & Blackcurrant juice (from an organic market in Marrickville), some manuka honey and some old Coopers BE2 I had lying around (about 250g)
OG1.060 FG 1.002 I used Nottingham ale yeast and it has come out crystal clear without needing cc'ing or any finings.

I knew it was going to ferment right out and I used it to experiment with back-sweetening. 1/3 of the batch I bottled slightly early with a view to pasteurizing it and the other 2/3 I split in half and bottled half with an artificial sweetener and half with Stevia.
The artificial sweetener is rubbish and leaves an unpleasant aftertaste, but the Stevia seems ok.
I never got around to pasteurizing the first batch and they're on the verge of being bottle bombs now. Super carbonated and dryer than a Nuns nasty but quite tasty all the same.

Next time I'm going to make a much higher OG batch and use a yeast with a low alcohol tolerance so it won't ferment all the way out.


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## Gormand (2/5/11)

pimpsqueak said:


> Next time I'm going to make a much higher OG batch and use a yeast with a low alcohol tolerance so it won't ferment all the way out.



How do you plan to get carbonation?


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## pimpsqueak (2/5/11)

I'm going to bottle it before it hits FG


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## _HOME_BREW_WALLACE_ (2/5/11)

pimpsqueak said:


> I'm going to bottle it before it hits FG



I hope your gonna keg it!


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## pimpsqueak (2/5/11)

I could have a go with the converted Bitburger mini-kegs I'm toying with..
Otherwise, no. I will do a 2-4L test batch to see how the yeast behaves and what the FG is, then do a larger batch and bottle it.


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## SuiCIDER (3/5/11)

Mine ended up tasting like a port. Didn't like it too much.


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## blake2101 (3/5/11)

What was your recipe?

I'm looking to keep it as simple as possible, ie juice and yeast only.


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## manticle (3/5/11)

Could always do a test batch by pouring out a glass and adding some yeast to the bottle. Don't screw the lid back on tightly (or just cover with glad wrap and a rubber band).

Some yeast nutrient would help.


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## Wolfy (3/5/11)

blake2101 said:


> I've seen all the recipes ofmaking cider with store bought preservative free juice, I'm keen to know if its possible to make a cider using the Apple & Blackcurrant variety?
> A few questions:
> Would it be a good idea to use lactose?
> Would I need to use a combination of A&B, Apple Juice, Pear juice etc?
> ...


I just decant a little of the juice (and drink it) to give some head-space in the juice-bottle, then pitch the yeast directly into the bottle, shake the crap out of it for a while, then seal it with cling-wrap and a rubber band, and throw it in the fermenting fridge.
No need for anything more complicated than that, but if you have them a little DAP and yeast nutrient does not hurt.

We've tried the apple, apple and berry, apple and black current and a few other apple-juice mixes that SWMBO has brought home from the super-market.

Since they are just small batches fermented in the bottle, a taste-test determines when it has fermented enough, and then the lid is screwed tight to carbonate, when the bottle is squeeze-tight, its put into the fridge to stop most of the yeast activity, and since its only 2-3L it is consumed fairly quickly.

With just plain apple juice, I like the S33 yeast since it turns out nice and sweet/fizzy, if you like it a little dryer, then DV10 is a good choice, I've found that US05 leaves a bit of a strange taste so it's not my first choice for yeast.


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## Jazzafish (3/5/11)

I brewed one a little while ago: 
16L Apple Juice
2L Apple & Black Current juice
1099 yeast @18*c

Was great. Alot of 100% apple juice drys out too much for me. The black current juice kept some sweetness and drank very well. I think it wise for you to try Wolfy's suggestion before you dedicate a whole batch to 100% Apple & Blackcurrent, may be too over the top?


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## blake2101 (3/5/11)

Jazzafish said:


> I brewed one a little while ago:
> 16L Apple Juice
> 2L Apple & Black Current juice
> 1099 yeast @18*c
> ...



Was 2lt enough? Did it have enough of a blackcurrant taste to it?
Which yeast did you use?


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## SuiCIDER (4/5/11)

My recipe was straight apple and blackcurrant juice from the orchard with some sugar thrown in there.


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## brettprevans (4/5/11)

blake2101 said:


> Hey ladies and gentlemen,
> 
> I've seen all the recipes ofmaking cider with store bought preservative free juice, I'm keen to know if its possible to make a cider using the Apple & Blackcurrant variety?
> A few questions:
> ...


If you've looked at all the recipes then you'd see lots of recipes using apple and blk current juice. Yes it works. I don't think u need more than 40 or 50%. keep it simple and use apple juice for the rest.


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## blake2101 (15/5/11)

Ok, so here's my plan. 

16L apple juice
4L apple & Blackcurrant juice (not enough? Too much?)
500g Lactose (I'd like it sweet but not very sweet!)
Yeast (us-04, us-05, cider, champagne?)

Any feedback or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!


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## wynnum1 (22/5/11)

Apple & Blackcurrant juice in supermarket is only 5 percent Blackcurrant how would using dried fruit go or change to grape juice


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## calverley_matt (22/5/11)

Would it work if you decant into bottles and add jam or concentrate rather than sugar for a second fermentation?


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## InCider (22/5/11)

I got 18l of apple & blackcurrent juice and a belgian yeast, Safbrew T-58 yesterday. Keen to see how it ends up. 



> A speciality yeast selected for its estery somewhat peppery and spicy flavour development.
> Sedimentation: medium. Final gravity: high.
> Also recommended for bottle-conditioning of beers. Excellent performance in beers with
> alcohol contents of up to 8.5% v/v but can ferment up to 11.5% v/v.


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## Screwtop (22/5/11)

InCider said:


> I got 18l of apple & blackcurrent juice and a belgian yeast, Safbrew T-58 yesterday. Keen to see how it ends up.




Seems you're onto something Sean! Listened to a podcast of James Spencers on the way home today, they tasted a Ciser and interviewed the maker, he used Belgian Yeast plus fed it some Clover Honey and Brown Sugar too.

Screwy



Hmmmm...........food for thought


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## InCider (22/5/11)

Screwtop said:


> Seems you're onto something Sean! Listened to a podcast of James Spencers on the way home today, they tasted a Ciser and interviewed the maker, he used Belgian Yeast plus fed it some Clover Honey and Brown Sugar too.
> 
> Screwy
> 
> ...



And that is what I will do! Thanks for the heads up Mike. Are you still at Finbar's? :lol: Great session and beers.


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## Screwtop (22/5/11)

InCider said:


> And that is what I will do! Thanks for the heads up Mike. Are you still at Finbar's? :lol: Great session and beers.




Yes mate great time, have a listen here: http://hw.libsyn.com/p/c/d/c/cdcf0c100c411...p;l_mid=2580438


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## ultrasuede (23/5/11)

sounds really nice, I may make this my next batch


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