# El Cheapo Cider Making Bottle



## pk.sax (22/6/11)

If you make cider IN the juice bottle you bought the juice in, it might be a good idea to get one of the bottled juices with the stronger big grippy tops.

I have a vigorous ferment going in a cheapie bottle and the pressure cracked the cap so it won't screw down so well any more. Bit of a bummer because it is usually really convenient to let carb in the fridge door in those bottles themselves and pour straight off the yeast medium fizzy.


----------



## Tanga (22/6/11)

You cracked the top? You had the bottle sealed while brewing? Why not use gladwrap over the top for the most vigorous ferment (at least)?


----------



## InCider (22/6/11)

practicalfool said:


> If you make cider IN the juice bottle you bought the juice in, it might be a good idea to get one of the bottled juices with the stronger big grippy tops.
> 
> I have a vigorous ferment going in a cheapie bottle and the pressure cracked the cap so it won't screw down so well any more. Bit of a bummer because it is usually really convenient to let carb in the fridge door in those bottles themselves and pour straight off the yeast medium fizzy.



Good idea PF! I have a few here that I will be fermenter... 18l worth. Good for filling from the keg for picnics etc!


----------



## Golani51 (22/6/11)

InCider said:


> Good idea PF! I have a few here that I will be fermenter... 18l worth. Good for filling from the keg for picnics etc!



What one guy sells (I forgot who it is) is basicallty the following:

1. remove cap and separate from the inner seal disk
2. drill hole in top at centre point with 7-8mm drill
3. cut small X in lining disk
4. return into position in cap and screw onto juice once yeast added

Simple and won't clog up.


----------



## keifer33 (22/6/11)

Or you could just buy some oztops for like $25 - http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Cider-Wine-Beer...=item19c6895cfd


----------



## pk.sax (22/6/11)

umm.. I used to do a fair few of them in those big grippy cap bottles, they just always happened to be on sale when I needed cheap juice to make cider 

fnq fuks up everything, its weird here, I bought a normal bottle cap bottle and the top cracked.. hehe... stuck it back on with a rubber band and it started swelling again 

I'd do the glad wrap spiel if I anticipated it.. usually the grippy bottle caps are strong enough to last anything really. Andt he bottles, well, they are grade 2 plastic, same as brewing drums most people use... and some pressurize to bottle.. hehe.. its just conveninence.

These are so easy to work with I'm sticking my head back into brewing starting with them. Sick of paying through my nose for expensive beer, Bought a 0.5 L botle of nice looking "Cyder"... $#%!%$^ stupid gits selling ordinary chit in expensive bottles. Much easier to make your own, it doesn't even need much temp control  Just squeeze out some air before you tighten the cap and it should be fine until you next check on it.


----------



## Tanga (23/6/11)

I too recommend oztops - you don't have to use them, but they are fun (and faster because of the pressure).

So far my two fave drinks are apple and blackcurrent cider made from the Berri juice (made with the high pressure top in a coke bottle), and a nice mead (cyser) I made with the rest of the juice, water, honey and spices. A much cheaper way to try new recipes for cider.

I don't recommend the apple / passionfruit juice one though. Yuk. The added pectin makes it cloudy, and it tastes like fruity lexia.


----------



## mackgangsta (23/6/11)

My extremly simple method is to drill a hole at the top, put a balloon on it with a pin prick in it. it fills up then tips over creating a simple air lock! Genius. Prison brew!


----------



## pk.sax (23/6/11)

thank you. There is enough dam advertisement for oztops. while those who buy them can rest safe and happy in the knowledge their 25$ plastic is worth a gold medal, us cheap basterds who won't spend 25 bucks on an invention when there are a zillion NO cost workarounds can just use just those... Nothing special indeed 

PS: I might spend the 25 bucks on some brew bling instead .. sooo sorry oztops.

PSS: Its 10 DEgrees in the door of my fridge and the wine yeast I'm using loves it tyvm  free carbonation

PPPS: Drilling a hole etc in the lid defeats the purpose of having a bottle u can let carbonate by the last leg of fermentation IN the bottle itself.


----------



## InCider (23/6/11)

mackgangsta said:


> My extremly simple method is to drill a hole at the top, put a balloon on it with a pin prick in it. it fills up then tips over creating a simple air lock! Genius. Prison brew!




Pruno! 

Sometimes when I make cider I leave the cap on the cube screwed up tight. Carbed and ready for kegging. Easy.


----------



## QldKev (23/6/11)

oztops rock in Logan!


----------



## Golani51 (24/6/11)

keifer33 said:


> Or you could just buy some oztops for like $25 - http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Cider-Wine-Beer...=item19c6895cfd



That is what I was referring to, but they are expensive. 2 mins would be enough to make plenty of caps.


----------

