# Cloudy Apple Juice Cider



## pk.sax

I have been trying to find something on it but no luck so far. Has anyone tried to use the Cloudy apple juice from the supermarket for a cider?

I've put down 4 litres of Coles brand cloudy apple juice in a 5L demijohn with the EB-1888 wine yeast. Tiny bit of yeast nutrient added too. Started it at 20 degrees C but it pretty much dropped to 16-17 straight after and has managed to stay between 15-18 since. SG was 1.054

2.5 days on, its still bubbling enthusiastically. No odours coming from it. I added a few cloves to the brew. Made a starter of the yeast in a bit of dissolved caster sugar in warm water. Contrary to what some have reported, my brew did develop a krauser pretty quickly. It was a thin yellow/white layer maybe ~6-8 mm thick on the top of the juice which went away overnight, replaced by a healthy looking fermentation.

I just don't have anything to base my expectation of the result upon. I like cloudy apple juice, if that matters  Perhaps for the next batch I'll add some LL preservative free juice to the mix, but this one is pure cloudy apple.

Any hints, suggestions on what to look out for? Its only my first batch, so plenty of room for experimenting but would be good to get something drinkable 

How it looked yesterday:


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## reviled

I dont see why it wont work, probably wont look very nice in the glass but if you can look past that then its all good :icon_cheers:


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## Muggus

I've made quite a few using fresh cloudy apple juice. I know a guy who works with a juice company, so I got the odd case quite cheap now and then.

I've used a variety of yeasts with it...EC1118, US-05, S-04...
The champagne yeast comes out a bit dry, quite tart on the palate, a touch chalky, didn't retain much apple flavour. SO4 didn't attentuate as much as EC1118, but wasn't as clean which masked the apple flavour
Most happy with US-05, quite clean, some residual sweetness, retained the most apple flavour...having said that, all the yeasts seems to strip a bit of the original flavour of the juice, which is a bit of a shame cause it's tasty stuff.


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## Jimboley

At the risk of annoying the cider experts...​Has anyone used "Oz-Top" It uses the juice bottle as a fermenter. 
It comes with a semi dry & fruity yeasts that you add direct to the bottle of juice then replace the lid with a "oz top" lid that lets Co2 out. 
Then you just ferment it out to desired ABV. 3 days 4-5% or 14 days 14%. then you replace the lid with original and chuck it into the fridge for a week and drink.
If you ferment it right out to 14% it obviously ends up very dry, no real residual sweetness.
At first glance I thought that it was a bit dodgy but after making a few batches all being really nice, I dont bother making making Cider any other way.
I've made a Dark grape sparkling wine (lambrusco) & cloudy apple cider. 
The outlaws have made a mango one that was really nice.
Pear & apple is the next one Im doing.​


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## pk.sax

Hehe. Thnx guys. I don't mind the colour. In fact, the more its looking like an OJ, the more it's resembling a soda pop  maybe filtering the cider might help to clear it up a little, worried about losing the flavor though. Btw, I did mean ec1888. I don't mind it dry but some flavour would be nice. I'll have to remember to get some US05 if I do a clear juice batch, they aren't as awesome in flavor as the cloudy so it should help 

Re oztops, well, since I have the equipment to make bigger batches already and making it this way avoids taking up fridge space (I need my beer in there too and only so much alcohol ppl in the house are gonna tolerate being in the fridge).
Besides, as long as it's on the kitchen bench, they can drool over it. Keeps my cider (&me) from getting kicked out  juice bottle just ain't gonna cut it.


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## reviled

From memory fourstar did a cider with bog standard apple juice and filtered it and it was so bright you could literally watch tv through it... He said it tasted pretty awesome too!


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## PryorBrewing

Have used nottingham yeast, with homebrand apple juice. Fermented to 1.008, crashed chilled and force carbed. drinks way better than Strongbow and only cost $16 for 19 litres. YEWWWWWWW


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## Airgead

Before I started crushing my own I used to use a cloudy apple juice from the shop. It did eventually drop clear. Took a while but dropped crystal clear in the end.

Cheers
Dave


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## Fourstar

reviled said:


> From memory fourstar did a cider with bog standard apple juice and filtered it and it was so bright you could literally watch tv through it... He said it tasted pretty awesome too!



step 1: drive to your local aldi
step 2: pickup 10 bottles of aldi apple juice
step 3: hand over 18.90
step 4: swing by your local HBS and pickup a saechet of US05
step 5: sanitise your fermenter
step 6: dump in your juice
step 7: dump in your yeast
step 8: ferment
step 9: crash chill
step 10: filter, keg, carb and enjoy

step 11 (optional): enjoy the hangover from too much cider! :icon_drunk:


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## grantsglutenfreehomebrew

I have used the Safeway/Woolworths Homebrand longlife juice for making cider for years now. Had no troubles except when I used champagne yeast. It made it taste like plain corn chips. Now I used the yellow Saflager lager yeast. I have tried the non preserved juices in the carton as well. They do make a better cider but at 6 bucks for two litres it gets a bit expensive. The Aldi juice works great as well as the extra juicy (Woolworths). I recommend letting it ferment out and adding lactose to sweeten to taste with the sugar for carbonating. Better than cider on tap and incredibly cheaper. I have a recipe on my webpage at www.grantsglutenfreehomebrew.webs.com




practicalfool said:


> I have been trying to find something on it but no luck so far. Has anyone tried to use the Cloudy apple juice from the supermarket for a cider?
> 
> I've put down 4 litres of Coles brand cloudy apple juice in a 5L demijohn with the EB-1888 wine yeast. Tiny bit of yeast nutrient added too. Started it at 20 degrees C but it pretty much dropped to 16-17 straight after and has managed to stay between 15-18 since. SG was 1.054
> 
> 2.5 days on, its still bubbling enthusiastically. No odours coming from it. I added a few cloves to the brew. Made a starter of the yeast in a bit of dissolved caster sugar in warm water. Contrary to what some have reported, my brew did develop a krauser pretty quickly. It was a thin yellow/white layer maybe ~6-8 mm thick on the top of the juice which went away overnight, replaced by a healthy looking fermentation.
> 
> I just don't have anything to base my expectation of the result upon. I like cloudy apple juice, if that matters  Perhaps for the next batch I'll add some LL preservative free juice to the mix, but this one is pure cloudy apple.
> 
> Any hints, suggestions on what to look out for? Its only my first batch, so plenty of room for experimenting but would be good to get something drinkable
> 
> How it looked yesterday:
> 
> View attachment 40248


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## keifer33

All this has inspired me to knock up a quick cider when I get a free fermenter.


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## manticle

I have a cloudy cider finishing at the moment made from fresh squeezed apples and a variety of juices, including cloudy juices.

It's currently cloudy - may clear up with cc and finings, may not but my main concern is the favour.
A lot of traditional ciders (UK, france etc) aren't clear.


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## pk.sax

Fourstar said:


> step 1: drive to your local aldi
> step 2: pickup 10 bottles of aldi apple juice
> step 3: hand over 18.90
> step 4: swing by your local HBS and pickup a saechet of US05
> step 5: sanitise your fermenter
> step 6: dump in your juice
> step 7: dump in your yeast
> step 8: ferment
> step 9: crash chill
> step 10: filter, keg, carb and enjoy
> 
> step 11 (optional): enjoy the hangover from too much cider! :icon_drunk:



All thats left is for u to tell me how to turbo speed up the one thats bubbling away so I can greet the elections tomorrow in a more sober state.
thnx mate, that shall be done next. I need another airlock b4 I can since I used the beer one on the carboy (yes, I'm cheap, very cheap, but I love cloudy juice... thats an exception). And I need to drink up more beer since I will run out of bottles!



keifer33 said:


> All this has inspired me to knock up a quick cider when I get a free fermenter.



hehehehehe <insert evil laugh> Or get another fermenter... I got myself another carboy so I can bulk prime this batch when its done. I swaer that was the real intention 




manticle said:


> I have a cloudy cider finishing at the moment made from fresh squeezed apples and a variety of juices, including cloudy juices.
> 
> It's currently cloudy - may clear up with cc and finings, may not but my main concern is the favour.
> A lot of traditional ciders (UK, france etc) aren't clear.



I'd love to see what it looks like mate. Give some confidence to lil not so old me. psstt... my cider has been smelling strongly of apple since this morning. Quite a subtle aroma from the airlock. I like the aroma, I hope there is still some left in the cider itself!


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## ginsoakedstranger

I've made a few small batches with the OZtops. Lots of experimenting...some good, few bad. My best was Dark Grape Berri brand juice with a cup of caster sugar (I'm sure dex would be better but none in the cupboard). 10 days later had some nicely carbed hard hitting cider. Had good results using apple juice with a cinnamon stick too. I think I'll try a bigger batch without adding sugar as mentioned above next. Beer is taking up much of my brewing time lately but I'd like to make something both my wife and I can enjoy.
Just wondering if a clear result is important why use cloudy juice to begin with? Flavour better? 

Anyway hope it tastes great..I'll have to get me some of those 5L demijohns.


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## pk.sax

yep, flavour. Like the cloudy over clear anyday.

Why I was wondering about it clearing: well, actually, I won't mind cloudy, its just the sickly green/yellow cloudy thats making me hmnnnnnnnnn. As said above, I have to get past the appearance. I've been thinking, I think I will back sweeten it with some long life juice to a) add volume and reduce alc% B) avoid adding carb drops, the added juice can be the sugar


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## juddda

Our local Big W has Just Juice 2.4 lt for $2 each at the moment, picked up 10 of these and a pack of CY17 Yeast from CB, should work a treat :icon_drool2:


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## Fourstar

when buying juice try and find the ones with citric acid as their preservative and not something with sulfates (like a campden tablet) as it will work againts your yeast and may throw off falvours.

this is a reason why i opt for aldi juice.


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## manticle

Or preservative free


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## juddda

Yeah, good point about the preservatives.

We usually buy the Aldi, but the Just Juice at $2 for 2.4lt was a good deal, and it is preservative free.

I am going back to Big W this morning to get another 20 at this price


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## pk.sax

bottled my stuff today, it had climbed down to 1004 from the SG of 1054. [5.5 days in primary fermentation @ 15-18 C]

Still cloudy, hardly any sweet taste to it, the yeast has definitely dried it out. The sulphur smell really hurt the nose as I took a sample out. It dissipated quickly enough though to let me drink it. I could definitely feel the alc kick.

I've added a calculated amount of normal (pres free) apple juice to it for secondary fermentation.

12 stubbies out of ~4.4 ltrs of apple juice. cost.. ermm... juice = ~$7.50, yeast (dunno). Sanitiser, water, caps. Still not bad for a small batch  I can be cheaper next time and buy aldi juice... hehe.


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## manticle

Sure it's finished? Cider can get down to .998 or so. My current one is 1000 - pretty sure it's done but still some CO2 coming out of solution after several days at cool temps.


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## pk.sax

manticle said:


> Sure it's finished? Cider can get down to .998 or so. My current one is 1000 - pretty sure it's done but still some CO2 coming out of solution after several days at cool temps.



yeah, I think it was done. I measured the gravity @ the 5.5 day mark (@ 16 C temp, so actual gravity was slightly lower). Siphoned to second DJ and added the required amount of juice and left to do some shopping, airlock in place (bottles were still in the dishwasher). The bubbling had been out for about 24-30 hrs but used to restart on shaking it up and stop again soon after. When I finally unbunged it, it was refusing to kick even with a generous shake and warmer temperature.

It was seriously dry. I'm not kidding when I say there wasn't really a hint of sweetness. I came back and added a tiny bit more juice since it had fermented some while I was waiting and then bottled straight away. Hopefully, it will turn out OK. I've followed the same carbonation rate as what the coopers lollies use and the juice I added said 11g/100ml sugar, meaning 328 ml need be added, I added 350 ml in all. I hope that some of that is un-fermentable sugar because that cider was way too dry for me and dry cider is what I actually prefer. People had been recommending crash chilling but that isn't something I'm aware of yet + I need the fridge space so I hope this is sufficient arresting of fermentation by removing it from the yeast cake and bottling, only so much O2 in those bottles for the yeast to do its work with!

I'll obviously keep posted if anything goes wrong or great


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